Hello Jim

Funnily enough this is from a Canadian site,wish I'd had this ultra clear and informative pic before I finished my 1/16th MTB 494.Also see Coastal Forces discussion,Proud Class sub heading,there is an aft view of Edward Childs' magnificent Proud Class model at 1/16th scale(post war adaptation of the BPB Co 71.5ft MTB). Good luck.

Thanks Christian for the photo and info.

Jimmy1

      Hi. Jimmy 1

    The strips running from fore to aft on the deck are to cover the joints of the sheets of ply which went to make up the deck.

   Ted Childs Drum 1

Hi Ted,Re the pic above,what do you think the inboard boat has in place of it's 18" tubes,and more of them further aft?I would imagine mines or depth charges but they look too small.

Regards,Christian

Thanks Ted for the clarification on the deck strips. I should have thought of that.

Christian, I read that with the lack of torpedo worthy targets, the idea of using depth charges set shallow and dropped close to enemy hulls was tried with some success. These are not standard size depth charges for sure. Hopefully some veterans can clarify their use.

Jimmy1

 Hello Jim and Christian

Mr Ted Childs has asked that I put this shot of his lovely model here.

Wow, I am impressed. Exquisite work. I hope mine turns out as nice as this one. Thanks for sharing the photo. Ted please post some more views soon. I need all the inspiration I can get.

Jimmy1

Hi Jim

My wartime effort,pales in comparison but may be of some use to you.Built the model before I had the plans,an odd choice really.

        Hi Jimmy 1

I will be going to the Coastal Forces Veterans Association meeting next month I will take the pic with me and see if one of the lads can enlighten us. but I suspect that the are probably depth charges used to drop in front of E-boats.

          Ted Childs Drum1.

John Lambert has kindly identified the units and their equipment in the photograph from a Canadian site posted by Christian. His identification is as follows:

The outboard unit is a 71' 6" British Power Boat MTB, and the inboard unit is a Vosper with the small Mark 12 lightweight Depth Charges. These were used from D-Day to combat German one man submarines. Much smaller and lighter than the standard depth charge, more could be carried on MTB's which did not have ASDIC fitted anyway, so they could be dropped on sighting a target in the darkness. (Germans thought they were anti-social). I think that they could be used to sweep the new pressure mines, which were unsweepable. You will see many Mark 12 DC's fitted on post war units too.

The picture is from the right period too with the US Star air recognition forward - middle of 1944.

Hi Explosion

Thanks for passing on the info,first I've heard of these interesting weapons.I have to disagree with Aye John's assertion that the inboard boat is a Vosper though.

Regards,Christian

     Your right Cristian the inboard boat is indeed a British Power Boat Note the vents on top of the deck house roof in fact as far as I know Vospers Did`nt have a deck house.

      Ted Childs Drum1

    Hello again Cristian I have a correction to make. It does appear that some Vosper boats did have a chart house for`rd of the bridge but it was unlike that of the BPBs as it was lower and had much larger  windows insted of slits and no vents on the roof.

                 Regards Ted Childs Drum1