YouTuber constructs 25-foot rideable RC battleship on $400 budget

YouTube creator Julius Perdana has completed a 25.5-foot, ride-able replica of the German battleship Bismarck, built for roughly $400. The project, documented in a video, combines a fiberglass-coated plywood “Captain’s Tub” that supports the pilot’s weight with a hull made from 3 mm Coroplast sheets held together with hot glue.

The vessel is powered by a 12-volt boat trolling motor linked to a 60-amp RC car electronic speed controller, allowing throttle control via a standard RC transmitter. Steering is provided by two 30-kg high-torque servos, and a custom-designed four-blade propeller was 3D-printed after the original two-blade version proved slow.

"When I built my first big RC battleship, the Yamato, I was actually inspired by an old BBC video of the manned models at Peasholm Park," Perdana said.

The cockpit is positioned low and reclined, similar to a Formula 1 driver’s seat, to accommodate the pilot’s weight. Separate 360-degree servos control rotating turrets that fire Roman-candle fireworks through spring-loaded barrels. An ignition system uses a match-head wrapped around a resistor to ignite the fireworks remotely.

Perdana’s build demonstrates a low-cost approach to large-scale, rideable RC vessels, using readily available marine and hobby components while achieving functional propulsion, steering and pyrotechnic effects.