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[bigfella]

Hi Everyone
Dave from Australia, New to this forum. Just bought this boat on ebay and need to know what it is. The person who sold it to me thought it might be an RAF Fast launch but could not be sure. Please could anyone let me know what this craft is. I know it is from a kit and that it is 34.5 inchs long and I would guess 1/24 scale. Thanks

[RickF]

Looks a bit like a 43 ft RAF Range Safety Launch. Have a look on here:

http://www.bmpt.org.uk/boat%20histories/RSL-1664/index.htm

Rick

[bigfella]

Thanks Rick,
 I thought that too at first but it just doesn't look right. The front of the cabin seems longer and the width of the boat in relation to the cabin seem wider. I know it was made from a kit in 1960's or 70's if I could only find out the name of  the kit manufacturer that might help.

[cdsc123]

Hi Dave
Not one used by the RAF, possibly a Pilot launch of some sort? Hopefully someone may know.
Meanwhile, it could be converted into a fair representation of the WW2 RAF Vosper 73ft HSL, with it's high chines and full mid sections, I think a 2" balsa block on the transom would extend it to the correct length for a 1/24th scale model (a good scale as there's fittings available) they looked like this;

[HS93 (RIP)]

Can you take a picture of the inside please , Has it got plywood chine's?? and one main bulkhead? if so it could be a veron kit  Peter

[John W E]

hiya Bigfella - are you certain that it was a kit, because I have been looking through my 'old' books and the Lesro Range models from 1975 period did a Lesro Streaker which is 38.5 inches long - longer than what you are saying.   However, the hull is very similar - also the Lesro Rapier - that hull is very much similar.   I shall keep on looking through my other plan books now see what we can come up with.

Aye
John E
Bluebird

[riggers24]

i found this

[anmo]

I'm pretty sure I know what kit it was built from, it looks very like one sold by Frog back in the 60s as a semi-scale RAF launch. I think they said at the time it was suitable for 1.5 or even 2.5 diesels, but a lot of the construction was from die cut balsa, and I'd have thought the structure would have been a bit weak for anything but electric power. No way I could afford anything like that back then, but I did build one or two Frog model aircraft kits, and remember that their wood and kit quality was about as good as anything you could find in those days. I liked the appearance of that Frog RAF launch so much that I scratch built a copy of my own, with nothing more that a full-page Frog advert in Model Maker magazine to go on, and I sailed it in the lake on the banks of the Mersey that the New Brighton club still use today, the one overlooking Fort Perch Rock, I took my model there on the bus. The local council may have put one of their blue plaques there to commemorate the event.

[cdsc123]

Semi-scale makes sense; the current superstructure looks a bit like a mix between the Walton Thames RAF HSL and the Thornycroft RAF RSL. Attractive, but not correct.

Blue plaques.
Honestly.

[ukengineman]

Anmo is correct, this is definitely the Frog High Speed Patrol Launch (see advert scan from 1962). To the best of my knowledge this was not based on any specific full size boat. A friend of mine has restored one recently and it goes really well. Construction appears to be plywood throughout and it is a strong boat that would have easily handled a diesel engine. The Veron RTTL was mainly balsa.
Alan

[anmo]

Yes, that's the one, the very same pic that I built my own 'Frog copy' RAF launch from, all balsa and electric powered by a Kako or possibly a Mabuchi with a few Mersey Marine fittings from Precision Model Engineering in Whitechapel in Liverpool, just across the river. Quite a decent model though I say it myself, and much admired by fond parents and others. Believe it or not, I had nothing more than that pic to go on, and £5.17.0d was almost a decent weekly wage in those days. Can't stop, I'm just off to New Brighton to polish my blue plaque.

[John W E]

hi bigfella, well... it looks as though your mystery has been solved.

Solved by the Guardians of the Forum    I was not that far down my pile of old Model Boat mags to reach that picture, that is my excuse.

Anmo and UKEngineman are obviously from that grand era when 2 pence used to buy you two fags and a penny used to buy you a pint and they used to polish their Winkle Pickers (shoes) & rock around the clock with erm....oh I dont remember that guy I dont have that collection of 78's or 48's records for the Dansette gramaphone - 

Aye
John E
BLUEBIRD

[bigfella]

Hi All
Gee thanks guys that has realy helped heaps. I went to bed last night, Oz time, with still no answer and confused as to what boat it was. I looked at the forum this morning and wow!!!! Now I can get started and refurbish her back to her former glory. It does not look as though it ever had a petrol or diesel motor, no signs of fuel contamination, it has an electric motor of some sort.  I will post progress reports as I go. I am new to this game and believe me theres so much to learn. I have a Higgins PT Boat that I bought half started which was from a plan in Model Boats magazine and it has been an eye opener, I thought it would be easy.
Any way thanks for all the help.  bigfella

[cdsc123]

I've got the MB article with the Higgins-you want scans?
pm me your e-mail address if you do.
Rgds,
Christian.

[ukengineman]

Bigfella, here is a picture of my friend's Frog boat after restoration. Motor is a Speed 700 and battery pack ten 3700mAh sub C NiMh cells. Performance on the water is very impressive with fast planing.
Alan

[anmo]

Anmo and UKEngineman are obviously from that grand era when 2 pence used to buy you two fags and a penny used to buy you a pint and they used to polish their Winkle Pickers (shoes) & rock around the clock with erm....oh I dont remember that guy I dont have that collection of 78's or 48's records for the Dansette gramaphone - 

Aye
John E
BLUEBIRD

Easy there BLUEBIRD, no idea of UKEngineman's age, but I think I'm only a couple of years ahead of you to qualify for a bus pass. Any more cheek, and I'll be around the back of your place to try counting all the empties, that should amuse fellow Mayhemers.

Seeing that pic of the finished model reminds me that I didn't like the way that the various angles and tapers in the front superstructure of the Frog kit shaped the front screens, so I made some small changes and considered that my freelance copy was actually an improvement on the original design, but the standard kit was a nice model all the same, judged by the standards at the time.

[DickyD]

Hi Bluebird
 What exactly is a 48 record ?? ???

Richard

[John W E]

Anmo, my friend, when you come round to count me empties - three knocks on the door and I'll come round and join ya - and see if there are any dregs in the bottom of the bottles - sit and reminisce with a dram or two - its obviously you been there before knowing I have the bottles there unless Riggers has told you 
Before you venture this part of the world, I suggest you change your glasses because fancy allowing DickyD to pick me up on the 48's when it should have been 45's 

aye
john e
bluebird

[bigfella]

Hi Guys

Thanks again. I have the plans for the PT Boat thanks anyway Christian. But I am having trouble with the electronics and motors, not knowing what is what. I bought a R/C unit and it came with an old Tekin ESC which was from a R/C car it says in the manual that it can handel 100 amps. But i am not sure if that isnt a bit of overkill for a 480 motor. In regards to 45's I have about 2,000 of the buggers (another hobby)
Regards bigfella