World War II motorboats restored
Discussion
I love these:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8505497.stm
Good to see two being preserved. I'd have liked to pilot one!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8505497.stm
Good to see two being preserved. I'd have liked to pilot one!
this beauty was at Bucklers Hard a few years ago
I wanted her badly, she's gorgeous
maybe if I win the lottery
Is this the second vessel on that clip, she deserved preservation like so many of those brave little ships
When I visited Pin Mill many years ago there was an old sunken Fairmile down on the mud, water was in and out of her with the tide.
that was sad
perdu said:
When I visited Pin Mill many years ago there was an old sunken Fairmile down on the mud, water was in and out of her with the tide.
that was sad
They've tidied up Pin Mill a fair bit and I can't recall seeing one there. There is something very similar at Mistley Marina though.that was sad
spitfire-ian said:
perdu said:
When I visited Pin Mill many years ago there was an old sunken Fairmile down on the mud, water was in and out of her with the tide.
that was sad
They've tidied up Pin Mill a fair bit and I can't recall seeing one there. There is something very similar at Mistley Marina though.that was sad
Moored/sunk just about 50yds off the slipway by the pub
I might still have a (real) photo somewhere
steve y said:
shame they are now powered by MAN engines!
Indeed.... 
Original Packard 4M-2500's are a bit thin on the ground despite 14,000 of them being made during the war, and they would be hugely expensive to rebuild as well as being a tad thirsty to run.
The 3 x V12 Packards in a PT/MTB could consume the entire contents of the boats 5000 gal fule tank in 1 nights ops....
One of my late uncles was an Oerlikon gunner on the RN MTB fleet in the Med during WW2.....was told some great tales when I was a lad.
The John Wayne film 'They Were Expendable' is a great must see film for those wonderful sounding PT boats.
Edited by aeropilot on Tuesday 9th February 21:18
More here on HSL 102: www.coastalmotorboat.org.uk/pages/hsl102.php
By coincidence there is also 'MTB 102': www.mtb102.com - which actually went past me one night on the River Wensum!
By coincidence there is also 'MTB 102': www.mtb102.com - which actually went past me one night on the River Wensum!
I've always liked the fast WW2 boats - fantastic that one of them has been restored. 
Mrs Quaint's grandfather was an MTB skipper and had some hair-raising to tell; he was involved in a particularly vicious action with a formation of E-boats (and in the confusion of battle exchanged fire with another MTB in a blue-on-blue). His boat was also involved in surveys of the Normandy coast before D-Day. On one such trip the boat's screws got tangled in the cables of some of the measuring gear, and she was immobilised just off the coast as dawn was breaking. In his words, "I couldn't very well ask the chaps to volunteer for something I wasn't prepared to do", so he hopped over the side with some wire cutters and freed the propellers. He always remembered the men from his crew who were killed or wounded, and felt the responsibility keenly right up to his dying day.
In case anyone's interested, I found a link to his obit: HERE.
Mrs Quaint's grandfather was an MTB skipper and had some hair-raising to tell; he was involved in a particularly vicious action with a formation of E-boats (and in the confusion of battle exchanged fire with another MTB in a blue-on-blue). His boat was also involved in surveys of the Normandy coast before D-Day. On one such trip the boat's screws got tangled in the cables of some of the measuring gear, and she was immobilised just off the coast as dawn was breaking. In his words, "I couldn't very well ask the chaps to volunteer for something I wasn't prepared to do", so he hopped over the side with some wire cutters and freed the propellers. He always remembered the men from his crew who were killed or wounded, and felt the responsibility keenly right up to his dying day.
In case anyone's interested, I found a link to his obit: HERE.
Edited by Quaint on Wednesday 10th February 12:19
I happened to be in the lock with MGB81 at Caen when we were leaving to make the crossing back after the 60th anniversary celebrations of D-Day. I think I had some video footage of it, but I have a feeling the camera I used is now dead.
Even though it is now powered by diesels, it still sounds evil - 3 of them firing up in the confines of the lock was quite impressive, and it made a suitably rapid departure after clearing the lock. Anyone who says diesel engines sound rubbish should listen to this first.
Edit - found this on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceW2cRJUO_0
Even though it is now powered by diesels, it still sounds evil - 3 of them firing up in the confines of the lock was quite impressive, and it made a suitably rapid departure after clearing the lock. Anyone who says diesel engines sound rubbish should listen to this first.
Edit - found this on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceW2cRJUO_0
Edited by tank slapper on Wednesday 10th February 17:26
perdu said:
this beauty was at Bucklers Hard a few years ago
I wanted her badly, she's gorgeous
maybe if I win the lottery
Is this the second vessel on that clip, she deserved preservation like so many of those brave little ships
When I visited Pin Mill many years ago there was an old sunken Fairmile down on the mud, water was in and out of her with the tide.
that was sad
That's my nextdoor neighbour!
I'll be down there tomorrow morning clearing up and readying for the season. Mistakenly left my dinghy in the water over the winter, it's gonna be filthy....
My Grandad built those in the war. Boat building was a protected occupation, that and his glasses being as thick as milk bottle bottoms meant that he was rejected from joining up on medical grounds.
Am I right in thinking that some had the Packard engines and some had the Merlin engines?
I have a book somewhere, published in the war, which is a contemporary account of raids using these boats. It includes the St Nazaire (sp) raid, in which these boats played a major role. I think the book is called "The Little Ships". It reads almost like propaganda when you read it now.
I'll post up more info when I get a chance.
Am I right in thinking that some had the Packard engines and some had the Merlin engines?
I have a book somewhere, published in the war, which is a contemporary account of raids using these boats. It includes the St Nazaire (sp) raid, in which these boats played a major role. I think the book is called "The Little Ships". It reads almost like propaganda when you read it now.
I'll post up more info when I get a chance.
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