It gets interesting when you take and RC boat that looks like a warship out for a sail at the local lake. Adults and children alike will stop in their tracks just to see the ship move about. When they figure that I am the one at the controls, they come up to me and ask questions like "where did you buy it ?" or "is that wood?" or even "why has it not sunk yet?". It is a pity I do not have one of Rcengr's Class One cannons run on an accumulator of compressed air from a bicycle pump. I could arm it with 10 BBs, muzzle loaded style, and fire into a semi remote rock piling to impress the on-lookers. That would put the people suggesting that I add burning sparkers to the cannons out to pasture. It would work for recruitment purposes. Just a thought. Manuel Mejia, Jr.
It might also recruit a few law enforcement or city/county officials, too. Rocks are great at causing BBs to ricochet in all directions, including that of onlookers. In our county, BB guns are specifically outlawed at county parks.
That is also a valid point. FLA is very easy going with BBs and firearms. Some county parks have shooting ranges! In my county, the school board wanted teachers issued sidearms even though we have a School Resource Officer (a deputy) on staff. I was going to request a .45 cal if the Board passed the proposal into code (which it did not, thank heavens). Cities would not have had a say on the matter. Still even a disarmed ship catches attention of people. This phenomena can be of use to the hobby. Just avoid the swastickers on WWII German ships. That will offend the old timers. I would stick to an allied or American ships. MMJR
I find it helps to bring along a small photo album of the combat ships and information on where to get the ships and stuff for them. Links to websites and to videos on Youtube and Facebook help also. I leave the swastikas on models as the Veterans readily identify the ship and the younger always mention thier Grandpa serving on Hood or other ships involved with the chase of Bismarck as an example. They get the historical significance of the flag on the models and appreciate the accuracy of it. Very rare I have someone with an issue that would speak out. Most occurrence have had no issues as the swastikas are used in film and television. Kids ususally identify my ship as a Nazi boat because of it. Still others think its the Titanic even with the recognition symbols on the model. I sail Bismarck armed for demos of the cannon system when people ask if it can shoot which then leads to further explaination of the model and its systems and why it is built that way. Always been positive that way and I find the German ships are a big eye catcher. Well least next to the Roma. Italy had really nice looking ships with interesting colors. Some of my warships are unarmed but sailing and the effect is still the same. Nothing like a WW1 or WW2 warship model to attract attention.
In terms of the Swastickers and the Japanese Rising Sun, I guess they are OK now. My wife's grandfather was with the Army Corp of Engineers when the allies invaded Okinawa in 1945. He still has nightmares about annilating the enemy from all those years ago. They were quite numerous. Since he owns access to the lake that I use, I have respect for his service. That said, if he was given a boat that was part of a flotilla that sank a Yamato model, I think he will feel a sense of satisfaction. MMJR
