RAF boat ID and infoplease…

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Hi, I have discovered in my searches for info on my crash tender two boats that I would love to do models of. They are an old boat seen in Basrah, number 153 and the Mk 1 37'-6" fire float.

Are there any drawings for either, what colour are the light coloured ones and what is in the open cockpit areas?

What general shaped hull is No. 153.? What length?

I don't know how to put pictures on here since photobucket's self destruction.

 

Martin

Edited By Martin Field 1 on 07/06/2018 11:37:44

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Martin

Check out this site **LINK**

Harry Smith

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Mk1 Fire Float

37.5ft Fire Float Mk.I

RAF NUMBERS	FT1 – FT36, FT40
Builder	British Power Boat Co, Hythe
DISPLACEMENT	5.0 Tons
HULL DIMENSIONS	LOA………37' 6"
	Beam…….8' 6"
	Draught….2' 6"
HULL PLANKING	Material……..Mahogany
	Method…….Single (Sides)- Double Diagonal (Bottom)
	Side Thickness…..5/8in
	Bottom Thickness…3/4in
MAIN PROPULSION	Twin Meadows 100 bhp
GEARBOX	Meadows
REDUCTI1ON	Direct
DYNAMO	CAV Bosch 24 Volt
AUXILIARY MACHINERY	Coventery Climax F.F. 75bhp
FIRE PUMP	Coventery Climax F.F. 500 galls/min
PROPELLOR	Material . . . Manganese Bronze
	Pitch. . . . . .13"
	Diameter . .14"
	Hand . . . . . .Right Hand
TAILSHAFT	Material. . . .Monel Metal
	Diameter . . .1"
MAXIMUM SPEED	20 Knots
TOTAL FUEL CARRIED	65 Gallons

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

70ft Aero-Marine High Speed Launch

RAF Numbers	150-155
Builder	AERO-MARINE-CRAFTS Ltd, Trenton, Canada
Displacement	Not Listed
Dimensions	LOA………70' 0"
	Beam…….15' 0"
	Draught….4' 2.5"
Construction	Double Diagonal
Material	Phillipine Mahogany
Main Propulsion	Triple Liberty Conversion 12-cyl each 500 bhp @ 2000 rpm
Reduction	Centre engine Direct, Wing engines Vee drive
Maximum Speed	44-45 Knots
Max Cruising Speed	27-30 Knots
Duration @ Maximum RPM	30 minutes
Total Fuel Carried	2500 Gallons, 100 octane petrol in 5 tanks
Range	350 miles @ Max continuous speed
	420 miles @ Cruising speed
Complement	13
Radar	Type 286, later Type 291
Armament (On Transfer to RAF)	1 x 20mm Oerlikon (Aft)
	2 x Twin 0.5" Vickers (Abreast Whelhouse)
	1 x Lightweight 20mm (Foredeck)

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Harry, many thanks for your help. Alas the 150 you've mentioned there is a huge 70 footer, whereas my 153 is a tiddler. Has the look of an American Chris-Craft Red and White "rum runner", I'm guessing around 32 feet, high prow, open rear cockpit, light colour as you would expect as it's photographed at Basrah. The Mk1 stuff I found on that excellent website you mention and am trying to find what a Coventry Climax FF pump looks like. I can find pics of the encased and wheeled pump, the sort towed by taxis during the War, but nothing on a boat based frame. I'm assuming it was a sidevalve engine, but 75 HP was quite something for pre War engines. My CC book only covers the racing engines, a different branch of interests for my over worked brain.

Is there a description of how to put pictures up here?

Cheers,

Martin

[Mark Jarvis 2Participant @markjarvis2]

Hi Martin, the pump would have been fitted in the engine room, so would not be visible from the outer hull. Pictures are very rare, some books show b&w photos but are not clear.

Mark

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Hi Mark,

surprisingly, perhaps, the engines are out in the open under a casing each side and the pump is an encased jobby, like the towed ones on land and that is in the bit that looks like a cabin. I have found a photo on the site referred to above. The back of the "cabin" is open.

Still nothing on the smaller boat 153.

If someone will explain putting photos on here I will put a couple up.

Cheers,

Martin

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Martin – you add photos to an album first, see grey menu bar at top of page, and then when posting click the little camera icon at the top of the box you are typing in and choose photos from your album.

Chris

Edited By Chris Fellows on 08/06/2018 09:41:01

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Thanks, Chris.

I now have an album.

So here are the pics of the two boats I'm interested in and the all important one of the engine and pump in the Mk1, 37'-6".

Nope, only got one picture although I put 3 in.

Keep trying.

Martin

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Next one…

The innards of the Mk 1. Meadows 6 in a casing either side and Coventry Climax FF pump in the open backed "cabin".

Martin

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

And finally, folks….

The Mk 1 37'-6".

Sweet shaped boat.

Nope, it's in the album, but it won't appear. Don't know what to do with it.

Martin

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Martin

If you click onto the camera on your post(second from the end) you can add one photo at a time.

If you google Coventry Climax FF pump you will pictures of a number of them.

If you use MWSnap(free program) you can capture screen shots and save them.

Using a paint program cut and resize to you requires.

Like this one.

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Really? Let's try it. I can't do all the download and use stuff. Never works and screen shots, etc.? All beyond me.

Tried the camera click and got (in text) one of my 3 pictures, that I already showed.

Is that pump a definite FF? I also googled it but all you see is cases, no proof of it being the 75HP, which really was quite powerful for pre-War. But the cases all look similar anyway.

Cheers,

Martin

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

If you look on albums, under RAF boats, you might see 3 pictures that i put on the album, but when I click on the camera, all it offers me is one picture.

Cheers,

Martin

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

That's the one Harry, thanks. I couldn't get the top one to appear.

Anyway, now we have them, does anyone know of any plans for the Mk 1 above? I very much doubt if there are any for the 153 boat, but I'd love to know if anyone has any clue what the hull might resemble so I could make a stab at it.

Cheers,

Martin

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Can anyone identify what the three apparent pipes are on the starb'd side next to the pump? And would that box affair on the port side be perhaps a battery box? I take it the slatted affair on the roof is for lashing stuff to?

Cheers,

Martin

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hello Martin

The two boats are both RAF Seaplane Tenders, the FT1 is a common type and has obviously been adapted as a fire boat the other (135) looks like a Brooke from the early 1920s.

The background and officers uniforms in the 135 picture lead me to think that the boat is on the Nile and probably used to service the large Flying Boat scheduled flights.

The 'box' could be a simple seat/tool chest for the pump operator.

I can't make out the three pipes on the stb side that you refer to.

Hope this helps

Paul

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Paul,

many thanks. I was thinking Brooke too as it looked like a slightly bigger version of a Brooke that we saw at a Windermere rally of the CMBA a few years ago.

The Mk 1 in your pics is, I would say a slightly longer version and its windows are a different shape, but generally a similar craft.

The three pipes are running for and aft on the inside of the starboard wall of the open cabin and have a shadow falling on them.

The 153 boat is, indeed in the middle east, Basrah, but I don't have any knowledge of the geography of those parts.

The photo you have attached of a similar craft is very useful. I'm sure I will have plans for a similar shaped craft and can make a suitable hull with just the top hamper changed to make it a RAF craft.

Cheers,

Martin

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Martin

I see what you mean about pipes however I think that these could be timbers laid in a similar way to those on the cabin roof.

Where does the Basrah reference come from? there is a Al Basrah in Alexandria but it isn't anywhere near a wide river as it only has a narrow irrigation canal.

Paul

Edited By Paul T on 09/06/2018 17:42:24

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Could be, Paul, once again, to have stuff lashed to.

I have found a boat by Maynard's yard at Chiswick which is very similar to the 153 boat, being a 1925 35 foot launch. Even if the RAF boat was built by somebody else it is definitely similar enough to use as a guide.

Let anybody say me nay, eh?

Cheers,

Martin

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Martin

Have a look at this Link its a similar style from the same builder.

Paul

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Ah, that's the same pic. you sent before, except this one is the wider website and description. Lovely stuff. I can work with that. Surprised it's down as such an early boat.

Thanks for sending that through, Paul.

Cheers,

Martin

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