Vac-U-Boat Combat Vac-U-Fletcher User manual

Combat Vac-U-Fletcher™
1:144 Semi-Scale Model RC Warship Combat Fletcher-Class Destroyer Hull Kit
Manufactured by Vac-U-Boat 1259 Humphries Rd. Conyers, GA 30012 [e-mail]
Based upon one of the most successful weapons
systems deployed in World War II.
While no RC Warship Combat kit is “easy to build or cheap”, this “Beginner-
Class” kit will get you started in this fascinating hobby and not only give you an
understanding of construction, control and weapon systems, but will make an
effective addition to any fleet in battling against your buddies!
This Combat Vac-U-Fletcher Hull Kit Features: Tough high-impact
polystyrene hull with polyurethane-bonded sub-deck and carbon-fiber-reinforced
hull-ribs & sub-deck cross-members. The sub-deck hatch openings and the hull’s
pre-formed penetrable area panels can be removed with a hobby knife or box
cutter. Clear hatch lids & hatch tape waterproof the hull. The deck supports
realistic details and can house a forward-firing 50-round cannon or mounted as a
stern gun (not included). The rudder kit includes a 1.8 square-inch rudder cast on a
brass shaft with a self-aligning rudder bracket, rudder arm, pushrod, and e-z
connector with stainless screw for the servo. A mini servo is included for the
rudders. Servo models will vary according to availability. The twin drive kit
includes two “365” motors direct-driving counter-rotating precision stainless steel
shafts supported by Oilite® bushings in brass stern tubes with brass couplings,
injection-molded copper colored polyethylene props, 6-32 threaded drive dogs, and
prop nuts.
This Fletcher-Class Destroyer is a 1.0 unit ship under the rules of the
International Radio Controlled Warship Combat Club. It can be equipped with a
“1/2 bilge pump” and a 25 rounds in its cannon, or a 50 rounds and no bilge pump.
© 2018 Philip Pace dba Vac-U-Boat™

Now for the Warnings!
Read all of the instructions! Review and understand each step, and the one after, as you build
your boat. Don’t rush. Good work takes time.
This is not a toy! I know. It LOOKS like a toy, but it isn’t. Toys are generally safe for small
children. This boat is not safe for small children. Assembling it requires the use of sharp tools
that can cut skin, strong adhesives than can bond flesh and injure eyes, spray paints that can be
flammable and toxic, as well as batteries that can short causing severe burns or fires. Read all
of the instructions and warnings on all of the tools and chemicals you plan to use. Use
protective eyewear when recommended. USE SAFETY GLASSES! If you think you don’t
have the skills, or are uncomfortable with tools and chemicals, or just changed your
mind, then pack up this kit and return it immediately for a full refund including
economical standard return shipping. If you need some help, find a local boat club to
join, check with the hobby shop where you purchased your radio gear, or contact local
RC Warship Combat clubs and organizations for assistance. Keep your work area away
from children. Even if you have no children, when not working on the kit, keep all sharp
objects and all chemicals locked away in a safe area. You never know who will come to visit
and how well they will supervise the young ones with them.
This is STILL not a toy! Once you complete the boat and are running it in a lake, know that
the boat can injure life, limb, and property. Never touch the propeller, spinning or not, while
there is a battery inside or connected to the boat. Even if it is turned OFF, assume it can glitch
and run on its own. Never run the boat if swimmers are in the water. Don’t chase wildlife. Be
careful with rechargeable batteries. They have the ability to dump large amounts of current in a
very brief period of time if shorted, causing burns or fires. Never store the boat with the battery
inside it, connected or not. Keep your batteries in a safe place, out of the reach of children.
You are responsible for the safe use of this product. You are responsible for choosing wisely,
those who you entrust the use of the boat and radio, even for a few minutes at a lake.
Never swim after a disabled model boat!
All of these warnings are just for the Hull Kit! Add the RC Warship Combat parts and
this model is ABSOLUTELY DANGEROUS. Use safety clips in the cannon when not
battling to prevent accidental firing of a bb. Know that Lithium batteries are dangerous
if mishandled, damaged or if charged improperly. CO2 powered firing systems contain
pressurized gas that can project parts at a high rate of speed during assembly or repair.
Everyone wears SAFETY GOGGLES when in combat, or testing on the work bench.
WARNING
CHOKING HAZARD - Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
WARNING - To avoid danger of suffocation, keep plastic bags away from babies and children. Do not use in
cribs, beds, carriages or play pens.
WARNING: Brass parts in this kit contain lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects and other reproductive harm.
WARNING: THIS IS NOT A TOY! Once completed, this model should only to be used with the Safety
Rules and guidelines of the International Radio Controlled Warship Combat Club
http://ircwcc.com/main/home/rules/

KIT CONTENTS
Hull & Sub-Deck
joined with openings
reinforced with carbon
fiber rod. Top view
and bottom view.
Pre-Trimmed Deck
2nd Deck & Deck
Components
Boat Stand and
Internal Electronics
Tray.
Internal Armor, Hatch
Covers & Balsa Skin
Cutting Template.
Hull Hardware Kit
with stainless steel deck screws,
plastic & brass 5” gun barrels, prop
alignment templates, torpedo
launcher base, rudder, self-aligning
mount, rudder arm, stainless set
screws, stainless pushrod, ez-
connector, mini servo, sanding block,
sandpaper, hook & loop tape and 72
yards of hatch tape.
Twin Drive Package
with stern tubes, precision
stainless shafts, couplings, drive
dogs, prop nuts, props, synthetic
grease, motors, motor/servo
mount, couplings & prop
alignment template.

Styrene can be cut by scoring and breaking, or with scissors. The first score should be very light while
concentrating on accuracy. The second and third score is made with more pressure and will follow the first.
INSTRUCTIONS
We are ready to get started building this Combat Fletcher hull kit. Follow the photos and captions to assemble
your boat. Read through the instructions before building. Assemble the necessary tools and adhesives on a
clean workbench or table. Keep paper towels handy to catch spills. Don’t forget the safety glasses!
To build this kit you will need: A variable-speed drill. A hobby knife or box cutter, sharp scissors, medium CA
glue or Gorilla brand super glue, Devcon 2-Ton Epoxy or hobby epoxy with a 30 minute or greater cure-time.
5 minute, 7 minute, or 15 minute epoxy is not waterproof and has too short of a working time to fold in filler
and use with this model. Baby powder (100% Talc), micro-spheres or your preference as filler for epoxy. Drill
bits 3/32”, 1/8”, 5/32”and 3/16”. A #2 Phillips screwdriver and a roll of painter’s masking tape. A step-drill bit
is handy for making large holes safely. Following smaller drills with larger ones will work. A Dremel Rotary
hobby grinder will be helpful to cut flats on the shaft ends.
Read ahead for each step. With hobby knives or box cutters, always cut in a direction away from nearby body
parts. Practice harder installations, motor/drives for example, without glue first to be comfortable with what
steps are needed to ensure a good fit.
When drilling styrene, drill at the slowest setting. The material is soft so little pressure is needed to drill into
it. All surfaces that will be glued with epoxy or CA-super glue need to be sanded/scuffed with 100 grit sandpa-
per to help the surfaces have a strong bond.
Bending at the score will break the plastic along the scored line. You can cut with scissors if you prefer. Either
way, any rough edges can be smoothed out with the included 100 grit sand paper or sanding block.
The stand fits the hull as shown. The right end of the stand lines up with the rear of the bilge keels on either
side of the hull. Outline the bottom of the sub-deck openings with a pencil. Use slight outward pressure on the
pencil so it will follow the outline of the recess. The mark helps you see where to score the opening. 4

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Use a 3/16” drill to round the corners by drilling next to the marked line at each corner. Do this for all 4 openings.
Score along an opening, lightly the first time and with a little more pressure the 2nd or 3rd time. If you knife
falls through the slit, tilt it sideways to pull it free. Press on one end flexing the plastic until it separates.
Continue to work the plastic with your finger until it breaks free. If it resists, then score the opening one more
time with the knife and try again.
Save the scraps. Repeat for the other three deck openings. The side openings have three sides that are easy to
mark. The bottom is located by using the side of a pencil to mark the change in the hull curve.
Make the bottom mark about 1/16” ABOVE the pencil line. Drill the four corners of each opening with a 3/16
inch drill. Score the four sides of an opening. It is thicker at the bottom line. Additional scores there.

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Tape the deck to the sub-deck/hull assembly. Set upright. Make a light line above each side cross-member
mark. At the center of the stern (back end) make a dot 1/2 inch from the edge of the deck.
At the bow (front end) make a dot centered one-inch from the tip of the deck. On the sides, mark the dot 3/8 inch
from the outer edge. Drill 3/32 holes through the deck & sub-deck at each dot. (Six holes.)**
Push the side panel inward causing it to separate at the bottom and remove it. Repeat 13 more times. Mark the
upper side of the hull at the center of the front two sub-deck cross-members to help locate the deck screw holes.
Set the deck on the sub-deck. Turn it upside-down. Look to see that it fits into the deck overhang evenly.
**You can omit screws at the rear-most crossmemeber without affecting the appearance of the kit.
Remove the deck. Drill through the center of the deck holes with a larger 5/32-inch drill.

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Spread epoxy on the rudder mount. Press into the hull. It should look like this. Less epoxy is OK.
Set the hull aside for the epoxy to cure. Lay out the deck and deck accessories as shown.
Insert the #6 x 3/8 inch Phillips pan head screws. Keep them straight as they thread into the sub-deck until just
snug. Don’t over tighten. Next time, start them by hand and tighten with screwdriver. Use a 3/16 inch drill to drill
into the center of the rudder inset at the stern of the hull. Wallow out the hole a little so the rudder base will fit.
Remove the deck. Test fit the rudder mount. It should drop in and sit flush. If it binds, enlarge the hole a little
with the 3/16 inch drill. Sand the underside and stem of the aluminum mount and the inside of the recess.
Fold in the same volume of filler until smooth. Rub a little into the sanded area of the rudder recess.
Inside the hull, sand the top of the rudder mount recess. Test fit the rudder mount again. Mix epoxy together.

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Careful not to tear the upper deck at corners. The rough edges can be trimmed with a hobby knife or scissors.
Use sandpaper to smooth the edges. Use the sanding block to sand the underside so the curved overhang of the
upper deck is even when viewed from the side.
The upper deck sits on top of the deck. It has a raised outline. Mark the bottom of the outline with a pencil and
use your knife to lightly score the outline. Repeat scoring until the edges will break away.
Center the upper deck on the deck. The front-to-rear reference point is this side roof over a doorway. Left-to-
right in the photo, center the upper deck to that opening. (arrow) You will use this again on page 22.
Identify the deck accessories. These are torpedo launchers. The one with the round dome on top goes behind
the one without a dome. They are located on either side of the rear Stack.

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The stacks are formed in halves. They glue together and sit on the angled bases on the 2nd deck. The rear-
most stack has a wing that mounts searchlights.
The bridge assembly starts with the bridge, formed upside-down where the pilot house crew can walk outside.
The pilot house roof supports the mast and gun director. The pilot house is also formed upside-down.
These parts stack together on top of the upper deck. This small bump is the gun director that sits on top of the
pilot house roof. There are more tiny details that aren’t included in this kit. Add more bits after you are done.
5-Inch guns and their bases go together with the 2-piece barrels to make five guns for the deck.

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Early Fletchers had an AA gun nount with a rangefinder mount next to it. Later versions had just the gun mount.
The circle forms the floor of the early AA gun mount. The rectangles are bases for mounting the torpedo
launchers. The slot in the 5-Inch guns is off-center with the barrel mounted centered on the right of the slot.
Before separating the 5-inch gun tops, choose the angle of your gun barrels. Put a dot on each cannon where you
plan to drill. Hold the drill at the same angle for each cannon. Slowly drill a 1/8-inch hole in each cannon.
Gradually trim the plastic closer to the sides of a cannon. For your final cuts, lay the top blade of the scissors
flat against the side you are trimming. Don’t forget the 45 degree corner cuts on the front.
These half-round items are anti-aircraft gun placements near the Bow.

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Cut the tiny 45 degree front angles and carefully trim the rounded back area. Sand the sides to make them
even with the bottom of the round edge. Here are two halves of a gun ready to be glued together.
Sand on the sanding block. Rotate it frequently to keep the base of the gun square and even on all sides.
Sand just until the rounded bottom is gone as shown on the right photo, “after” on left and “before” on right.
Cut a gun base from the strip. Trim it a little at a time to remove edge scrap. Turn it over and trim as shown.
Now trimmed just outside of the raised rounded area, mark the outer edge of that raised area with a pencil. Trim
to the mark with scissors.
Laying the upper blade flat against the side of the cannon, trim each side until it looks like this.

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Set the base on a flat scrap surface. Align the gun and press down to engage the base and hold for 10 seconds.
Lightly sand inside the bottom of the gun shell. Apply super glue around inside the shell and spread evenly.
It should look like this. Cut a 3/8-inch piece of 1/8-inch plastic tubing. Scuff 1/4” of the end of a brass barrel.
Put a little CA around the 1/8-inch area and insert into the hole of the gun. Repeat for the other 4 guns. Don’t
attach them to your ship yet. One is a spare as your BB Cannon may be in the #2 or #4 Gun location. If the
rudder mount epoxy has cured, you can add more epoxy inside the hull around the stems to reinforce them.
Insert the sanded end of the rod through the tube. Apply a little CA (super glue) around the end, then push the
tube down over the CA covered rod against a flat surface. Mark the tube end of the barrel 1/8-inch from the end.

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Make a handle from a piece of masking tape. Lightly sand the stack half against the sanding board to remove
the slight curve along the cut line, just like you did with the cannon tops. Rotate it while sanding to be even.
Sand one side of a rectangle. Sand the underside of the launcher. Apply CA to the raised areas under the launcher.
Press the sanded side of the rectangle to the underside of the launcher. This forms a flat base for mounting it.
Locate the 4 Stack halves and the searchlight wing. Trim the edges of two stack halves as shown.
Locate the torpedo launchers. Outline the launcher with a pencil. Cut out the launcher along the line.
Sand the edges straight. Cut out the two plastic rectangles. Sand smooth the bottom of the trimmed edges.

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Apply a thin layer of CA around the edge of one of the halves. Fold together and align. The CA will let you
reposition the halves until you have them aligned. Hold for 10 seconds. Secure with a 2nd piece of tape.
Put a piece of foam for flotation inside the stack. Add filled epoxy to hold the foam and strengthen the inside of
the seams. Mark the outline of the searchlight mounting wing and trim the outside with scissors. Don’t fully trim
the inside area (double arrow). Leave room to sand and fit to the width of your finished stack.
The width of a stack will vary according to how much you sanded away. The slot in the wing should not be
too large at this point. Install it on the stack LATER. Locate the anti-aircraft gun placements for the bow.
Mark them as shown for trimming.
Score the inside narrower than the marked lines. Break out the inside piece and sand the edges of the wing
smooth. Don’t sand the inside slot yet. Sand the bottom of the wing smooth and level with the sanding block.
Sanded pair of stack halves “before” & “after”. Once done, hold together and tape one edge to make a hinge.

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Trim the outside with scissors. Use a knife to score the inside opening. Break open along the score lines.
Cut around the outside along the line. Make a “tape handle” and sand the top and side opening smooth and straight.
Scuff the bottom of the gun placements and the corresponding round areas of the upper deck and glue with CA.
Choose the later version on left or the earlier version on the right and trim the rear anti-aircraft gun placement.
Attach a “tape handle” and sand the top smooth and even.
Use your hobby knife or box cutter to remove any plastic bits around the inside of the placement. After scuffing
the surfaces, glue to the top of the rear-most structure of the upper deck. Gather the bridge pieces as shown.
Mark them for trimming. This bridge piece is marked on the inside, to remove the round area. Cut away the
edges with scissors. A knife is best to score the roof of the bridge.

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From the side, the bridge railing looks a little high. I should have sanded it a little more. Scuff, center and CA
glue the gun director as shown. The bridge is now ready to glue to the upper deck.
Sand just until the rounded edge is gone. Same for the pilot house and the Bridge.
Lightly dragging the blade sideways will remove rough edges left from sanding. Score the inside marks at the
bridge. The finished parts should look like this. LOOK CLOSE at the cutout detail of the Bridge to match it.
IMPORTANT - IF INSTALLING A BOW CANNON, DO NOT GLUE ON THE PILOT ROOF YET.
Set the pilot house into the bridge as shown. Center, scuff mating surfaces and glue in place. Sand around the
underside of the pilot roof. Apply CA to the top edge of the pilot house. Center, press & hold the roof for 12
seconds. Center the triangular part between the rectangular vent extensions.
Even the edges. Sand the bottom of the bridge roof. Sand the gun director. Rotate it frequently to sand evenly.

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Drill through the roof hole to the upper deck. Tape over underside of hole. Insert the mast. Apply CA to the mast
bottom and where it passes through the roof & seat the mast to cure. While you are waiting, grab the sub-deck/hull
assembly and put some epoxy with filler around the rudder bracket as shown. Use a paper clip to reach around it.
#1 Cannon. Use tape strips to mark alignment of the round mounting surfaces. Line up gun with cabin behind it.
Scuff. Apply CA to gun. Press & hold 12 seconds. IMPORTANT - IF INSTALLING A BOW CANNON
OR A STERN CANNON, DO NOT ATTACH THE #2 OR #5 GUNS YET.
After CA cures, drill 5/64” hole through deck into gun base. Insert #4 x 1/4” screw to help hold gun in place
when hit by enemy bb’s to avoid embarrassing gun loss in battle. Locate the torpedo launchers. Oriented like
this, the bow is on the right. Center the front launcher between the stack bases, centered left and right.
The bridge mounts to this upper deck structure with the rounded fronts even and the rear square to the corners of
the upper deck below it. Scuff, apply CA to one surface, press and hold. A mast can be installed for flags or a
float to mark where the ship sunk. Do not install one if you are planning on using a bow cannon.

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Install it about 1/2 way between the top and bottom of the straight portion of the stack. The upper deck is
substantially complete. Whether or not you glue on the 2nd deck now depends on the cannon you plan to install.
Get the cured stacks and the searchlight mount. Sand off the rounded edges of the bottom of the Stacks.
Lightly sand, rotating the stack often so it will remain square. Sanded “after” & “before”. Don’t forget to insert a
piece of foam into each stack before gluing to help them float when shot off of your ship. Install the stacks,
Scuff the base, apply CA to the stack, center, press & hold. Note the top angle. Orient them as shown.
The searchlight mount will attach on the rear-most stack parallel to the deck as shown. Use sandpaper to round and
widen the inside of the mount until it fits snug and even without being spread/warped by the stack.
Turn over the launcher. Sand the round mount point plus the bottom of the launcher that will contact it. Apply CA
to the round mount. Center & press the first torpedo launcher 20 seconds. Repeat for the 2nd Torpedo Launcher.

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Vents
open at
sides.
Prop templates can help you align the prop shafts to the hull and rudders in a scratch-built drive system. Glue to
flat plastic scrap. Drill 1/8 hole at center & sand to the outer ring. Mount at the center of the threaded part of the
shafts temporarily while gluing the motors and stern tubes in place. The inner ring is the prop’s 1-inch diameter.
The space between the rings is the clearance you want between the prop and the hull.
With this kit, the motor/servo mount will align the prop shafts pretty well without using templates. You can just
install the two props and use them to make sure you have things aligned and proper spacing between the props
and the hull. Set the motors on the motor mount as shown.
Once water gets into most servos, they will die. If yours starts to show symptoms or erratic behavior, unplug it
immediately and plan to open it up and dry the interior at the end of the day. You may be able to salvage it.
Now is a good time to solder a wiring harness to your motors while they are out of the hull. Next to each brass
tab, there is an embossed + and - to indicate the positive pole and negative pole of the motor. Shorten the female
JST connector to about 2-1/2 inches. Strip the insulation at the ends. “Tin” the wires by applying solder to them,
even if they are “Pre-tinned” silver.
This is one of the smallest classes of ships. The motors only draw an amp or two in normal use. Heavy wires and
100 amp speed controls are not necessary. Weight is a serious factor to properly ballasting the ship. Consider
small inexpensive 10 amp Electronic Speed Controls that use red JST connectors. 20AWG wire is better.
22AWG wire is OK. Less breakage with thicker wire. Buy only JST connector pairs that have silicone insulation
and you will have less breakage near solder joints. Wire both motors the same, red to + and black to -. The ship
has counter-rotating props. One of the motors will run reversed. Make reverse “Y” connector at your ESC where
the polarity of one motor connector is normal and the other is reversed. This way you only need one wired spare
motor to serve either side of the drive because the ESC’s plugs determine which one is running in reverse.
The included servo may be factory water resistant. If not, before installing the Servo, it can be made
water-resistant: Clean off any oil or dirt on the servo case. Scuff the servo case with sandpaper. Paint over
the case seams and case screws with two coats of a conformal coating, dope or some nail polish. Put a dab of
filled epoxy where the wire comes out of the servo. After the motor installation, squirt some stern tube grease
around the output shaft under the servo arm. The Motor/Servo Mount will accommodate the Traxxas 2065
waterproof mini servo.

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Install the motor clamp and screw. Tighten only until snug. Install the servo with the wire running toward the
stern of the ship as shown. Drill 1/16” holes at the dimples in the mount and attach with the two screws included
with the servo. Insert shafts fully into motor coupling & lightly tighten one set screw.
Tin the motor tabs. Connect them by holding the tinned wire to the tinned tab and apply heat to melt them together.
Push the couplings onto the motor shaft. Install and tighten the motor-side set screws. Remove the shaft set
screws. Mark the coupling holes on the shaft with a fine tip felt pen to locate where you will grind flats on the
shafts. Flats prevent the set screws damaging the shafts which would make them harder to remove for
maintenance or repair. Use a Dremel hobby grinder tool to grind 2 flats on each shaft where the shaft was
marked. Scrape off any burrs along the edge of the ground area with a hobby knife to prevent binding in the
coupling. Do not attach shafts to the coupling yet.
As viewed from the stern, the right prop turns clockwise and the left prop turns counter-clockwise. With threaded
drive dogs and prop nuts, they can unscrew when a shaft is turning clockwise. To prevent this, add some thread
locker or some epoxy to the front 1/4-inch of threads as you screw on the drive dog. Do not put thread locker on
the prop or prop nut. If the drive dog can’t rotate, then the prop won’t rotate either. Screw on the drive dog to the
end of the threads. Push or screw on the prop until it contacts the drive dog with the slots lined up with the tabs
on the drive dog. Screw on the prop nuts. They will seat the props into the drive dogs. Tighten until snug.