Destructive deconstruction - The Chinese Russian Carrier gives in

Hi Robert! Some notes that I found on your model aircraft carrier; state that it was designed with a safety interlock. The motors will not run unless BOTH propeller shafts sense being in the water. I was wondering why there was no obvious on/off switch.. and that's why.

I also found an interesting image on the web which shows an alternate means of powering-up the model while dry-docked...   Does yours have this feature? Operated by touching the two contacts with a finger; it's shown on the deck, rearward of the superstructure.

Thanks George.  From your link:

Often the enemy had weapons which you didn’t and coveted.

The Luger was a prime example.  As I have mentioned here before "War is a stupid way to solve problems" ..or words to that effect.  I hate war be it civil, domestic, or foreign.  "Waged by the elite suffered by the masses."  Even today we have a couple of litttle guys rattling their nukes.  Crazy, absolutely crazy.

roddie, you have a gift for finding things that I either don't look for or can't find.  Probably taken from the box.  Sort of understandable even in Chinese lingo.  I was wondering what those two things were, thought maybe resistors or crystals.  

I don't get the "Detachable bracket".  It is held on with two screws and has no function that I can see.

More pictures, I really mangled the thing.  Not by choice.  That deck was not intended to be removed.  Mid-ship area was tongue/grooved and cemented.





Marked and cut:

rsv1cox wrote:

roddie, you have a gift for finding things that I either don't look for or can't find.  Probably taken from the box.  Sort of understandable even in Chinese lingo.  I was wondering what those two things were, thought maybe resistors or crystals.  

I don't get the "Detachable bracket".  It is held on with two screws and has no function that I can see.

I like the model.. and the differential-steering system via twin-screws (sans rudders) has always interested me.

Chinglish... Once you read enough of it... you actually become fluent. Yea.... the "detachable bracket"... We'll figure out what it's for. Maybe a "WALL_MOUNT"!!!!  

I searched [HT-2828] on google. There's a myriad of Hobby vendors that give their own descriptions/specs. on this cruiser. That's where I read about the safety-interlock/boat must be in water to run statement. One of the YouTube vids shows a kid holding an instruction manual which was stated to be in the English language. I haven't found this manual yet.. but it probably says "Don't try to remove the deck"..

Below photo; I'd guess that those 22-24ga black wires connect to the deck; to the finger-switch/dry-dock interlock.. and may need continuity if your motors won't run. (just a thought.. )



Below photos; show a red + (power wire?) which looks to be cut..





I'd like to see if you can get the electronics to work as designed. Gluing the deck to the hull was probably an effort on the manufacturers part, to help keep water out. They weren't concerned about "guys like us".. who enjoy taking things apart.

Those two wires



connect to the decks finger thingy wires.  I don't know if they were broken, or if I broke them while probing around with the screwdrivers. Probably me.  Maybe these pictures will show them.  My wash/clean job.  Checking for watertight integrity.  







Yes, finger thingy. White blob to left with the 22 guage black wires coming out.



I hard wired and tested each motor individually with the battery, they both work fine.



Check out the ballast.  Overall for a cheap thing (back then $59.00 new) not too bad.

Ah, A new day.

Getting ready to jumper this thing to check the transmitter/receiver functions and one of the leads to a motor broke off.  Soldering time.  



But first I have to figure this - finger and put it in the water thing.  The only reason for this hole in the stern is to let water in, so it must have something to do with it, but there are no electrical connections only a canistor which looks to be ballast.



So, if I put a piece of tape over it and add some water..............



Sukhoi 34 about to lift off.  Perhaps my French SPAD a better platform than the troubled Admiral Kutzhenoiff (sp) Russia's only (maybe) operational aircraft carrier.  At last check it was DIW.

Bob, your model ship has interesting design features incorporated, more sophistication, someone intended it to be more than just a toy.

Admiral Kuznetsov is an interesting concept. Versus our Navy where it is a mobile floating airport and arming/servicing facility, they call it a heavy aircraft carrying cruiser.

Westerners attempt to compare it with US carriers, but I believe Russia had a different intent of it being a special operations carrier, filling a nick.

It belching smoke makes me think it may be using cheaper Bunker-C oil (the dregs of the refinery process) to fuel it boilers, which is considerably cheaper than Navy distillate fuel.

China took its incomplete brother and has spun off an improved version carrier without the belching smoke.

Russia focused its investment in its submarine fleet. With its very wide borders to cover and limited military resources to cover, I think it is more conducive to keep enemies guessing and have a sub pop off surface to air missiles to bring down their enemies.

I find it interesting that through the years, some have lambasted the Cinese for its inferior military equipment.

I think of it as military training aids to learn tactics. Now they have the latest and greatest.

That is what got the US through WW2, until we had better, more superior equipment to end the war with.

I read how the British and it's Commonwealth made do with the Gloster Gladiator biplane until better aircraft came onboard.

Third photo shows a Ruskie PPSH, not a Tommy submachine gun

Levent Suberk wrote:Third photo shows a Ruskie PPSH, not a Tommy submachine gun

Yes, I noticed that.  Very crude when compared with the finely crafted Tommy Gun.  

While going though Russian and Chinese Carriers I found this picture.



They are all carrying Soviet era semi-automatic ceremonial SKS's designed by Sergei Simonov.  All the Baltic countries under Soviet rule and China manufactured them.  I have the Yugoslavian model - Chrome receiver cover, chrome trigger guard, magazine cover, and bayonet.  Very flashy.  I also have the standard Romanian and Chinese models.  Replaced by the ubiquitous select-fire AK-47.  

And also George....Yes not a nuke!  



Tried to get the Carrier motors to run.  Couldn't.  Everything hooked up, power to the carrier (red light on) finger on the "resistors" water in the back toggle the transmitter and nothing.

Levent Suberk wrote:Third photo shows a Ruskie PPSH, not a Tommy submachine gun

Thanks for correcting me, Levant. Weapon recognition is not one of my strengths.

Also interesting in the photo are plumbing pipe fittings and other metallic odds and ends strewn in the pile with what looks like a building in the foreground under construction.

Makes me wonder if this was a posed photo op(portunity).

Bob, you definitely are ahead of me. I don't have the interest in firearms my father and brothers have.

My arsenal is all the saxes, keyboards, ukuleles, guitars, mandolin, etc. Even did the rusky national anthem on sax one cold Winter night in front of a department store for the Salv. Army when customers tapered off.

Yeppers, Bob, the rusky Admiral belching smoke.

GallopingGhostler wrote:

Levent Suberk wrote:Third photo shows a Ruskie PPSH, not a Tommy submachine gun

Thanks for correcting me, Levant. Weapon recognition is not one of my strengths.

Also interesting in the photo are plumbing pipe fittings and other metallic odds and ends strewn in the pile with what looks like a building in the foreground under construction.

Makes me wonder if this was a posed photo op(portunity).

Bob, you definitely are ahead of me. I don't have the interest in firearms my father and brothers have.

My arsenal is all the saxes, keyboards, ukuleles, guitars, mandolin, etc. Even did the rusky national anthem on sax one cold Winter night in front of a department store for the Salv. Army when customers tapered off.

Yeppers, Bob, the rusky Admiral belching smoke.

I took it as a previously captioned photo George, probably Levent too.

Beating swords into plowshares George. I doubt if it will ever happen. I don't see the evil side of firearms. I only see functionality and beauty of design.

Oh, BTW...........



Said to "Works."

rsv1cox wrote:
Tried to get the Carrier motors to run.  Couldn't.  Everything hooked up, power to the carrier (red light on) finger on the "resistors" water in the back toggle the transmitter and nothing.

Robert, I'm thinking the back section of the hull which floods; is meant to provide some dynamic ballast. There's no conductive material there for providing continuity for the motor-circuit.

The drive-shafts/stuffing tubes would provide the necessary conductive-continuity only when the hull is floating in water. Are there any signs of where wires were soldered onto the brass stuffing tubes? I see what looks like "hot-melt glue" on and around those tubes; which would provide some stress-relief for the wires.. if they were soldered onto them.

I would personally BYPASS the finger-switch. Have you tried to connect all those black-wires together? That would "in theory" bypass both interlock systems.

Thanks roddie. I think your on to something. Those little black threads are actually wires on each prop shaft. The conductivity of water may complete the circuit.

The manufacturer was overly concerned about safety. On the later model they increased the warning sign on the stern and molded the propellers in red. They really didn't want you to put your fingers under there.

Yes, my next effort. Short those wires together.

rsv1cox wrote:I don't see the evil side of firearms.  I only see functionality and beauty of design.

It is the heart of man that emminates evil motives. The gun is only an accessory. Those who criminalize the accessory as the cause are either totally deluded or have an agenda. I've noticed those pushing such do not address pursuing true justice to heinous crimes.

Knives, sharp tools, hammers and even automobiles have been used as accessories. Goes back to the heart.

I guess, push comes to shove, you can redo the power system updating it to modern motors and controllers, and R/C gear.

GallopingGhostler wrote:

rsv1cox wrote:I don't see the evil side of firearms.  I only see functionality and beauty of design.

It is the heart of man that emminates evil motives. The gun is only an accessory. Those who criminalize the accessory as the cause are either totally deluded or have an agenda. I've noticed those pushing such do not address pursuing true justice to heinous crimes.

Knives, sharp tools, hammers and even automobiles have been used as accessories. Goes back to the heart.

I guess, push comes to shove, you can redo the power system updating it to modern motors and controllers, and R/C gear.

It always upsets me George when I hear "gun violence" expressed on the news.  It's not gun violence anymore than it's Oxycodone violence which kills many, many more people per year than guns do.  It's people violence.  A gun, hammer, or knife just sits there until a person picks it up with an evil intent.  With Oxy there is just less blood but the result is the same.  

Today, we live in a world much different from the one I grew up in so I know the difference first-hand.  I watched the evening news then as I do now.  It's amazing how the character of this nation has changed in the past 70 years.  Now people are told that they are "entitled" back then they just got to work.  

Thankfully, here on the CEF we have diversions..........So, my dual engined, foreign made, plastic boat with little airplanes on the deck keeps me sane and happy.  

I'm thinking about adding one of my old Futaba radios George. Perhaps a couple of shafted Babe Bees too.

rsv1cox wrote:Thanks roddie.  I think your on to something.  Those little black threads are actually wires on each prop shaft.  The conductivity of water may complete the circuit.  

The manufacturer was overly concerned about safety.  On the later model they increased the warning sign on the stern and molded the propellers in red.  They really didn't want you to put your fingers under there.

Yes, my next effort.  Short those wires together.

Wouldn’t it be great if the real carrier had a sign like that

 I know what you mean Kari, but that's the "Buy the farm" area of any carrier and the pilots know it.  A little too low on the Fantail and you have -  bought the farm.  I have nothing but respect for those guys and today, gals.  Think WW2, Corsairs, Hellcats, Avengers, etc. landing on a pitching deck with wounded pilots and planes.  

That sign would be a humorous (gallows humor) addition at that particular spot and the pilots would get a kick out of it.

My guys.........



But when I was with them they were flying AD-6's.  There is a very good chance that my son has been in this very aircraft servicing the ECM gear.

Well, the good news is that the transmitter/receiver works. The bad news, only in fore and aft. No differential steering.  But I may have some wires crossed or not fully connected.  It's a jungle in there.  



No water involved.  I just twisted (shorted) the 22 gage wires going to the receiver bypassing the array on the deck.  



Thinking about male/female connectors to the motors instead of hard wiring as I might want to separate the two halfs and install a better radio.  



Kind of fun messing with this thing.  To think that it sat in the cabin undisturbed for over 10 years before I picked it up.

Interesting old ship Bob, A lot of mechanical, electrical gadget to keep it interesting…. I bet with a little meter work or wire swapping you’ll get the steering figured out…. I hade a little rc plane once that only had differential thrust for control…. Took a while to get the hang of it but worked OK….

rdw777 wrote:Interesting old ship Bob, A lot of mechanical, electrical gadget to keep it interesting…. I bet with a little meter work or wire swapping you’ll get the steering figured out…. I hade a little rc plane once that only had differential thrust for control…. Took a while to get the hang of it but worked OK….

I never thought that I would have so much fun sorting this thing out. Kind of like a Wen Mac plastic airplane with a lot of extra stuff.

I soldered and insulated the leads from the receiver to the deck device together and soldered in the connectors so I can separate the two halfs. No more water connection required for the props to run.




The surprise for me is that the rechargable NiCad battery pack accepts and holds a charge.

Got a place to sail it right across the pond.

Success, no more fingering and I have differential steering.  Shakedown cruise next week.  

Congrats, Bob, glad to hear you got the motor control problems resolved, good going!

Great job on the re-wire…. Field service to get it goin’!!…Good the old nicads came back a little….A few good deep discharges they may get a little better…. OK to run nicads to very low….Just charge them again soon….

Probably ought to drizzle a little lube on the bronze motor bearings…. Finally got a can …. My old rusty .410 will appreciate it too

GallopingGhostler wrote:Congrats, Bob, glad to hear you got the motor control problems resolved, good going!

Yes, Forward, reverse and right and left.  Like a new one.    

Back together.  Looking not too bad considering the hammering that I gave it taking it apart.  Having a little fun with it.  War trophy!  Maybe a little added power on the stern.  



I have two more coming.    Cheapies.  A Pizza and a beer at your local Pizza place.  There is a kid that fishes in the pond with his Dad every week.  9 or 10 I suspect.  The family isn't prosperous, he will be getting one of them.

Good move on the RemOil Robert.  Cleaner/lube/after run.  But for long term storage add a drop or two of after-run oil.  Flip, flip.  JW .049 on the stern.  A recent ebay - "make a offer."  Dirt cheap but a mess when I got it.  Berrymans etc.  Added a ASP shorty plug, and prop washer and nut.  Perfect Cox like compression pop.