Albion

I am a little reluctant to admit this in public, with all the concerns over planes being used as weapons. But I thought it might be good fun to be able to fuel up a deck strike of scale model Corsairs or Barracudas, complete with dummy ordnance, and send them off to find Battleship Tirpitz. With remote TV on board the planes, a pilot could easily navigate the plane a few miles from the ship, simulate their attacks on a suitable target and then return to the carrier. Off course it wouldn't be as simple as that, but in general thats the idea.
As I said, I realize that some parties might find this train of thought a trifle worrisome, but I think if everything is kept aboveboard and the proper people in uniform are apprised, there shouldn't be any difficulties.

MartinH-K

There are ALL sorts of problems! Start with the concept of 'restricted airspace' and work from there. You will have the security services climbing all over you! Any r/c aircraft that can carry and deliver dummy ordinance could carry the real thing. I REALY think you should give this aspect a little more thought.

duncan

Not a new weapons concept. Teslar offered some R/C boats to the US Navy at the dawn of radio as torpedoes and for airborne flying bomb, check the "Kettering Bug"(1917) at the USAF Museum in Dayton. All very sinister but is there not film company or TV network that could help with clearances, they seem to re-live wars ancient and modern, even future, without the troubles we are being paranoid about.

Albion

The dummy ordnance would be just for show, I don't think it feasable to include a mechanism for releasing any dumb bombs with this size plane. Besides I do not think anyone would have a clear view of what effect they would have on a target, so it doesn't seem to be much point in being able to release anything from the planes. Besides it seems I recall there being a law against dropping objects from a plane (I could be wrong).
With respect to restrictions on flying. The area I am looking at is very thinly populated, mostly some low islands with a few wrecks along the shore. There are no airfields close enough to worry about and no government installations nearby.
I have given some thought to those security services that have been mentioned. In the US we have the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. This organization acts as a civilian reserve to the regular Coast Guard. They work very closely with the active duty Coast Guard and perform many of the same missions, ranging anywhere from Search and Rescue to vessel inspection. They also have an active port security role and often act as OPFOR for Regular and Reserve Coast Guard units. The organization is not much trouble to join, and once you become a member you may have your boat inspected and listed as a official "Facility" of the Coast Guard. I think having this vessel become an active part of "Team Coast Guard" might be a nice Idea, good public relations if you will.
Hmmm.. sounds like USS Robin all over again.

MartinH-K

Hmmm you could have it commissioned into the USS Atlantic fleet (auxillary reserve). I think you are going to have problems but you won't know until you try...

Albion

Been a few months since my last post, I imagine that quite a few may have gotten the impression from my absense that I sobered up, realized the extent to which I had gone mad, then quietly sailed off over the horizon. I did in fact sail over the horizon, but have now returned to give an update.
Unfortunately (my wife disagrees) due to financial constraints (terrible commercial blue crab season, and a worse oyster season), construction of the ship's hull has been delayed until this coming fall (sounds more and more like an MOD program) possibly longer. I have also decided to construct the ship in composite/GRP, which will increase the costs for the hull by approximately 30% or more. Maintenance costs however will decrease dramatically at least over the mid life of the hull. I have also definately decided to use a modular construction approach for the hull, this will divide my costs over the building process to more manageable stages.
In the interim I will be concentrating on building a few mockups of the carrier's main components, such as the ship's island and sections of the flight deck, as well as getting some working planes in the air to test out ideas (or at least on the deck). I won't be able to use stock rc planes, the only r/c F4U Corsair I have found in GRP is not to scale, nor is it structurally strong enough to be servicable. I am therefore faced with the task of scratch building molds for F4U airframes not to mention the other types I would like to carry. As for flying control, Instead of using LCD displays I am going to experiment with high resolution video goggles with an integrated head tracker to control the plane's onboard camera.
I am taking the rest of February as well as March and April off, so hopefully I will be able to get a few things done this time.

Aquarama

Hello Albion, try The Greenwich Maritime Museum in London I would be surprised if they dont have any info, they may be able to point you in the right direction if not, regards, Aquarama.