Hydro Junkie

Yesterday, I purchased this kit from a local hobby shop and am curious if anyone has built it and, if so, did they convert it to R/C? I know the kit has the option of building it with a full hull or waterline as well as a complete hanger deck that can made visible by cutting out the roll up doors, molded closed at the factory.

Harquebus

Flattops are not as popular as other 1/350 warships to convert as they have lots of hull (and weight) above the waterline and little below making them unstable. Seems the consensus elsewhere is that they need a weighted keel outside of the hull to make them stable. Still, I'd like to see your efforts not to mention a scale conversion (all 4 props operable). What motors are you planning to use?

Hydro Junkie

As of yet, I haven't really gotten to look into power options or much else due to work and other commitments. I've been toying with the idea of using servos to drive the props as I know that's been done with success in several smaller builds I've seen. The big hurdles are going to be balancing the hull to offset the top weight and making the hull water tight. The kit comes with a waterline option as well as the parts to make it a full hull so sealing the seam at the waterline and making the prop shafts watertight will be major issues

Harquebus

As many would recommend to you (perhaps in a forum that received higher traffic), the butchered servo option is probably the best bet. I've been recommended hacked servos so many times that it must be the absolute best way to R/C a plastic ship model. I just haven't done it as I just don't have them laying around in quantity. Guess I should purchase some standard servos just for the purpose of hacking (probably best to select a inexpensive type) them.

The Essex probably has 4 props as I mentioned so you could have the two starboard motors/props on a "Y" harness and the two port motors/props on another "Y" harness using only 1 servo port per pair thus giving you some differential steering IIRC, on a 4+ channel radio.
Also, I would seek to eliminate as much topside weight as possible so if the kit provides some sort of inner hangar detail or uneeded bulkheads or other parts, I would cut those out. Under the island superstructure, for example, you could cut out a hole in the main deck underneath where the island rests and any other places where it won't show--any and all kind of weight savings will add up.

Harquebus

I don't know if you've seen this but there's a semi-dedicated build log of a 1/350 Hornet on RCG:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472467

mfr02

......probably by me.
The butchered servos, with a bit of fiddling, can have their centre off point set in sync with each other. I would avoid those chinese 10A ones if there is to be any mixing - I haven't tried it, but I just can't see them playing nice together. One of them should be capable of handling 4 servo motors without any problem, though.

Hydro Junkie

I saw some serious layout problems with that Hornet. The weight is centered too far aft and has the model sitting bow high rather than level. I could see a lot of water going over the stern and rear side railings so I can already see how much of an issue both the weight and balancing are going to be

herrmill

Cmpang & the others at Hong Kong's Rosen Fleet are some of the best when it comes to converting plastic kits. You'll want to visit & sign up on their Rosen Fans forum & since its not in English best to open using Chrome with traditional Chinese settings:

http://www.rosenfans.com/forum.php?m...id=23#lastpost

Other good places for reference are RCG's micro/sub-micro boat forum or look for RC conversions on Carrier Builders, Model Boat Mayhem & Model Warship sites:

http://www.rcgroups.com/micro-and-sub-micro-boats-696
http://www.carrierbuilders.net
http://www.shipmodels.info
http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk'

If you want to see the ultimate conversion, look for the steam conversion on Model Boats. You'll need to be a subscriber to see the back issue but every they often carry a "Plastic Magic" segment in the magazine that features excellent examples of RC conversions.

http://www.modelboats.co.uk

Harquebus

Yes, Rosen Fleet has done many, many RC conversions. I'd be curious to see how many they have done in total, each member's efforts. Just amazing work over there. The photography is way beyond mediocre and part of the attraction IS the photography. They often get down to eye level when showcasing their ships. Top work.

I see they have done a few ships of the 1/350 Kirov Class in the link herrmill has provided. It's about the size of a 1/350 Iowa. I have one (Trumpeter kit) and look forward to starting on it in an effort to RC it.