GTM Falcon ECO Fast Electric SWAMBC F3 Race Boat

Vacuum formed ABS plastic construction

Beam = 6.5in Length = 18.5in Weight = 1060g or 2lb 4.5oz (with 6 cells)

ORIGINAL MOTOR = Graupner Speed 600 race 7.2V
CURRENT MOTOR = Trinity RC2123 Chameleon 2 Pro 19 turn single

PROPELLER = Graupner 2318.29;2327.29;455.1; or 2299.30

SPEED CONTROL = Overlander Marine ESC-50 with BEC
(50Amp Forwards 20A Reverse), water cooled.

RUDDER CONTROL = Hitec metal geared mini servo

TRANSMITTER = Futaba 6EX 40MHz

RECEIVER = Protech mini 40MHz

POWER SUPPLY = 6 3300mAh NiMH sub-C cells

13 December 2004
Kit contents before assembly, hull, deck, deck insert, cooling coil, drive train, rudder and flexi tubing.

18 December 2004
Deck parts, hatch cut free from deck and deck insert trimmed ready to glue in.

18 December 2004
Deck and insert bonded, preparing to bond to hull, the deck is nice and flat but the hull is quite warped. I've decided not to fit the drive train to the hull before bonding as it will be pulled out of true.

18 December 2004
Motor mount from GRP board, I will add some braces at right angles when its bonded in, the one at the brush end is temporary for alignment.

23 December 2004
Combined servo rails and rudder support from 1/4in styrene reinforced where the servo screws will go, note also the water cooling pick-up pipe angled at 22.5 degrees.

09 January 2005
Finished motor mount epoxied into hull with extra fibreglass board braces.

09 January 2005
Battery pack, 7 sub-C 3300mAh NiMH cells, shaped to fit hull and counter motor torque, glued together with no more nails.

10 January 2005
Underside of hull, edges of tunnels and transom have been built up (with ABS scraps dissolved in epoxy solvent) then sharpened. Skeg from GRP board epoxied in place. Note cooling water pick-up.

10 January 2005
Running gear before installation in hull.

10 January 2005
Running gear after installation in hull.

10 January 2005
Ready for a test run, then some paint.

16 January 2005
Test run... some radio clitches but otherwise OK.

16 January 2005
Test run... will try running on 40meg gear.

23 January 2005
2nd test run... safety cut out loop fitted and ariel tube fitted, no interference this time...

23 January 2005
2nd test run... doing a good impression of a sub...

23 January 2005
2nd test run... note water exiting the cooling system...

23 January 2005
2nd test run... it is very fast...

12 Febuary 2005
3nd test run... now fitted with race motor

12 Febuary 2005
3nd test run... now fitted with race motor

12 Febuary 2005
3nd test run... now fitted with race motor

12 Febuary 2005
3nd test run... now fitted with race motor

12 Febuary 2005
3nd test run... now fitted with race motor

15 February 2005
New motor installation

10 April 2005
another test run...

10 April 2005
another test run...

10 April 2005
another test run...

10 April 2005
I think the center of gravity could be too far back...

02 June 2005
Latest configuration, Msonik 40 Amp water cooled controller, battery pack now 1/2in foward for better handling, note water proofed servo and receiver.

02 June 2005
Latest configuration, new rudder, double the area of the original, waterproof radio on/off switch.

24 July 2005
SWAMBC fast electric championship round 4 at Crealey Park, Exeter, fourth in Formula 3. Handling still not right, C of G still too far rearward, now moved 17.5mm foward from original location.

24 July 2005
SWAMBC fast electric championship round 4 at Crealey Park, Exeter, fourth in Formula 3.

24 July 2005
SWAMBC fast electric championship round 4 at Crealey Park, Exeter, fourth in Formula 3.

24 July 2005
SWAMBC fast electric championship round 4 at Crealey Park, Exeter, fourth in Formula 3.

24 July 2005
SWAMBC fast electric championship round 4 at Crealey Park, Exeter, fourth in Formula 3.

12 August 2005
Latest spec, 1/4in triangular section chine spray rails added, built up from styrene.

12 August 2005
Latest spec, 1/4in triangular section chine spray rails added, built up from styrene.

12 August 2005
Latest spec, 1/4in triangular section chine spray rails added, built up from styrene.

12 August 2005
Latest spec, battery pack reconfigured to lower and move C of G foward, reverted to Overlander ESC after Msonik proved unreliable.

31 August 2005
Transom extended down about 1.5mm and faired back into hull to about 50mm back from transom, this seems to have cured the porpoising it was suffering from, much more stable and predictable now.

31 August 2005
Fixed transom has changed the optimum prop from 2327.29 to the lower pitch 2318.29, which allows the motor to rev higher, I assume due to the increased wetted area now its now spending less time airborne.

31 August 2005
Change to lower pitch prop also keeps the motor cooler, no bad thing as I melted an end bell during one race.

17 October 2005
Final, race winning setup, returned to previously overheated motor and 2327.29 prop. 4th overall in SWAMBC F3 championship.

28 October 2005
Brushless F2 test setup, AXI 2820/10-12 motor, Jeti 40-3P ESC, 8.4V 2400mAh NiCd, all up weight 2lb 8oz.Not a succesfull test, only recorded 12.5mph against usuall 19mph, not enough rpm/cells

08 March 2006
Ready for round one of the SWAMBC fast electric championship 2006. I ran out of time to paint it so got my 4 year old nephew to decorate it.

08 March 2006
Ready for round one of the SWAMBC fast electric championship 2006. I ran out of time to paint it so got my 4 year old nephew to decorate it.

09 March 2006
Round one of the SWAMBC fast electric championship 2006 at Exeter.


Back