Bluebird & Other Scale Models

[RichM]

Hi all - excuse my late-ness to the party - I’m the guy Ernie mentioned who’s building the 1/8th scale turbine K7.
I’ve got Ernie’s original RC K4, an RC K3 and K7 I’ve done, both brushless.
Bill - I spoke to Ernie on Saturday, it would be great to for us to organise a rivet counting visit, it’d help me greatly with my 1/8 build.
Just on with the cockpit at the mo - has anyone got a good diagram of the layout of the bulkheads - all I have to go off is the Touchwood 1/12 cockpit which I know isn’t right...
Ta for now
Rich

[Renegadenemo]

Bill - I spoke to Ernie on Saturday, it would be great to for us to organise a rivet counting visit, it’d help me greatly with my 1/8 build.

Hi Rich, and welcome... The offer is there - put together a party and propose some dates and we'll see what can be done.

has anyone got a good diagram of the layout of the bulkheads

Are we talking about the internal bulkheads in the cockpit? If so there must be a thousand pic's in out diary. Just need a bit of digging.

[RichM]

Great - I know there’s myself, Ernie and Ian Lazenby already - if others are interested give me a shout and we’ll come up with some dates...

Sorry, I meant the internal bulkheads - after trawling through the diary archive for the last two nights I’ve found some pics - cheers

[Ernie Lazenby]

Rich. I have already started a separate thread about visiting North Shields. I included your name on the list.

[RichM]

Just seen it Ernie, many thanks

[Black Knight]

Here’s Kevin Desmond holding his lovely ME II

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[ace_chris]

you cannot resist it Chris can you. I borrowed the plugs from Speedline to make the set of mouldings that would work. Needed altering and making much lighter than the one you had made for you then sold because it did not work.(I think it was you?) Most of my work is scratch built I don't need to buy other folks stuff. The one I made/built, whatever, was the first 1/6th scale model of K7 in the UK powered by a gas turbine that worked as well as that shown in the you tube videos and remains so today so far as I have seen of others. My expertise is getting these scale models to run correctly, many try and fail as you are well aware I think. I spent ages trying to get Miss Campbells previous partners model of K7 to work correctly including rebuilding some of it, it sort of worked but was too heavy. The last I heard of that one the sponson arms had become detached. I declined a request to repair it.
Speedline deservedly got a mention in an article I wrote for Marine Modelling Magazine 16 years ago. It wont be mentioned in my latest one because its not germane to the main thrust.

I will be very happy to acknowledge in my next article the asistance given to me by Bill Smith very recently when I visited North Shields and was allowed to photograph K7 again and watch the engine being run up. Surprised? you should not be Bill Smith and I are all grown up! I enjoyed meeting the team. It was freezing cold but the engine warmed me up- fingers in ears though! We talked 'boat' not politics.


Thank you for the info re wrens I was not aware they had gone bust. A shame, they were a very good company. It matters not for my article. Re the 'latest build' it was the latest build when my friend bought it second hand! I have just clarified that with him.

Many thanks for the insight Ernie. Yes the first model was a very steep learning curve, it was too bad that it didnt work out with the prop and then subsequent first gas turbine installation. All subsequent Speed line 1:6 models were a derivative of this model so I am proud to have been able to make this type of model accessible, and a number still run successfully.

The first model was indeed sold to someone else. I heard your model, or possibly the previous one, was sold and then bought back in the future but apologies if this information is incorrect. The second model was much lighter; we got the c of g correct as this was very easily calculated and she ran perfectly, first time. With respect, this was some time before your claim of "The one I made/built, whatever, was the first 1/6th scale model of K7 in the UK powered by a gas turbine"

My pleasure to help in terms of Wren, its a shame as they had a good reputation, having gone bust twice. Not for one moment am I surprised by your comments regarding Bill, he is the real deal, a tenacious leader whom I hold in high regard. Im hoping to see K7 run when shes next on the water so will take my ear defenders!

[Ernie Lazenby]

If you are going to quote me quote the whole sentence. I have not seen any evidence to contradict what I wrote. I look forward to seeing video clips of yours running please. In point of fact the very first Gas turbine powered K7 I am aware of was scratch built in the 1990's by a chap from South Shields who also scratch made the gas turbine for it. It worked but was not quick. Respect for a pioneer in gas turbine powered model boats. He also made a fantastic large model of Crusader powered by a home made gas turbine but he could not get the boat to work correctly. Having that knowledge I am not going to say mine was the first gas turbine powered model so please don't misquote me again.

BTW Fact: my son sold the K7 when he hit hard times but bought it back a short time later. Nothing to do with me.

Its very rewarding to know that it was me, a fact, who let it be known widely why the three 1/6ths did not work as well as the buyers expected. Try reading some of my published articles, they pre date the 1/6th scale models, where I refer to weight issues with high speed model boats. Too heavy. I said so the first time I saw one at Coniston and that was very soon after they were made. Having examined Marshalls and tested it my opinion was proven to be correct and I told Adrian. It was only a short time after testing Marshalls that I built the light weight version (around 2005). I seem to recall spending some time trying to help you with your prop driven one, at a time when your knowledge of model boats was minimal, advice you choose to ignore but that's okay. My post that you chose to comment on is correct, try to alter history if you wish, I am past caring what some others think, I have 24 years of published works on the subject of fast model boats.

I look forward to seeing video clips of yours running at the time you say you bought it; remind me you did buy it ready built didn't you?

[Ernie Lazenby]

I took this photograph of Miss Campbell and her then partner at Roundhay Park Leeds in 2003 I think. I did quite a bit of remedial work on the boat and tried to get it going better at speed. Fitted with a pull start engine. One of my contacts in the model boat world, who is one of the worlds foremost authority on IC model boat engines, examined it and found it to be worn out.
A lovely model and very big! Miss Campbell very kindly allowed me to interview her to form the basis of one of my articles. I had a very pleasant afternoon with her at her home at Leeds and on subsequent visits. Being allowed to hold Mr Woppitt and Sir M's steering wheel plus examining other Campbell family treasures relating to her father and grandfather is something I will never forget. Memorable.(The high speed ride in Miss Campbells Aston Martin was interesting! Sadly I did not get a ride in the Bentley!

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[Ernie Lazenby]

I am giving much thought to building either a Quicksilver 4 pointer or another one of Ken Warbys first boat SOA. I have been looking at the gas turbines available from UK based Turbine solutions and found one that wont break the bank. At my age and state of health one starts to wonder how long it will be before you fall of the perch, hopefully enough time to do one or the other.
This is the front cover of UK mag 2004 showing a 1/8th scale model of SOA powered by brushless technology. Built as a joint venture by myself and my friend. He did the basic woodwork and I did the rest including a 4 page write up. Very quick in a straight line, turning was not what it did. Sadly I sold it. I am moving more towards a Quicksilver, it would be different. On the other hand with K7 back in working order and Dave Warby probably going to attempt the WWSR, SOA seems to be more relevant. What do folk think. BTW Turbine solutions has bought out Wrens and will be making Wren engines but will be marketed as Turbine solutions.(Completely different owners)