Best RC Battleships and Warships

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Remote control models have fascinated kids for eons, and RC battleships are no exception. Racing, flying, and sailing provide users with lots of fun, but there’s nothing quite as thrilling as a good battle. Below we highlight the best RC battleships you can get in 2019.

Budget
Best-budget-RC-Battleships
HT-2877 RTR Battleship
4.0/5.0
3.04 lbs.
Max range 75 ft.
Easy to operate, fully directional, and reasonable battery life.
Check Amazon
Best Value
Best-value-RC-Battleships
Smasher Destroyer Warship
4.2/5.0
7 lbs.
Max range 100 ft.
Long transmission range. Includes model helicopter on deck.
Check Amazon
Top Pick
Top-value-RC-Battleships
HT-3831A Battleship
4.6/5.0
7 lbs.
Max range 60+ ft.
Durable craft and model helicopter on deck. Dual propellers.
Check Amazon

Companies target model battleships and warships at younger audiences, but they’re not only for kids. Naval ships make fantastic big boys toys as well. High-quality replicas can also be educational. The build-your-own kits can help youngsters to develop motor skills and parent-child bonding. So yes, these are toys, but they’re more than just playthings to entertain users.

What to Look for in an RC Battleship

The type of RC warship you opt for depends on your age, skill level, expectations, and budget. The six primary considerations below should help you to decide. Feel free to add any of your own.

  1. Maximum price you’re prepared to pay
  2. Aesthetics and details
  3. The hull
  4. The cannon
  5. Propeller(s)
  6. Motor(s)
  7. Remote control (RC transmitter)

Let’s look at each of these in turn and the reasons why they’re relevant.









About My Reviews

These reviews are short and to the point. I tell you everything you need to know and nothing you don’t. The RC battleship choices in this guide are the result of user feedback, personal preferences, and the opinions of experts. There’s also a simple table at the end of each product review. The tables show the main tech specs along with any pros and cons.

Best RC Battleships Comparison Table

Here’s a quick list of these models in the order they appear in the guide:

Make and ModelMax SpeedRC RangePrice
RC Missile HT-2877 RTR Battleship Cruiser10 mph75 feetCheck Price
German Bismarck Military RC Battleship10 mph20 feetCheck Price
Challenger RC Aircraft Carrier10 mph60 feetCheck Price
Smasher Destroyer 31-Inch RC Warship7 mph100 feetCheck Price
RC Missile HT-3831A Battleship Cruiser8 mph60 feetCheck Price
4CH Large RC German Battleship4 mph262 feetCheck Price

1. RC Missile HT-2877 RTR Battleship Cruiser

RC Missile HT-2877 RTR Battleship CruiserView on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5

The RC Missile HT-2877 is a ready-to-run (RTR) battleship cruiser. It looks great and is fully-directional. This model is more suited to younger kids and toddlers—under supervision.

  • Best feature 1: Ready-To-Run
  • Best feature 2: Fully directional
  • Plus points: Easy to operate, intricate details, fast speed, cabin lights, affordable
  • Minus points: Plasticky build, slow to turn

The HT-2877 is a capable little missile warship that does exactly what it says on the box. It probably won’t excite preteens, but younger kids are sure to love it. It’s easy to operate, but make sure you read the instructions (printed on the box) the first time around. It’s simple to sail, but there are safety precautions to heed before taking her into the pool, pond, or local lake.

The details are nice too, though older enthusiasts might find the construction a bit on the plasticky side. The warship moves in any direction and it’s quite fast going forward. Turning can be slow so you might want to keep those to a minimum. Another nice touch is the cabin lights.

Wrapping-Up

This Battleship Cruiser is a fun and affordable RC warship that’s ideal for youngsters. It has a ‘wow’ factor up to around age seven. Kids older than that are likely to get bored with it fairly soon.

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Tech Specs
Dimensions: 19.7 x 5.1 x 6.3″
Product Weight: 3.04 lbs.
Max speed: 5–10 mph (8–16 km/h)
Max range: 75 ft. (22.8m)
Battery: 6V 500mA
Max running time: 15 minutes
The Pros
Great toy for younger kids
Nice details
Easy to operate, fully directional
Fast speed
Reasonable battery life
Cabin light effects
Affordable RC toy
The Cons
Plasticky
Slow turner

2. German Bismarck Military RC Battleship

German Bismarck Military RC BattleshipView on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

The German Bismarck is an RC battleship with attractive details and glossy exterior. It’s fully maneuverable too. Being a ready-to-run (RTR) model makes it a great choice for impatient captains.

  • Best feature 1: Detailed exterior with glossy paint finish
  • Best feature 2: Good performance
  • Plus points: Ready-to-run, fully directional, dual propellers, fast mover, decent RC range
  • Minus points: Plasticky built, easy to break, historically inaccurate

Most who buy the German Bismarck military RC battleship seem surprised at how well she runs. It has the ability to move in all directions and zips quickly across the water. The craft’s dual propellers help with its agility and speed. You only have to decrease the power to one of its propellers to turn the ship.

Another attractive feature with this vessel is its impressive range of around 120 feet. That gives you 60% more range than the previous model. The running time on a fully charged battery is anywhere from 15–30 minutes depending on how hard you push it. That’s potentially double the first choice.

Wrapping-Up

The RC German Bismarck has come down a fair bit from its launch price from what I can see. It costs around ten bucks more than the RTR Battleship Cruiser though they share some similarities. One of those is the plasticky build. Overly boisterous youngsters can easily break this toy, so a little supervision is always a good idea.

It’s called the German Bismarck, but to be honest, it’s not an accurate replica. For most folks, this is not a big deal. Those who want a ship for educational purposes may want to choose something else.

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Tech Specs
Dimensions: 28 x 7 x 3″
Product Weight: 5.54 lbs.
Scale: 1:275
Max speed: 5–10 mph (8–16 km/h)
Max range: 20 ft. (6m )
Battery: 9.6V 1700mAh Ni-CD
Max running time: 15–30 minutes
The Pros
Ready-To-Run
Nice details, glossy finish
Performs well, easy to control
Fully directional craft
Dual propellers
Fast mover
Long RC range
The Cons
Plasticky build
Easy to break
Historically inaccurate design

3. Challenger RC Aircraft Carrier

Challenger RC Aircraft CarrierView on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

The Challenger is a 30″ RC aircraft carrier model. It looks fantastic and has a highly detailed exterior, which makes it a showcase quality RC Battleship. It also comes with a purpose display stand.

  • Best feature 1: Showcase model
  • Best feature 2: Detailed exterior
  • Plus points: Display stand, built-in safety sensor, easy handling, dual propellers, good range
  • Minus points: Fragile construction

The ship is more than just a display model and performs well on the water. It’s fair to say that this is more of a collector’s warship than a fun toy, but it can be that too. The built-in safety sensor means its props don’t work outside the water. It’s easy to handle once afloat and has a good 60 feet range from the transmitter. The maximum 10mph speed in ideal conditions suggests it’s nifty too.

Wrapping-Up

The 30″ Challenger aircraft carrier is fragile despite its good looks and attention to detail. It’s why I suggest it more as a kid’s collector model than a kid’s toy. Reviewers who complain about its build tend to be those who bought if for youngsters to play with on the water. There are sturdier RC warships out there that can take harder knocks than this 30-inch Challenger can.

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Tech Specs
Dimensions: 30 x 6 x 8″
Product Weight: Not specified
Max speed: 10 mph (16 km/h)
Max range: 60 ft. (18m)
Battery: 9.6V 1700mAh Ni-CD
Max running time: Not specified
The Pros
Showcase-quality aircraft carrier
Includes display stand
Detailed exterior
Built in safety sensor
Easy to handle
Dual propellers
Decent range
The Cons
Fragile construction

4. Smasher Destroyer 31-Inch RC Warship

Smasher Destroyer 31-Inch RC WarshipView on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.2/5

Next up is the Smasher Destroyer. It’s a 31-inch RC HT-2879 Warship. It costs around the same price as the previous two picks. It’s a bestselling product too.

  • Best feature 1: Long range
  • Best feature 2: Radar tower lights
  • Plus points: Model helicopter, detail exterior, fully functioning, opposite gun turrets
  • Minus points: Plasticky build, not well-sealed

The first thing that caught my eye was the incredible 100 feet range of the Smasher Destroyer. Not everyone wants range, but it adds a bit of extra fun when playing on big ponds and lakes. There are some nice touches to this warship as well. You have the radar tower lights, a model helicopter on deck, and a detailed, glossy exterior. The opposing gun turrets also add to the ships might.

This war vessel is also fully maneuverable and easy to operate—just like the previous two picks.

Wrapping-Up

The Smasher Destroyer shares the same plasticky build as the other models. That means some parts can easily break if you’re not careful. Another gripe with this toy battleship is that it lacks any proper sealing. You can seal the boat yourself, or be careful not to take on water, but that’s not ideal.

amazon

Tech Specs
Dimensions: 33.2 x 10.2 x 7.9″
Product Weight: 7 lbs.
Max speed: 7 mph (11 km/h)
Max range: 100 ft. (30m )
Battery: 7.2 volt 2500 mAh
Max running time: 20 minutes
The Pros
Handsome warship with plenty of details and glossy finish
Long transmission range
Radar tower lights
Includes model helicopter on deck
Fully directional craft
Opposite gun turrets
The Cons
Plasticky build
Breakable parts
Lacks proper sealing

5. RC Missile HT-3831A Battleship Cruiser

RC Missile HT-3831A Battleship CruiserView on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

This RC missile warship takes these models up to a new level and price range.

  • Best feature 1: High-quality build
  • Best feature 2: Realistic details
  • Plus points: Glossy finish, model helicopter onboard, dual propellers, durable
  • Minus points: Average range, poor sealing, lists

The RC missile HT-3831A battleship Cruiser has a higher-quality build than the previous models. It’s not as fragile either, and there’s higher attention to detail. It also seems to be a more accurate replica than some RC warships. It has an attractive exterior finish, a model helicopter, and dual propellers. It’s quite robust too. That means users don’t have to worry as much about minor bumps.

Wrapping-Up

OK, so the build and details are better than the cheaper warships, but everything else is quite average. That includes the range, speed, handling, running time, and battery life. The sealing is not perfect either. That’s a pain because the ship tends to list and take on water. However, the overall quality and attention to detail are going to be the main attractions for some buyers.

amazon

Tech Specs
Dimensions: 27 x 3″ x 7″
Product Weight: 7 lbs.
Max speed: 8 mph (13 km/h)
Max range: 60+ ft. (18+m )
Battery: Lithium rechargeable
Max running time: 20 minutes
The Pros
Quality build
Nice finish, attention to detail
Durable craft
Glossy exterior
Model helicopter on deck
Dual propellers
The Cons
Average features: range, speed, running time
Poor sealing
Lists slightly
Higher price tag

6. 4CH HT3827a Large RC German Battleship

4CH HT3827a Large RC German BattleshipView on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5

The last pick is the big 4CH German style battleship. It can operate on 27MHz, 35MHz, 40MHz, and 49MHz. There are faster ships on this page, but this one is sturdy and consistent in its performance.

  • Best feature 1: Stunning design, attention to detail
  • Best feature 2: Long running time
  • Plus points: Long range, fort rotation, armed helicopter, and fighter jet fleets, lighting
  • Minus points: Slow top speed, lists

What we have here is a stunning German aircraft carrier with amazing attention to detail. The ship’s 9.6V 800mA battery gives around 25 minutes of fun on a full charge despite the vessel’s 4kg weight. The range is an incredible 262 ft., so make sure you have the power to return if you sail too far out.

The fort rotation is 180-degrees, and the cannon gun flips easily in the up and down directions. Other impressive features on deck are the armed helicopter fleet, fighter jets, light effects, and radars.

Wrapping-Up

The 4CH HT3827a RC German Battleship has a lot going for it though it’s not perfect. Its maximum 4mph top speed makes it one of the slower crafts on this page. The ship also tends to list which is annoying. The listing doesn’t seem to affect its ability to sail, but it would look better straight up.

amazon

Tech Specs
Dimensions: 33 x 16 x 30″
Product Weight: 8.8 lbs.
Scale: 1: 275
Max speed: 4 mph (6 km/h)
Max range: 262 ft. (80m )
Battery: 9.6V 800mA
Max running time: 25 minutes
The Pros
Amazing detailed exterior
Long running time
Long transmission range
180-degree fort rotation
Armed helicopter fleet
Fighter jets
Lighting effects
The Cons
Slow top speed
Lists