Friday, July 16, 2021

Pop-pop boat

 

"What did you buy at the National Garden Railway Show Phil?", I hear you ask. 

I bought a pop-pop boat. 

Well, it was only a tenner and I liked the look of it. You'd pay more for the power unit

I also recognised the model - it's a Hobbys magazine "Jungle Queen" plan. Sometimes, my encyclopedic knowledge of the model kit world comes in useful...

The 29cm long model is reasonably well built, and with a bit of a tidy up should be perfectly seaworthy. I need to find my solid fuel tablets to fire up that engine.


5 comments:

Paul B. said...

Would this be an easy build, with simple tools Phil?
I quite fancy a model boat.

Phil Parker said...

It's all nice simple shapes, so I'd be inclined to say yes. Replacing the pop-pop engine with battery power wouldn't be hard either and even simple RC should be possible. A small speed control and micro servo to handle control.

I might even be tempted to have the plan blown up a bit to provide a bit more space. 150% would give a model 45cm long, allowing more space if you go electric. Cover the motor, battery etc. with a fake engine or tarpaulin-covered "load".

Materials are thin plywood from someone like SLEC and no complicated tools or glues would be needed.

James Finister said...

By coincidence, a pop pop boat is a project in this new book. https://www.camdenmin.co.uk/products/step-by-step-metalwork-1

James Finister said...

I couldn't find the engine on the Hobbies site, but it is available here http://www.tonygreensteammodels.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=448

matt scrutton said...

I made one of these as a kid. Absolute piece of cake to put together