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[Edward Pinniger]

I've been wondering about this for a while: what type/class of RAF air/sea rescue launch is represented by Astec Models' kit, and are there any plans/books available?

http://www.astecmodels.co.uk/products-big.php?gref=vosper_asrl_1.jpg

The site describes it as a 1948 72ft type, there's no other info. It's quite different to the earlier "whaleback" type represented by the Airfix 1/72 kit.
Astec's kit is surprisingly cheap for a 1/36, 24" long model, so I'm thinking of buying one to build as a static model. It'll need a fair amount of additional scratchbuilding work, so I'd be interested to know if any plans or at least photos are available of the prototype!

[patrolboat]

hiya i built the 1/32 whaleback on astecs  gallery  the other boat they do  looks like the  73ft high speed
launch the  numbers  i have  on photos are 2564 and 2576 15 built  john pritchard  did a write up on these  boats
i have some info on these boat but if you look on the b m p t website they might help also hope this helps

[Edward Pinniger]

Thanks for the information! I'll do some more searching and will also check the BMPT website later. (A brief Google search for "vosper 72ft RAF launch", which I did before making my original post, didn't turn up much)

[cdsc123]

http://www.rania.co.uk/boat%20photos/ST/RAF-HSLAlbum/page33.html
http://www.rania.co.uk/boat%20photos/ST/RAF-HSLAlbum/page32.html
http://www.rania.co.uk/boat%20photos/ST/RAF-HSLAlbum/page34.html
http://www.rania.co.uk/boat%20photos/ST/RAF-HSLAlbum/page35.html

[DickyD]

Nice one Christian, I had a couple of those but I wasnt quick enough.

[cdsc123]

Hi Dicky
I had to type them out feverish quick, I knew you'd be on the case too!
Take care,

[John W E]

Hi there Edward

If you do a search of this Forum, using the search bar, for this particular vessel 2564, you will see that it should be mentioned several times, along with several photographs.  Some time ago, a gent was asking for some information on the same vessel.

I do have John Pritchard's plans for this vessel, also I have the originals from Vosper.   If you use John Pritchard's plans; take note that the two wing turrets, either side of the bridge - do not cut into the bridge as shown in John Pritchard's plans, the edge of bridge actually cuts into the dome mountings.  If you are going to use Astec's model of this as a basis to construct a near enough scale model out of it; you are going to give yourself a tremendous amount of work.     As far as I can see, their model (Astec's model) is a very basic stand off and requires a lot of work around the bridge/also around the bow area - to bring it into an acceptable scale appearance.   

You may wish to actually scratch build the whole model - there is a version around which has been built from Plasticard - and also the version I myself built using diagonal planking.

Whichever you choose - best of luck!   I do have some more photographs somewhere - but, I am trying to find other photographs for someone else of the Leeds Castle, but not having much joy - I hope I havent parted with them.

aye
john e
bluebird

[Edward Pinniger]

Many thanks to all for the information + links. The plans will be very useful! I will probably buy the kit some time in the New Year as I have too many other projects needing finishing at the minute; although I'm intending to build it as a static model, I may post a build thread here if other builders of RAF launches would be interested to see it!

I have a fair amount of scratchbuilding experience so the kit will be a good starting point even if I have to replace some of the parts from scratch; as well as the hull, some of the parts like the wheelhouse front and gun turrets would be tricky to scratchbuild. I should add that I didn't have any particular wish to build this exact class of boat - I just spotted the kit on the Astec site and thought a 1/35 RAF launch would be an interesting complement to the Italeri torpedo boats in the same scale (and the scratchbuilt Vosper MTB I'll get round to finishing one day...). The 1948 73' ASRL is quite a striking design and very different to the WW2 "whaleback".

[patrolboat]

i see cristian has the same information as i have on the subject i wondered who would get them in  first
great one  i have the same info on cd i had to do a lot of work on the whale back to get it as near as
possible  all the best for xmas and happy boating

[John W E]

may have these ?