Rick from Battler's Connection contacted me via email to let me know that my Nagato//Mustu ship kit was shipped Friday. I check the UPS tracker this morning. Delivery is set for Tuesday. I ordered the kit less the deck kit as I will be using 1/8th" aircraft plywood for the sub-deck. This is being used for a number of reasons. I have a couple of sheets in the shop and the fact that there are places on the hull that need to have two stringers. In these areas the deck and subdeck can only be 1/4" thick. I will build the other areas of the sub-deck up to 3/8". I also ordered a large pump, two gear sets, fittings and hose. I'll post pictures of the build if I can figure out how to do it. Bob
Nagato arrived today from Battlers Connection. To Rick and the rest of the crew at Battlers, OUTSTANDING JOB. Very nice hull and superstructure. I'm very happy and will be back. Anyone looking at getting in to the hobby should check out Battlers Connection. You can't go wrong!! Let the work begin. Kim, move the car out of the shop. Please. Bob
Got the information from Gerald Roberts on the Nagato deck width. Thank Gerald. 92 ft. The cutting of the subdeck has begun. Bob
I was able to cut and shape all of the Battlers Connection plastic decks for the superstructure this morning.
Personally, I upload to photobucket then copy the fprum link then paste to the post. You build great hulls bob, I would love to see some pics.
Thanks for the kind words Dustin. I'll try to get the picture thing worked out. I just got the stern subdeck fitted this morning. Need to work out where the spreaders for the subdeck will be placed. More thought had to go into the forward subdeck then the stern. I am using straight mags forward and coils aft. I need to place the 2 pumps just aft of the step deck along with expansion tanks. Hope to only have one servo in the boat. The rest will be gun boards. Bob
Are you going to use a gearbox or direct drive? The reason I ask is because there is enough room in the stern of the Nagato to mount the motors with a custom gearbox in a "backwards" configuration, which leaves the area underneath the rear turrets completely free of obstructions. Look at my build thread for pictures that should explain what I mean. I used the back sub deck spreader to attach the gearbox to the hull. I messed up the front spreader placement and had to do some rework to get it to clear the front barbette. I look forward to seeing your version, you have a lot more experience building than I do. Ron Hunt
I think it is one of the systems in my ship I got right the first time. It got a little tight trying to keep the shafts close to level and everything compact and behind turret 4 but it works. My maximum prop size is limited to something like 1.25" due to the hull form and placement constraints, Im using 1.125" props and they are geared down 2.1:1. Nothing hangs below the hull so I can throw it on a table without worrying about damaging props or rudders. Great amp draw on 13.2 volts with the Titan Marine motors, something like 11-12 amps total, (which means the motors are running on the left side of the efficiency curve - exactly where you want them) with pretty good acceleration and excellent turning radius with the rudder throw around 170 degrees. Performance would drop off significantly with a lower drive voltage. It just barely makes speed with full size drag disks, so later I may change the drive pinions on the motors out for ones one or two teeth larger to give some wiggle room. The advantages to running a popular $17 motor like the Titan Marine are availability and known performance. Hopefully in 10 years I can still order the same thing. The brushes are the right type for using in the water also. Are you able to make your own gearbox Bob? Ron Hunt
