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[rayna]

  Hi people just a couple of questions please.Re Insect Class gunboats. I have a drawing downloaded from the web but it does not identify which ship. It is of the two side by side funnel arrangement which I believe is Gnat, Charabis etc at 237 feet long 36 ft beam
first question- Do the props (twin) run in tunnels or is just the last aft part of the boat scooped out like the US river tow boats. Like a shallow inverted "D".Question two- I believe Model Boats had an article maybe it included a plan feature on these gunboats. can anyone advise me the issue in question.thanks allRayna
 

[Geoff]

There have been a few articles on the Insect class in Marine modelling November and December 1991. The later issue has a small reproduction of a plan which was available from traplet Publications plan no MM 2300 at 1/48 scale. The plan is reasonably well detailed and show the props in tunnels to avoid debris in the river.


There is also another article again in Marine models of HMS Scarab in April 2003 which has some very nice colour pictures. Fortunatley I have all three issues as its a class I have been thinking about for years!


Marine Modelling is sadly no longer published so I don't know if back copies are still available albeit I believe Traplet may still be about and pretty sure such plans are probably still available.


I also understand there is a book on them called 'British River Gunboats' ISB 0 946784 51 5 by Paul Kemp. I don't have this and don't know if its still available but you may find it on abebooks.co.uk secondhand.


Hope this may assist


Cheers


Geoff

[raflaunches]

Hi Rayna


I have built a rc 1/32 scale HMS Gnat as she appeared in 1941. The Insects had two submerged tunnels which started approx 1/4 from the stern. The props turned inwards to aid manoeuvrability and three large rudders made them very manoeuvrable vessels.
There were 12 Insects but only 6 survived in to WW2 to be used as offensive warships- Aphis, Cricket, Cockchafer, Gnat, Ladybird and  Scarab. Tarantula was kept at Trincomalee at a maintenance vessel whilst Moth and Cicala were sunk in Singapore but the Japanese managed to raise Moth renaming her Suma. The six active vessels were mainly used in the Mediterranean as part of the Inshore Squadron harassing the German and Italian forces along the North African coast.

[rayna]

  hi guys Thanks both for spot on help. Have enough to go on with dream or build that is the question.Rayna

[rayna]

  NICK Just some additional info from your build knowledge please.

• I am assuming that the props are of a diameter that they do not go below the bottom of the hull.
• this means that the top of the tunnel must come above the waterline
• Does the tunnel go right aft to the transom or does it bend down before the transom

GEOFF I may well have access to the Dec 1991 Marine Modelling Mag so that's a great help as well.thanks again allRayna

[raflaunches]

Hi rayna


I’ve attached a rough picture of the tunnel layout on the Insects:
The tunnel on the real vessel had a device called a Yarrow Flap which kept the exit to the tunnels below the waterline at all times. On a model this doesn’t need to be functional as it was for the change in displacement caused by fuel consumption. The aft section of the gunboat tapers upwards which allows a largish prop to be fitted to the gunboat. The use of the tunnel was to allow a prop to sit above the actual waterline to prevent grounding on the real Insects as they were designed for use on the rivers of Austria Hungarian empire but they were equally at home on the Yangtze where they spent most of their career.

[Paxton]

Hi Rayna:

The Model Boats article was in the March 1967 issue.  I have a copy I can scan if you can't find one.  The line drawing is a bit spare but provides the major components.  PM me if you are interested.


Cheers;


Don K.

[rayna]

  Nick ,
Thanks for that I reckon with what I now have I could be ready to roll if I do decide to have a go.Don,
thanks also for the Model Boats magazine offer. At this point I probably have located the Marine Modelling 1991 issues and I have a fairly useable download from the web anyway . So I will keep in mind and get back later maybe.regards and thanks bothRayna

[ballastanksian]

They had amazing careers and had a variety of weapons throughout their lives. One even had a High Angle 6inch mount for a while. I put a link to a clip somewhere on the forum late last year which by chance showed this gun if you are interested in doing a different bow armament.

[RST]

Hi Rayna, have a look in the for sale section.  There is a posting of a grp hull that shows the stern arrangement on an insect boat.  Kind of confirms what you can see in the blurry internet profiles.  I'd recommend grabbing a pic for future reference if you're still in any doubt.  For some reason some very handy posts can disappear quite quickly in there.


Rich

[roycv]

Hi all I have a copy of Yangtze River Gunboats 1900-49.  Publishers Osprey 2011. (£9.99)

No Plans but pictures and 3D drawings, small donation to Model Boat Mayhem and it is yours.
Regards
Roy

[rayna]

  Thanks all.  Rich--Yes I spotted the glass hull for sale and noted the screw tunnel configuration.
Roy-- I guess I am bit far away for the book but thank you for the offer.I can probably manage but not secured any of the magazine stuff as yet.thanksallRayna

[ballastanksian]

Hi Rayna,


Did you make a start on your Gunboat after all? It would be interesting to see how you are getting on.

[John R Haynes]

The riverboat War Museum 1/48 model I restored  years ago  HMS MANTIS is in my Portfolio section of pictures on my site

[rayna]

  Just an update. No I have not started to build but have more or less completed some rough drawings. Thanks for all the info supplied.Have inherited three more models in the meantime and have been busy with them . They are  Fairmount Expedition/ Nordcap/ and Fairey Huntress (the first two are Billings kits.)
regardsRaynor J