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tramontana 
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Joined: 06 April 2007 Status: Offline Points: 418 |
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 Posted: 27 October 2007 at 4:56pm |
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pioneer, I was wondering if you have any info on the Dark Class prototype 539 later re-numbered M.T.B. 1602 built 1950 with 3 packards fitted, was she scrapped or re-engined? Thank You.
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Pioneer
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Pioneer Joined: 07 December 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 675 |
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Posted: 27 October 2007 at 6:12pm |
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Hello 'tramontana' A bit of a 'misnomer' really - as a prototype for the Dark class - as she is only so 'linked' due to the fact that she was built by Saunders Roe and constructed of Alloy. Her lines were very much 'of the day' and did not resemble the 'boxy' apparition that was the Dark. I do think that she was scrapped rather than sold off - but I'm bound to be proven wrong here (shortly) |
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Pioneer
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Posted: 27 October 2007 at 6:48pm |
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Just had a brief look through Conway's All the World Fighting Ships 1947-1995 There it states that both of these experimental boats -Vosper 538 and Saunders Roe 539 (1601-1602) were put up for sale in 1956 - I don't remember seeing them. |
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clive
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Joined: 11 December 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 379 |
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Posted: 27 October 2007 at 8:15pm |
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Are we talking of Dark Scout, as of the previous page? (possibly Dark scout) Edited by clive |
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masbie something in the water. www.freewebs.com/masb32/
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Pioneer
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Posted: 27 October 2007 at 9:05pm |
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No Clive. HMS Dark Scout was a unique British member of the class - having a flush welded alloy Hull (other Brit members being alloy framed with traditional wood planking etc). Although there were other foriegn members i e Burmese, with riveted alloy Hulls. The picture that you posted has been suggested as being the ex Dark Scout. Not wholly convinced myself |
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johnk
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Joined: 25 March 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1355 |
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Posted: 12 March 2008 at 4:42pm |
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Hi All,
Just got latest Navy News and short letter in there from a chap who served on the Darks, very intersting albeit as I said a short letter.
Johnk |
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mprints
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Joined: 29 October 2010 Location: Anglesey Status: Offline Points: 32 |
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Posted: 29 October 2010 at 9:41pm |
I joined the forum today to let you know that I have recently discovered a collection of photos and drawings of 539 (P1602). My latest information is that it was sunk off the east coast of Anglesey at an unknown date (so far) and is still in around 50m of water awaiting someone to rescue her - any offers? 539 is the World's first all-aluminium hulled MTB and is also the Saunders Roe prototype. It is therefore of considerable historical significance and should be investigated for possible recovery and conservation!
Please see my page on SARO 539 on my website www.mprints.co.uk or Google SARO 539 to see the photos and the story so far. I am particularly interesting in 539 as it was one of the first jobs my father Victor Mills must have done when he began work at Saunders Roe at the end of the war. He had been previously at Folland Aircraft, Hamble.
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Dave Mills
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Pioneer
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Posted: 29 October 2010 at 10:44pm |
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These images by 'mprints' are truely an astonishing find and clearly shows that this craft did not resemble the Dark class except only with the use of all alloy in its Hull construction. The Dark class were extremly 'boxy' in appearance as can be seen in this very poor shot of P1115 Dark Hero on the Slips at Messrs Morgan Giles at Teignmouth.
The lines of MTB 539 were more pleasing to the eye - in my opinion - and the images on the 'mprints' web site shows a strong resemblance to the Vosper wooden Hull of 538.
Some interesting history there as well.
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mprints
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Joined: 29 October 2010 Location: Anglesey Status: Offline Points: 32 |
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Posted: 30 October 2010 at 9:51am |
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539 was quite sleek in comparrison to the Dark class. I may have a drawing and some photos of the latter that could be added to my website.
To hear what 539 may have sounded like I suggest browsing this excellent American website with its selection of sound clips of tripple Packard engined PT Boats.
I quite fancy building a manned model of 539 at around 1/5 scale or 15ft overall length. I could run it up and down the Menai Strait close to where I live and where she was built and run sixty years ago. It could also be fitted with a sound unit of three mighty Packard V12 petrol engines. Has anyone found sound recordings of the twin 18 cylinder Deltic engined MTB's as I can only find Deltic locos at present?
The old Saunders Roe factory at Fryars Bay outside Beaumaris is now in a poor state and the slipways are no longer in use. My dream of rescuing the real 539 and displaying her at her birth place seems remote, but I do have an alternative location in mind
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Dave Mills
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Christian
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Posted: 01 November 2010 at 7:52pm |
Here's another for the photo album, visiting Liege.
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tramontana wrote: