Hovercraft Kits
04-14-2004, 08:40 AM
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Location: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
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Hovercraft Kits
Has anyone had any experience with the All Lander RC Hovercraft from Australia, or the Gemini Hovercraft from the UK.
I would like to get into RC Hovercraft (fly heli already), but I don't have the time to scratchbuild.
I would be particularly interested in their performance on dry land, I don't have access to many open expanses of water on which to use them.
Thanks
David
I would like to get into RC Hovercraft (fly heli already), but I don't have the time to scratchbuild.
I would be particularly interested in their performance on dry land, I don't have access to many open expanses of water on which to use them.
Thanks
David
04-26-2004, 02:14 PM
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RE: Hovercraft Kits
Hi there David,
I joined the forum just to answer your question! I purchased a pre-built Gemini about a month ago (.32 SC engine version). I have made a few mods to the standard configuration: 6 oz fuel tank in place of the standard 4 oz, three blade 9x6 prop in place of the two blade, fuel filter, a large car air filter, and the optional roll bar (available from the manufacturer).
I haven't tried the hovercraft on water yet (and I note that you probably won't be using one on water anyway), but my experience of it on tarmac, dirt, and grass is that it is a very lively and responsive hovercraft - so lively that the roll bar is an essential extra for when you hit a big ramp side on! As soon as I find someone else that I trust to drive it I will take some action shots.
As standard the Gemini has three skids on the underneath that on my hovercraft were 20mm deep - this means that on uneven surfaces the hovercraft can ground out. My plan is to replace these with much thinner skids that should offer less resistance to bumps, but I have to find a material that won't heat up too much (due to friction) as the model is made from ABS plastic and I could end up melting some holes in the bottom! I could get away with 5mm wooden skids, but they will probably wear away quite quickly.
Overall I can say that the Gemini performs excellently on dry land. For me the main reason for buying this hovercraft was that I live less than fifty miles from the manufacturer so I could go and see it before I bought [I purchased a hovercraft kit about twelve years ago that I could never get going, and the backup from the manufacturer was non-existent].
I think that if I was in Australia, I would purchase something that was made a little closer to me, just in case.
many regards
Alex
I joined the forum just to answer your question! I purchased a pre-built Gemini about a month ago (.32 SC engine version). I have made a few mods to the standard configuration: 6 oz fuel tank in place of the standard 4 oz, three blade 9x6 prop in place of the two blade, fuel filter, a large car air filter, and the optional roll bar (available from the manufacturer).
I haven't tried the hovercraft on water yet (and I note that you probably won't be using one on water anyway), but my experience of it on tarmac, dirt, and grass is that it is a very lively and responsive hovercraft - so lively that the roll bar is an essential extra for when you hit a big ramp side on! As soon as I find someone else that I trust to drive it I will take some action shots.
As standard the Gemini has three skids on the underneath that on my hovercraft were 20mm deep - this means that on uneven surfaces the hovercraft can ground out. My plan is to replace these with much thinner skids that should offer less resistance to bumps, but I have to find a material that won't heat up too much (due to friction) as the model is made from ABS plastic and I could end up melting some holes in the bottom! I could get away with 5mm wooden skids, but they will probably wear away quite quickly.
Overall I can say that the Gemini performs excellently on dry land. For me the main reason for buying this hovercraft was that I live less than fifty miles from the manufacturer so I could go and see it before I bought [I purchased a hovercraft kit about twelve years ago that I could never get going, and the backup from the manufacturer was non-existent].
I think that if I was in Australia, I would purchase something that was made a little closer to me, just in case.
many regards
Alex
