Restored WWII Air Sea Rescue Boats (motor gunboat) - Video

[CWOJackson]

Two motor boats which helped save countless lives during World War II have gone on public display in Portsmouth, alongside more famous ships such as HMS Victory.



The boats, which were involved in the evacuation from Dunkirk and the D-Day landings, among other missions, have been painstakingly restored with a grant from the National Heritage fund.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8505497.stm

[brad kaste]

...Pretty neat video. It's always good to see something like that saved from the brink of permanent destruction. Makes one wonder what are the comparisons between these British Air Sea Rescue boats to the American PT boats, and the German Schnellboots.

[hewman100]

British Air Sea Rescue Launches were purely designed for the role. These high-speed launches had very little in the way of armament. To get a better idea I point you as Brunosks exemplary CFS2 model of one for use with his Malta scenery.

See the model picture below as well:

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/displayRepro.cfm?reproID=F2861&picture=1#content
Airfix used to make one in 1/72

The British equivalents of the PT boat and Schnellboot were the Motor Gun Boat (MGB) and Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB)

I believe the all grey example in the clip is a Vosper MTB without any armament. Compare it with the photo of the Airfix 70ft Vosper in this link:
http://www.modelingmadness.com/reviews/misc/ships/spahrvosp.htm