SEA > CV / CVN
1/72nd radio-controlled scratchbuilt aircraft carrier - USS Nimitz
Rokket:
She is looking great Captain! I'm going to work on a 1:72 bottle of champagne for the launch!
Johann Vilthomsen:
:)
I am impressed by the project you have decided to do.
I am looking to see the future progress in your model.
Strength and Forward!
dougie47:
Hello,
This will be my last update for a while. I have managed to get a lot done over the summer but time will now be much more limited. Here is where I am at presently.
The bow was shaped more to try to get the curve looking like the real Nimitz class. I also had to reshape the bulbous part at the foot of the bow. I also drilled a few holes near the top of the hull but they have not yet been filed to the oval shape required.
After test fitting the bow onto the midsection, I found the bow was heavy and not being held in place by the metal poles. I therefore added additional metal poles and much longer wooden bars along the top, which I hope will be enough to stop the bow from falling off. I won't be gluing the bow onto the midsection until later because once I do I won't be able to carry or turn it on my own. (it is just test fitted in the image above)
Here is the bow thruster (Raboesch 108-04) connected to a Mtroniks Viper Marine 20 Electronic Speed Controller -
This is the electronics (minus the bow thruster) after testing -
There is a Radiolink T8FB 2.4GHz 8-channel transmitter with two R8EF receivers. The four quite powerful motors are MFA Torpedo 850 Marine Electric Motors. Each of the motors has its own electronic speed controller (ESC). The ESCs I used for the motors are Mtroniks Viper Marine 25. The battery is a Yuasa Yucel 12V 24Ah Sealed Lead Acid Battery which is rather heavy. I was going to use a car battery but I though this might go flat and I hope the Yuasa one will be maintenance free as advertised.
The servo near the bottom isn't suitable for working with 12V and need a lower voltage. I added a UBEC 5V 6V 3A BEC Switch (the green rectangle part in the photo) so that the voltage is suitably reduced.
Talking of voltages, I boobed somewhat and had that familiar burning smell which always seems to occur when I play with electronics. Originally I had each of the motor ESCs going into separate receiver channels. I did not cut any of the red wires which is apparently a mistake. This caused two of the ESCs to blow and the wires to the battery to burn through. After a bit of research I realised my error. Now I have only one of the red wires feeding power into the receiver (I cut all the rest of the red wires). I also have wired it up so that the two port motors are controlled by one receiver channel and the two starboard motors are controlled by a different receiver channel. This will allow the port motors to be controlled by forward movement of one stick and the starboard motor to be controlled by the other stick. Forward on one and reverse on the other will thus allow turning of the stern, meaning that I don't have to rely upon the bow thruster.
The bow thruster has its own ESC, meaning I have five in total.
The electronics all seems to work now, thankfully without any burning smells or drama.
Next up is the stand, which is bigger and heavier than it looks in this image -
This image shows the skeleton of the stern section added to the midsection, which sits on the stand. The stand can be seen on the right hand side and is itself bolted onto a table. The table has wheels on the bottom, making it possible for me to wheel the entire stand and hull along the ground.
As can be seen from the image above, I am using the same method as before, with the grey metal poles between the hull frames and stringers added in place. In the middle is the keel bar which sits centrally. I have build the shell of the area at the stern, as can be seen here -
Detail will be added to this area in due course. The area at the rear is slightly curved, though it cannot be seen in the image.
Cheers,
Dougie
Rokket:
Coming along nice. I love your electronics work and description! :D
dougie47:
Hello all,
Here are a few shots of progress in the Nimitz project.
Firstly this is the boat on its side with the stern areas all closed up. It is getting really awkward in terms of size and weight for me to turn over myself so I am getting used to tuning it on its side now and again.
The stern area has a few details added. I've kept the shelf which should go on the starboard side separate as I would like to paint before adding it.
Next is the starboard side. You can see I've added some of the area here. I used plasticard for the curves as 3mm marine ply is hard to bend.
This is the port side with quite a few areas cut out.
Lastly I added the base for one of the Sea Sparrows near the stern on the port side. I have made this removable with brass rod going into the hull. This is because the hull is getting heavy to handle so having removable parts where possible helps. To make this I added layers of 3mm ply, added wood filler between layers, then sanded to shape. It needed a bit of shaping with the electric sander but got there. I also did the larger Sea Sparrow base near the bow on the starboard side using the same method and it is removable via two bolts.
I've also added the three hangar decks and bulkheads. I'm keeping it basic below decks so no detail will get added but I did need a flat deck as you can see through the four big ovals.
Cheers,
Dougie
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