Panther6834
05-04-2023, 11:30 AM
NOTE to Steven, or any other Mod - If you can create a new 'sub category' in the "ProBoat RTR Mono's", titled "ProBoat PCF-1 24", and move this to that sub category, I'm sure others will appreciate it. Thank you.
It seems that Horizon Hobby's ProBoat division has another scale brushed boat coming out, this one designed after the U.S. Navy's 50-foot aluminum-hulled Patrol Craft Fast (more commonly referred to as a 'Swift Boat'). Introducing ProBoat's new 24" PCF-1...officially, PCF Mark I 24? Swift Patrol Craft. Price: $329.99
176909
Overall, it looks good. Scale detail is (according to ProBoat) "faithful" to the actual Vietnam-era boats. Unlike the Horizon Harbor Tug, which used a single 700 brushed motor & submerged propeller, the PCF-1 uses dual 390 brushed motors & submerged propellers, as well as dual submerged rudders. Also like several of the recently-released boats from ProBoat, this also uses an ABS hull. Additional stock details include a .50 caliber gun on the bow, M60 machine guns, and a 50mm gun on the transom. Upgrade options include the ability to motorize the M60 turret (which will require replacing the 3-channel transmitter & receiver with at least a 4-channel system).
The only "design flaws" I've been able to detect (so far) are in the guns, and their mounting positions. In ProBoat's layout, there's a .50cal on the bow, 50mm on the transom, and a pair of M60s on the turret in a side-by-side configuration. The majority if the PCF Mark 1s had M2 .50cal guns, but they were not at the bow...they were in the turret, and they were mounted in an over-under configuration. As with the swapped/incorrect position of the .50cal guns, the same holds true for the M60s...or, single M60, as the case is, as the M60 was mounted at the bow. And, finally, in regards to ProBoat's 50mm transom-mounted gun, the actual PCFs had an 81mm mortar mounted in that location. Nevertheless, ProBoats 'recreation' is still fairly accurate.
Pre-orders are being taken now...although, as for when shipment will be, that I do not know. I received the emails from Horizon Hobby & Tower Hobby this morning, which makes it appear as if the announcement occurred today. Furthering that belief would be that the "introduction" video from ProBoat also became viewable today. However, on the Horizon Hobby website, it (incorrectly?) states "Next Shipment April 2023". My guess is, they had intended to announce it 1-3 months ago, but probably had some last-minute design changes and/or a manufacturing delay. Whichever the case might be, pre-orders are happening now.
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On a side note, wheels in my brain are turning, to which a 'curious' question popped into my head. Obviously, the PCF-1 is not designed to be a rescue/recovery boat...but, could it be used as such? Yes, I know, it would be easy to make a rescue platform out of PVC tubing & pool noodle, and place the PCF-1 inside (similar to the rescue platform design used by many, including my current platform)...but, what I'm thinking of is the possibility of using the PRB281112 Retriever System from the Horizon Harbor Tug. It shouldn't be too difficult to mount/epoxy something to the bow of the PCF-1, with a bolt pattern identical to the bolt pattern used by the tug's Retriever System, which would allow the use of said Retriever System. Obviously, it would slightly ruin the scale appearance of the PCF-1...but, it would (or, at least, should) make it usable as a rescue/recovery boat, right? My only 'worry' is whether, or not, the dual 390 motors would be powerful enough, and run cool enough, to use the PCF-1 for rescuing larger boats.
What are other's thoughts on this? Is it a "good" or "bad" idea? If "good", would the dual 390s be sufficient (or more than sufficient) enough...or, would/should they be replaced with higher power, or higher torque, motors? What about cooling the motors...are the heatsinks enough...or, would they need to be replaced with water cooling jackets? What about the propellers (ProBoat/Horizon Hobby doesn't indicate the diameter, or pitch)...stock, or replace with larger/smaller diameter, larger/smaller pitch and/or stick with 3-lade or switch to 4-blade? I realize these are a lot of questions, and they might not (yet) be answerable considering the PCF-1 hasn't even started shipping yet. Again, these are just "wheels turning in my brain".
It seems that Horizon Hobby's ProBoat division has another scale brushed boat coming out, this one designed after the U.S. Navy's 50-foot aluminum-hulled Patrol Craft Fast (more commonly referred to as a 'Swift Boat'). Introducing ProBoat's new 24" PCF-1...officially, PCF Mark I 24? Swift Patrol Craft. Price: $329.99
176909
Overall, it looks good. Scale detail is (according to ProBoat) "faithful" to the actual Vietnam-era boats. Unlike the Horizon Harbor Tug, which used a single 700 brushed motor & submerged propeller, the PCF-1 uses dual 390 brushed motors & submerged propellers, as well as dual submerged rudders. Also like several of the recently-released boats from ProBoat, this also uses an ABS hull. Additional stock details include a .50 caliber gun on the bow, M60 machine guns, and a 50mm gun on the transom. Upgrade options include the ability to motorize the M60 turret (which will require replacing the 3-channel transmitter & receiver with at least a 4-channel system).
The only "design flaws" I've been able to detect (so far) are in the guns, and their mounting positions. In ProBoat's layout, there's a .50cal on the bow, 50mm on the transom, and a pair of M60s on the turret in a side-by-side configuration. The majority if the PCF Mark 1s had M2 .50cal guns, but they were not at the bow...they were in the turret, and they were mounted in an over-under configuration. As with the swapped/incorrect position of the .50cal guns, the same holds true for the M60s...or, single M60, as the case is, as the M60 was mounted at the bow. And, finally, in regards to ProBoat's 50mm transom-mounted gun, the actual PCFs had an 81mm mortar mounted in that location. Nevertheless, ProBoats 'recreation' is still fairly accurate.
Pre-orders are being taken now...although, as for when shipment will be, that I do not know. I received the emails from Horizon Hobby & Tower Hobby this morning, which makes it appear as if the announcement occurred today. Furthering that belief would be that the "introduction" video from ProBoat also became viewable today. However, on the Horizon Hobby website, it (incorrectly?) states "Next Shipment April 2023". My guess is, they had intended to announce it 1-3 months ago, but probably had some last-minute design changes and/or a manufacturing delay. Whichever the case might be, pre-orders are happening now.
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
On a side note, wheels in my brain are turning, to which a 'curious' question popped into my head. Obviously, the PCF-1 is not designed to be a rescue/recovery boat...but, could it be used as such? Yes, I know, it would be easy to make a rescue platform out of PVC tubing & pool noodle, and place the PCF-1 inside (similar to the rescue platform design used by many, including my current platform)...but, what I'm thinking of is the possibility of using the PRB281112 Retriever System from the Horizon Harbor Tug. It shouldn't be too difficult to mount/epoxy something to the bow of the PCF-1, with a bolt pattern identical to the bolt pattern used by the tug's Retriever System, which would allow the use of said Retriever System. Obviously, it would slightly ruin the scale appearance of the PCF-1...but, it would (or, at least, should) make it usable as a rescue/recovery boat, right? My only 'worry' is whether, or not, the dual 390 motors would be powerful enough, and run cool enough, to use the PCF-1 for rescuing larger boats.
What are other's thoughts on this? Is it a "good" or "bad" idea? If "good", would the dual 390s be sufficient (or more than sufficient) enough...or, would/should they be replaced with higher power, or higher torque, motors? What about cooling the motors...are the heatsinks enough...or, would they need to be replaced with water cooling jackets? What about the propellers (ProBoat/Horizon Hobby doesn't indicate the diameter, or pitch)...stock, or replace with larger/smaller diameter, larger/smaller pitch and/or stick with 3-lade or switch to 4-blade? I realize these are a lot of questions, and they might not (yet) be answerable considering the PCF-1 hasn't even started shipping yet. Again, these are just "wheels turning in my brain".