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Author Topic: Fairmile D RAF Rescue Launch  (Read 3260 times)

shadysadie

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Fairmile D RAF Rescue Launch
« on: January 28, 2014, 09:00:59 pm »

Your help please! I am currently building an RAF long range rescue launch c.1943 based on Kingston Mouldings Fairmile D hull and plans/drawings from John Lambert. The build is going OK but I have been unable to determine the correct colour for the deck and superstructure - some say grey, some say blue, others say blue/grey and I and getting just a little confused.An internet search also proved inconclusive.
Could one of you kind and knowledgeable please offer advice?

Regards, David.

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cdsc123

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Re: Fairmile D RAF Rescue Launch
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2014, 10:07:26 pm »

LRRCs were transferred in 1945. No blue, usually dark grey although close examination of the few photos reveals several colourscheme variations, some boats (e.g. 003) had a white wheelhouse, others (e.g. 019) had a white boot-top, others (e.g. 008) had a darker shade on the horizontal surfaces.
Plenty of photos here;
http://www.asrmcs-club.com/boatswebsite/lrrc115.html
some info here;
http://www.modelboats.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=89128
more here;
http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,42468.msg429418.html#msg429418

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SailorGreg

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Re: Fairmile D RAF Rescue Launch
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2014, 10:16:52 pm »

mudway

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Re: Fairmile D RAF Rescue Launch
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2014, 08:49:23 am »

Your help please! I am currently building an RAF long range rescue launch c.1943 based on Kingston Mouldings Fairmile D hull and plans/drawings from John Lambert. The build is going OK but I have been unable to determine the correct colour for the deck and superstructure - some say grey, some say blue, others say blue/grey and I and getting just a little confused.An internet search also proved inconclusive.
Could one of you kind and knowledgeable please offer advice?

Regards, David.

An interesting question as the ASR Manuals don’t actually mention a colour for decks in the 1941 instructions other than those painted yellow. Deckhouses were Light Battleship Grey (BS381C 31) which is now called Light Grey (BS381C 631). In 1947, they adopted Light Grey (BS381C 631) for both decks and deckhouses.
 Camouflage instructions for coastal forces schemes had the decks as B15 which is Blue Grey per Lambert’s book. BS381C 636 PRU Blue is a close match. 
 The question is , when the RAF had the Fairmile Ds transferred over, did they paint the hulls black & the deckhouses and decks Light Grey or did they just paint the deckhouses Light Grey and leave the decks in blue grey?  Logic says the decks would be a relatively dark colour which would knock Light Grey out of the scheme. However, prior to the war, decks were shown as Battleship Grey but it doesn’t day whether it is Light or Dark Battleship Grey. Dark Battleship Grey was BS381C 32 and is now know as BS381C 632 Dark Admiralty Grey.
 By now, you should be just as confused as the rest of us. J Has anyone a colour photo from 1945 to show an LRRC deck colour? 
 BTW If you want to know what 631 is like, it is the grey green currently used by the RAN as their hull colour.
 
 
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shadysadie

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Re: Fairmile D RAF Rescue Launch
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2014, 01:53:56 pm »

Thanks, folks for all this very useful information. I'm leaning towards a blue-grey deck with light grey superstructure and perhaps white on the charthouse roof and bridge coamings - I don't think this scheme will look too out of place and can be amended if necessary.

Another question springs to mind - were they really painted bright red below the water line? This colour looks really great on a display model but is it authentic?

Any further thoughts/ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated

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cdsc123

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Re: Fairmile D RAF Rescue Launch
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2014, 02:19:45 pm »

Brick red, like the red oxide coloured aerosol primers.


Wouldn't use white on the roof though.
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John W E

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Re: Fairmile D RAF Rescue Launch
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2014, 09:17:28 pm »

hi all
 
Something to put into the equasion a guy I worked with (Billy) he did his National Service in the RAF on the marine side and he volunteered for that thinking he was going to have it 'cushy' but, in his words, all he did for 5 years was learn how to paint the bottom of boats with red lead and a glorified petrol pump attendant - cos he was always filling the boats up with petrol/diesel.
 
So I take it the majority of the boats would have been like Christian says, a red oxide paint - but in actual fact it was red lead paint - no doubt not allowed these days.
 
aye
John
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mudway

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Re: Fairmile D RAF Rescue Launch
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2014, 08:25:39 am »

The colour of red lead is called "Red oxide". In this neck of the woods, both car paints primers and "normal" paint primers come in that colour in spray cans. Matt finish but easy enough to overcoat with a clesar satin.
Try your local car shops. Does Halfords still exist?
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