Virgin Atlantic Challenger II plans

[seabird1Participant @seabird1]

[seabird1Participant @seabird1]

Can anyone remember when plans for the above model appeared in an issue of MB magazine, its gonna be about 10-12 years ago ish. I’m trying to track down a copy of the relavent edition, I hope somebody can help.

Thanks

 

seabird 1

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

i think it was a lot longer ago than that…i remember making one from plasticard with kids in my class in the mid to late 1980’s

[John W EParticipant @johnwe]

Hi seabird 1

the plans appeared in the JULY 1995 issue

 

aye

john

[seabird1Participant @seabird1]

Thanks john, thought it was about 15yrs or so,

 

Seabird1

[seabird1Participant @seabird1]

Hi Bluebird,

 

Do you have a copy of that edition of model boat mag , (July 1995)

 

Thanks

 

Seabird1

[John W EParticipant @johnwe]

Hi there Seabird1

 

I do have the magazine with the article, however, I need this magazine as I am going to build this as well. If you are just after the plans – a certain guy on an Auction website has a copy of these plans and advertises them quite regularly. Hope this is of some help. If its not, pm me your address and I will see what I can scan.

 

aye

john

[seabird1Participant @seabird1]

Thanks for your reply bluebird, I was after a copy of the magazine because I have recently purchased a model of Virgin Atlantic Challenger II fully built from someone who used the plans that were published in the mag. I wanted to see how close the build was to the published plans, as I have a fair bit of restoration work to do.

If your interested in building VACII from scratch there is a better version (my opinion only) including plans pictures and a good write-up published by Graham Goodchild in his book entitled Radio Controlled Boats with a forward by Richard Branson circa 1991. Its one of the best i’ve seen , there are also several other plans in the book for other interesting models, got my copy from the internet, cost me about four quid.

 

Seabird1

 

 

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

It just reminds me that seeing a Graupner (I think it was) VA challenger on our pond was the inspiration for buying my MFA Fantome.

 

It was big, and sat IN the water and moved through the water at a good speed in a good fashion…commanding it..and not bobbing up and down like lighter speedboats do, and those water jets…oh yes . Ah….

 

Yes the Fantome may not be a sophisticated craft, even with vintage dolls on it, but it is certainly BIG, and those low revving 800`s sound suitably unruffled at max speed. And cheap (ish), a big plus point!

 

Ashley

[Joseph BookerParticipant @josephbooker97221]

I was building this back in after school club many years ago,lol

They was full size plans in the mag which was great to work with

Can someone help me get the plans again from model boats mag??? Please

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Joseph. Plans for what exactly?? Fantome or Atlantic challenger??

Both are fibreglass kits….(at least the Fantome is) not have not seen mention of plans for wood versions but thats not to say there are none.

Ashley

[Joseph BookerParticipant @josephbooker97221]

For the Virgin atlantic challenger 2, was from balsa wood.

The graupner VAC is from fibre glass I think.

But after the one that had the full plans for the balsa wood VAC 2 from that july 95 issue…Cant find it anywhere

[Joseph BookerParticipant @josephbooker97221]

I bought that book that was mentioned early on in the thread, and got the plans blown up at a printing shop,lol

Nearly ready for painting, Went for abit more of a powerful motor and beefed up the propshaft though compared to what it suggests…Tried it in the bath and omg it takes off,lol

[John W EParticipant @johnwe]

hi there, with regard to you building a larger version of Virgin Atlantic from the plans, of 1995 – if you have kept it single prop – I would love to see it perform on the lake – cos the one I built directly from the plans – size for size – has a speed 600 motor running on 7.2 volts – is a bit 'hitty missy' it runs perfectly in a straight line, comes up onto the plane perfectly, but soon as you turn it – it starts to cavitate tremendously, comes off the plane and waddles round like a lame duck for about 5 mins while it tries to get itself back on the plane. What I found is that you have to take your finger off the throttle and build the speed up again to bring it back on the plane. I think it has a lot to do with the U shaped rudder on this plan.

More investigations needed.

aye

John

[John W EParticipant @johnwe]

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

John. I find the building of these things is the easy bit… getting them working properly, now theres the trick!!

Ashley

[Joseph BookerParticipant @josephbooker97221]

Bluebird what battery packs do you use in the boat???

I got two 8.4v packs I'm debating whether to use both or just one to keep the weight down

[John W EParticipant @johnwe]

hi ya there

I do run the Virgin Atlantic on both voltages 8.4 and 7.2 single packs at a time; to be honest with you there isnt much noticable difference between the speeds when you change over from 7.2 to 8.4 volts – and the run time I have had out of the model using 430 m.a.h is roughly about half an hour; that is running a Graupner Speed 500 BB vz. Hope this is of some help.

John

Edited By bluebird on 06/10/2013 19:23:20

[Joseph BookerParticipant @josephbooker97221]

New to all this…But will tell you what I have and plan to put inside of it see what you think or have any other suggestions ^^

JP Pro Power 600 Motor

Graupner Navy V30R

Energ-pro 8.4v 3800mAh nimh battery

Hitec HS311 Standard Servo

Its all from Cornwall model boats…But because the motors draws alot of amps I'm not sure what sort of run time I'm going to get with it exactly

What was the hand rails like to do? Because that is my next job after I get the inside of the hull layout done

Just want it finished and play with it,lol

[John W EParticipant @johnwe]

hi ya Joseph,

Ive been looking into this motor JP Pro Power 600 Motor that you are thinking of putting into this model and all the info I can gain on it from the web – seems to be intended to be used in model aeroplanes. Not knowing the true characteristics of this model myself personally I would be a bit reluctant to use it. The way I have been led to be believe motors that are used in aeroplans need to be air cooled by the big prop and only run for short times. Therefore when putting it in a hull of a model boat – unless sufficiently cooled by either a water cooling coil/some other means of cooling – would tend to run extremely hot. So, unless you have good knowledge of these motors and how they perform I would err on the side of caution of using them.

Personally, I would tend to look to the Graupner 600s speeds/Johnson fan cooled motor. That would be my starting point – along with say, a 35mm 2 bladed racing prop. That would be my starting point.

The rest of your proposed layout looks ok – the standard servo should handle the rudder no problem. The Graupner Navy V30R looks adequate – but – if you are looking for cheaper speed controllers, there are plenty on the market which fit the bill. But, avoid the type thats iin the photo that I put on of the boat's internals as this is a cheapo from Hong Kong, supposedly handling 100 amps or so, and it literally fried on test bench lets know how you get on.

aye

John

Edited By bluebird on 08/10/2013 09:47:25

[John W EParticipant @johnwe]

sorry, forgot about the handrails…

 

they are made from 15 amp twin and earth flat cable which is used to wire sockets up in house…I stripped the insulation off the wiring and stretched the copper wire so it was straight using a vice and pair of pliers, cut the uprights from the thicker cable of the three and used the middle earth as the actual handrails just soft soldered in place.

aye

hope this helps, John

Edited By bluebird on 08/10/2013 10:01:45

[Joseph BookerParticipant @josephbooker97221]

Looks good mate…I already got 16g piano wire for the hand rails.

Tested it today before painting it just to check I'm happy with it…But I'm not

Its amazing in a straight line, but when I want to do any sort of tight turn to try get it banking, it comes off the plane and drops to a dead slow and motor starts sounding like it labouring.

I'm thinking the design of the rudder is starving the prop or putting pressure on the prop to make the motor to work harder….Going to test it with a different pitch prop tomorrow.

Picture is of just coming out of a turn at full power…Can see how it wants to pick up again and take off,lol

[Joseph BookerParticipant @josephbooker97221]

I'm thinking if a different prop doesnt help it then maybe I'll scrap the rudder thats in the plans and have a more conventional rudder….Maybe 1 either side away from the prop

[John W EParticipant @johnwe]

hi ya there

What motor did you end up using in your model? Was it the aeroplane motor and if so? how does it run hot or cold???

Also, I think its the actual shape of the rudder which is causing the problem.

If you made the 'U' shaped rudder, that is on the plan. As you say, it could be starving the flow of water to the propeller?

Aye, John

[Joseph BookerParticipant @josephbooker97221]

I went with the JP pro 600 yeah….I only ran it for a minute or 2 so cant tell if it had any heat issues…Was warm to the touch but not much hotter than room temp….But I got water cooling ready for putting in it…Dont think it will be a problem with that installed if it was going to be an issue.

Will let you know if a change of prop helps it with the turning issue…Running a x-type prop at the moment, will switch to an s-type and see if it helps it….But I more than likely eventually will go for a different design in rudder

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