A boat with an interesting history

A boat with an interesting history

Author
Discussion

skirk

Original Poster:

243 posts

140 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
A friend of mine has just bought an old boat with an interesting history.....it really is a piece of beautiful engineering....anyone like to hazard a guess....





It should appeal to aviation types too.....

Simpo Two

85,147 posts

264 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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Made from an old seaplane?

Not sure what the slot in the front is for though.

TTwiggy

11,499 posts

203 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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Simpo Two said:
Made from an old seaplane?

Not sure what the slot in the front is for though.
I actually wondered if she was stern-on in the picture (shades of the 'carpenter's mistake' here) and that the slot was for a rudder?

skirk

Original Poster:

243 posts

140 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
The pic is the stern.....the slot is for the rudder....

TTwiggy

11,499 posts

203 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
She's not jet-powered is she?

skirk

Original Poster:

243 posts

140 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
No,certainly not jet powered.......but at some point in her service career will have done more than 150 knots....

tr7v8

7,185 posts

227 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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A converted drop tank or a droppable boat from an aircraft.

TTwiggy

11,499 posts

203 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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So, either carried by an aircraft, or built from aircraft parts?

DJFish

5,917 posts

262 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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Airborne lifeboat?

Du1point8

21,604 posts

191 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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skirk

Original Poster:

243 posts

140 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
We have a winner.....Its a Saunders - Roe mk3 Airdrop lifeboat.....1950'S

Edited by skirk on Tuesday 29th July 17:35

TTwiggy

11,499 posts

203 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
That's all you need eh? Bobbing about in the North Atlantic after your barky's been sunk and then some crabs drop a boat on your head! wink

DJFish

5,917 posts

262 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
They have one fully restored in the classic boat museum on the IOW if you're interested.
https://sites.google.com/site/cbtmuseum/the-boat-c...

Simpo Two

85,147 posts

264 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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It sounds like an excellent idea to give downed aviators and torpedoed seamen more time but I've never heard of them before. Were they used much?

skirk

Original Poster:

243 posts

140 months

Wednesday 30th July 2014
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I think the one in the IOW collection is a MK1 Uffa Fox design......the MK3 is over 30' in length....i don't think they were ever used in anger....


maffski

1,866 posts

158 months

Wednesday 30th July 2014
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They were used during WW2 - the US version even had two engines - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xrjEFlvaGI

Huntsman

8,026 posts

249 months

Wednesday 30th July 2014
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Interesting boat indeed, I recall there's a few variants of airborne lifeboat.

leemorgan10

3 posts

101 months

Thursday 7th September 2017
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Updated pictures of the Mk3 Airborne Lifeboat featured a few years ago. Launched on the 11th Aug in Totnes and now happily mooring in Dartmouth after over 40 years out of the water. Currently believed to be the only remaining Mk3 afloat (with the added cabin).

leemorgan10

3 posts

101 months

Thursday 7th September 2017
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leemorgan10

3 posts

101 months

Thursday 7th September 2017
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Even with it's original trailer..... Seen better days.