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Design of the Gay class

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    Posted: 01 January 2005 at 11:29am

 

 

More information has come to light regarding the 'parentage' of the Gay Class FPB. The actual design of this class of craft is now credited to the Admiralty and not Messrs Vosper Ltd. Can any readers confirm this?Smile



Edited by Pioneer - 09 May 2008 at 5:20pm
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Yes!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pioneer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 January 2005 at 4:02pm
Reading else where I have found that the order for the 'Gay' class can now be viewed as the saviour of Messrs Vosper. The Korean War evidently prompted a crash order for Packard powered craft at a time when Messrs Vosper were certainly 'feeling the pinch' and about to 'go under'. "Its an ill wind"- as they say. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cducane Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 January 2005 at 9:55am
Should Vosper have relied entirely on waiting for Royal Naval orders after WW2 the firm would have certainly folded up. However with a programme of serious and imaginative diversification this was successfully avoided. At no time did they nearly go under.

They diversified in a number of areas. Amongst the stranger ones, exclusive of building and converting yachts, record breakers and the like, are mentioned below.

1. Building and operating trawlers, managed by fishing fleets in Fleetwood and Hull

2. Constructing caravans and other specialist vehicles.

3. Building and repairing fun fair equipment.

4. Repairing automobile engines.

By the time that David Brown became involved with the Vosper and Thornycroft companies in 1966 Vosper was by far the stronger company, having produced the Brave Class and had developed an extremely active export sales team with sales to Germany, Denmark, Ghana Nigeria Greece Malaysia etc. etc. They were in a minority amongst the British shipbuilding companies with their aggresive overseas sales policy.

I think your information has been somewhat misinformed!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pioneer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 January 2005 at 12:10pm

My info came through viewing >battleships-cruisers.co.uk.vosper-thorneycroft.htm< In the 3rd paragraph or so I read that as a seperate company, Messrs Vosper were on the verge of "ceasing trading" and that it was indeed the Korean War that assisted the dramatic change in the fortunes of that original company. Messrs David Brown and Messrs Thorneycroft came later, as you say in the '60's.

I think that info to be an opinion of the climate at the time and in no way reflects upon the success of the present company.

Misinformation? I think not! but I am willing to keep an open mind.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cducane Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 January 2005 at 1:24pm
The preference shares of Vospers, from 1931 until the mid 1960's, were in the hands of my father and his one partner and I would certainly have known if they were about to cease trading!! Times were hard - yes, but I would hope we were a more imaginative and courageous lot than to have put up our hands because there were no orders coming in from the Royal Navy. As I said before it was obvious at the end of WW2 that diversification was necessary and that was the way they went. They not only survived but excelled!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pioneer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 January 2005 at 2:12pm

I suppose that it is all down to interpretation. Without being pedantic, "Hard Times" could be interpreted as "feeling the pinch" and the success of your father and partner has not been challenged, but is there for all to see, Well Done, I say!!

The 'true' history of Messrs Vosper Ltd has been written several times, and of course those 'histories' are interpretations of info available at the time. Someone once said that "History is Bunk" but we must have perspective to pin our values on and the more 'independant' the perspective, surely the greater is the 'value'.Wink



Edited by Pioneer - 09 May 2008 at 5:21pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cducane Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 January 2005 at 2:51pm
Incidentally there is no "e" in Thornycroft!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pioneer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 January 2005 at 2:54pm
oops, I surrenderOuch

Edited by Pioneer - 09 May 2008 at 5:22pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cducane Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 January 2005 at 3:42pm
I wish of the many spectators that a few more would join in!
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