Aluminum PT Boat - Pics posted in a.b.p.r.c.m

[kenb]

I first posted to rec.models.rc.water last August, when I began
researching the magnificent PT Boats from WW2. I have a home workshop and
too much spare time on my hands, so I was looking for a tin project to
challenge my abilities.
I recieved many helpful and informative replies from the readership
here, and the technical and historical information provided is much
appreciated.
Since last summer I have been developing my design with ACAD2000, and I
have recently begun construction of my scratch-built aluminum PT boat.
The jury is still out on many of the drive train and radio control
details, but my intention is to employ two-stroke power driving two props
through a reversible transmission. I know the real PT boats had three
props, but I had to delete the center one to reduce overall weight and the
compexity of the gearbox unit; I'm terrified enough of attempting to make
two props work as it is!

Anyhow, I'm making this post as a pointer to the pictures I've posted
over in alt.binaries.pictures.radio.control.models. I'm really happy to
finally have something consisting of aluminum to show for my efforts, and I
want to show it off to the people who took the time to assist me in getting
this far.

Cheers

--
Sent to you by Ken at:
kenwho?@sympatico.ca
replace 'who?' with 'b2' for email

[FrankG]

Looks good

Do you have an autocad drawing of the complete thing or an image ?

Be nice to see what it will look like

Keep posting the pictures

FrankG

"kenb" <kenwho?@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:i%yHa.3426$ca4.367736@news20.bellglobal.com.. .
> I first posted to rec.models.rc.water last August, when I began
> researching the magnificent PT Boats from WW2. I have a home workshop and
> too much spare time on my hands, so I was looking for a tin project to
> challenge my abilities.
> I recieved many helpful and informative replies from the readership
> here, and the technical and historical information provided is much
> appreciated.
> Since last summer I have been developing my design with ACAD2000, and
I
> have recently begun construction of my scratch-built aluminum PT boat.
> The jury is still out on many of the drive train and radio control
> details, but my intention is to employ two-stroke power driving two props
> through a reversible transmission. I know the real PT boats had three
> props, but I had to delete the center one to reduce overall weight and the
> compexity of the gearbox unit; I'm terrified enough of attempting to make
> two props work as it is!
>
> Anyhow, I'm making this post as a pointer to the pictures I've posted
> over in alt.binaries.pictures.radio.control.models. I'm really happy to
> finally have something consisting of aluminum to show for my efforts, and
I
> want to show it off to the people who took the time to assist me in
getting
> this far.
>
> Cheers
>
> --
> Sent to you by Ken at:
> kenwho?@sympatico.ca
> replace 'who?' with 'b2' for email
>
>
>
>
>

[Fly Higher]

Certainly an interesting project but I'm curious, why aluminum? After all,
the real ones were wood.

F.H.

"kenb" <kenwho?@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:i%yHa.3426$ca4.367736@news20.bellglobal.com.. .
> I first posted to rec.models.rc.water last August, when I began
> researching the magnificent PT Boats from WW2. I have a home workshop and
> too much spare time on my hands, so I was looking for a tin project to
> challenge my abilities.
> I recieved many helpful and informative replies from the readership
> here, and the technical and historical information provided is much
> appreciated.
> Since last summer I have been developing my design with ACAD2000, and
I
> have recently begun construction of my scratch-built aluminum PT boat.
> The jury is still out on many of the drive train and radio control
> details, but my intention is to employ two-stroke power driving two props
> through a reversible transmission. I know the real PT boats had three
> props, but I had to delete the center one to reduce overall weight and the
> compexity of the gearbox unit; I'm terrified enough of attempting to make
> two props work as it is!
>
> Anyhow, I'm making this post as a pointer to the pictures I've posted
> over in alt.binaries.pictures.radio.control.models. I'm really happy to
> finally have something consisting of aluminum to show for my efforts, and
I
> want to show it off to the people who took the time to assist me in
getting
> this far.
>
> Cheers
>
> --
> Sent to you by Ken at:
> kenwho?@sympatico.ca
> replace 'who?' with 'b2' for email
>
>
>
>
>

[kenb]

"FrankG" wrote in message:

> Looks good
> Do you have an autocad drawing of the complete thing or an image ?
> Be nice to see what it will look like
> Keep posting the pictures
> FrankG

Hi Frank,
I've got the boat about 50% drawn up as autocad drawings, the rest is
still floating around in my head as almost (!) but not quite developed
concepts at this point. They too, will appear in Cad eventually, but I
still need to locate suppliers for things such as helical gears, tapered
roller bearings and seals and such before I can settle on a final design for
the drivetrain.
This is a true scratch built project here, the only purchased complete
item will be the 2-stroke engine (probably a water cooled Zenoah); the rest
of the boat will be a one of a kind thing. I have a home workshop with a
lathe and vertical mill, so I will be designing and scratch building the
gearbox and all other drivetrain components myself.
I'm glad you like what you see, it's taken 10 months to get to the point
where there is something to take a picture of, so the positive feedback is a
wonderful thing to hear! Now that the concept is developed, things are
starting to happen really fast, so the pics will keep on coming.

Thanks for the compliment Frank,
Cheers!

--
Sent to you by Ken at:
kenwho?@sympatico.ca
replace 'who?' with 'b2' for email

[kenb]

"Fly Higher" wrote in message:

> Certainly an interesting project but I'm curious, why aluminum? After
all,
> the real ones were wood.

I guess it's because I'm a tin-man seeking a new metal project, as
opposed to a boat builder looking for something new to build out of wood! I
just don't feel like building another copper and brass watering-can right
now, and a boat hull looked like something that will put my abilities to the
test. Bending up the aluminum sides to meet perfectly at the bow has me
rather nervous at this point, and success will be a really sweet feeling if
I pull it off. Besides, I'm a real klutz when it comes to working with
wood, I keep wrecking my fingers with the hammers all the time! :-)
As an interesting footnote, I first became interested in the PT boats
because of a series of four PT boats that were actually constructed of
aluminum between 1948-1951, designated as PT 809-812. They were
discontinued due to safety and expense reasons, but one of them was used as
an escort for President Kennedy's vacation yaght (did I spell that right?)
for several years afterwards. I'm still looking for drawings for any one of
those boats, and I will reward anybody who can produce a set for me.

Cheers!

--
Sent to you by Ken at:
kenwho?@sympatico.ca
replace 'who?' with 'b2' for email

[Alistair Harding]

kenb said (and I quote):


>
> I guess it's because I'm a tin-man seeking a new metal project, as
> opposed to a boat builder looking for something new to build out of
> wood! I just don't feel like building another copper and brass

Hi Ken,

If you haven't seen it already, I recommend you visit www.pt-boat.com
The site belongs to John, who is also a skilled metalworker, and has put
a lot of time in making the on-deck weapons out of metal. He even has a
working twin-screw torpedo! Plenty of other stuff there that would
interest you as well.


--
Cheers,

Alistair Harding - VK2LLL
NSW Police Communications Operator (VKG3)
Firefighter - Seahampton Rural Fire Brigade

www.alistairharding.com / radcomop@SPAM.yahoo.com.au (remove SPAM.)

'The impossible we do straight away - miracles require 24hr notice!'

"Above statements are my own opinion and are not to be taken as official
statements of my employing agency, nor should they be taken to reflect
official protocols/policies of the NSW Police Service, NSW Rural Fire
Service or the State Government of New South Wales, Australia."