Ok, been a lurker and occasional poster for a few years. With winter closing in, the thoughts turn to hobby/builds. I want to build 2 or more monitors in 1:48 or 1:72 scale. Single guns with pumps. We aren't near anyone else, but have a private pond to battle so the rules aren't that important. I do have 2 1:96 Potemkins rib kits, but i was thinking a monitor would be a quick easy build for fun. Use mdf with epoxy for the lower hull and balsa for the upper. They wouldn't be meant to sink, as the pond is about 40' deep. I'm going to use a piece of balsa with copper foil as a "shoot away" circuit breaker on the three systems. If a shot takes out the foil on the piece, it breaks the circuit and the system doesn't work. The foil would go back and forth on the piece, not just a skinny strip on a small piece. What I need help with is the drive system. Motor selection, prop, that sort of thing. The rudder and servo, thats not so hard, even the turret and gun are well described in the archives. But motor, mount, shaft, stuffing box, that i have never done and motors and batteries have changed dramatically since the 540 can motor and novak speed control with 7.2v nicad batteries. It's a simple hull, anyone have a guess on motor and prop? I would aim for the theoretical 10 knots of the design rather than the reality of it's real speed.
