depends on what "scale speed" you're aiming for. Linear scale speed, Dynamic Similitude Speed, or Big Gun Speed Chart scale? It also depends on what you're trying to get up to scale speed. obviously a Yamato-class battleship has very different requirements than an 18-inch coastal transport.
Simply put, the following are a typical drivetrain that allows easy adjustment of speed Propeller Shaft/stuffing tube Motor & either dogbones for direct drive or gearbox for a gear reduction motor to propeller Electronic Speed Control (throttle and can limit top end speed) Sizing those is best done by finding what someone else has that works and copying the prop/motor/gear box or esc, as optimum propeller choice for us is a very experimental process
And after getting the ship's propulsion together with the components that Greg mentioned, check the rules that you will be battling at and conduct a speed test and dial in the ESC during the sea trials. Whatever the speed says for your particular ship in the rules is what you want as an end result actually. Steve
Per Wikipedia, the real USS Maryland had a speed of a little over 21 knots. In the WWCC rules out here, ships can't go slower then 25 knots so the Maryland would be set to make that as her top speed. In the club's speed chart, that makes her a 45 second ship over a 100 foot course I believe. Of course, you should refer to Conway's to confirm the real ships' speed and the rules of your own club in order to determine how fast you can run your big gun boat. And I also bought a 2.4gh Futaba radio which I use at the pond to dial the ESC up or down while doing a speed check with the club's radar gun. Once the right speed is gained, I set it and forget it. Makes life much easier and I don't have to deal with tweeking the props or noisy gearboxes! (smiles) Steve '-{D
