Hi Tilly
Second attempt checked for viruses all ok renamed and reproduced in another photo editor.
Roy

Hi Astromorg
That is a very nice model, my roof to the cockpit also comes of but the interior detail will not be as detailed as yours. I noticed that you have also picked up on the fact the same as me that the side porthole is set back because it is an opening one and the same as you I noticed that 93 did not have the breeches connection and therefore the monitor was further forward. The mast base fixings in the two pictures in harbour to me seem to indecate that the mast folded to the right and not forward onto a crutch and little things like the air intakes and lifebelts were all white and did not have any red. The window surrounds in those two pictures look as though the side windows might have a white surround but the front cockpit windows look all grey.

Tilly😊

Like you Tilly, when I decided to build this model, I chose to use those two photos of 93 at Vospers as the main source of detailing. They’re high resolution photos and can be enlarged usefully to give really useful detail of many of the fittings
Note that the for’d monitor is positioned much further forward than the later ones and there was no breeches connection.
Also, the lifting eyes extend down, outside the hull and the RAF roundel has no white or yellow outer ring.
Mine is a 34 inch version, based on the original Rowell design, but all scratch built, including all fittings. The main construction differences were to add tabs to the top of each of the bulkheads to allow them to be fixed to a base board during the build. This allowed extra longitudinals to be added to the front third of the hull that in turn allowed that front third to be diagonally planked to achieve the true hull form of the original. I also made the cockpit roof removable to allow access to be able to clean the fitted instrument panel at a later date.
I’ve attached some photos of it since recent completion. More details later.

Hi Tilly,

You should place ANGEL EMIEL in your harbour with a full description of all the working parts.

Your Crash Tenter is coming along great.
Keep up the good work.

Martin555.

Hi Tilly,
Nice to see someone putting in the extra effort to get the Hull as per the original boat, and not as the slab sided kits.
and its not an easy job in wood.

Thought I add a couple of pic as they may be of interest:-
a/How to paint it,
b/The Mast details
c/Mast details
d/Close up of non original water canon.

Many years ago Kingston mouldings did the original hull shaped in fibre glass, I believe mtbhulls.co.uk do a fiberglass hull to suit
1/12th 46ft RAF Vosper Firefloat/Crash Tender £92.00.
http://www.mtbhulls.co.uk/prices

Have Fun

Roy

I had seen the first picture before but did not know if the monitors were the original ones, but from what you say they were the original ones and the yard picture looks about right.Attached 3 pictures of my boat to date, as the boats had concave bottom and sides this is how I have built the hull. I still have a long way to go my last model took me 2 years to build, it was the Brixham Beam Trawler ANGEL EMIEL with all working parts including booms and nets.

Tilly😊

I think you'll find that those photos are not of Pounds Yard, but of Vospers Yard at Portchester where the tenders were built. Indeed the pictures are of 93 having been recently built and in 'original' condition. Compare it with the photo I have attached that is of the tender undergoing sea trials with a Vosper (?) civilian crew, the long nozzle monitors, a Red Ensign (Military vessels prior to acceptance) and Flag Alpha - ship undergoing trials. The other photo is of Vospers Portchester Yard. You can see the jetty where the tender was berthed for the photos

Hi Neil.
It might be a good thing to scan the 'Handbook' and post it on the website as an information resource, Perhaps Stephen (Fireboat) could then include them in the 'Plans & Docs' pages?
Rob.

Hi Neilmc
Attached is the other photo from this site which I found a long time ago now, and these are the two pictures that I am basing my model on. I had not realised that were 93 was birthed was part of the scrap yard oposite, you will also notice that there is a sea going wartime tug in the background. I new where the picture was taken because I have been round the fort. These pictures now tell me that the long nozle monitors were a later adition if what you suspect is true that the boat was up for scrap.

Tilly😊

So Tilly started me looking at some of the photos online of the Fire Boats.
This one is quite sad in a way as it shows No 93 at John Pounds Marine Scrap yard. The give away was not only the piles of scrap metal 😀 but also the white cliffs in the background that form Porchester Hill across from Portsmouth Harbour and either Fort Southwick (excellent armoury museum) or Widley.

Hi Tilly

Just found this website which I haven't seen before still not what you are after but interesting anyway.

Also a couple of photos from another webpage and also on here in the Plans and Doc section

Good Luck

Neil

Hi Tilly, there is limited information on these boats and each builder makes there own interpretation, what ever that may be so its a case of do your own thing I'm afraid

Hi Tilly
Unfortunately its not that detailed as its only an overall description so I don't believe its what you are after.
Regarding photos there's a large plus sign just under the emojis from which you can then post photos. It would be amazing to see what you've achieved to date as its always good to see other peoples builds. Mine is just slow as never seem to have the time lol
Cheers Neil

I have been onto the building blogs site and there is still not the information that I require, such as where can I get the detailed plans for 93 because every builder seems to have thier own ideas of what the original boats looked like. From the black and white pictures that I have seen the boat over its short lifetime had many changes, typicaly on the pictures of 93 in harbour the mast base fixing seems to indicate that the mast folded sideways to the right whereas in a picture I have seen of it in a cradle the mast folds forward onto a crutch also some pictures look like the widow surrounds are white and in others they are the same colour as the cabin sides whatever colour that is. I do not think that the floors in the cockpit and back well would be in varnished planks but in none slip of some kind. I am trying to biuld my model as in the harbour pictures with the long foam monitors. it would also be handy to get details of the cockpit interear and somebody had plans with things in an itomised list and talk of colour changes from white roofs to grey. These plans and colour information is what I am after.

Tilly😊



Hi Neilmc
I have tried the RAF Museum but they would not reply to anything after a certain date ref covid. If the handbook you have gives plan details of 93 it would be great to have a copy. I am trying to get an idea of the cockpit layout at the moment, there seems to possibly be a doorway down to the head on the right side of the wheel but then the telegraph seems to be in the way in my picture. I think 94 had a different layout to 93 and does the shelf go all the way to the left cabin side or is it a duplicate of the right side and where is the compass situated in 93.
I have tried to attach a picture of my boat to date but it does not transfer onto this text.

Tilly😊

Sorry Neil LOL!!!!

Martin555.

Hi that works now thank you.

A good selection of plans as well but I suppose I should really finish mine first 😂. I shouldn't have opened the link either as I'm going to be surfing the webpage for a couple of hours now 🙄

Cheers Neil

Hi Neil,
I have redone the link.

I hope it works this time.

Martin555.

Hi Tilly

I think colour photos are going to be a problem lol. I have a copy of AP 4378A from the RAF Museum but again black and white. Its effectively the handbook for the Fireboat it was known. Not sure if this will help if not you could email the RAF museum archives or I could send you a scanned copy of the pamphlet?

Cheers Neil

Hi Martin
Not sure if link is broken but it says page not found when clicking on it....could be my signal through.

Cheers Neil

Hi Tilly,

I found this but i don't know if it will be of any use.

https://www.model-dockyard.com/acatalog/model-boat-magazine-RAF_Launches.html

Martin555.

I have been onto the building blogs site and there is still not the information that I require, such as where can I get the detailed plans for 93 because every builder seems to have thier own ideas of what the original boats looked like. From the black and white pictures that I have seen the boat over its short lifetime had many changes, typicaly on the pictures of 93 in harbour the mast base fixing seems to indicate that the mast folded sideways to the right whereas in a picture I have seen of it in a cradle the mast folds forward onto a crutch also some pictures look like the widow surrounds are white and in others they are the same colour as the cabin sides whatever colour that is. I do not think that the floors in the cockpit and back well would be in varnished planks but in none slip of some kind. I am trying to biuld my model as in the harbour pictures with the long foam monitors. it would also be handy to get details of the cockpit interear and somebody had plans with things in an itomised list and talk of colour changes from white roofs to grey. These plans and colour information is what I am after.

Tilly😊

Hi
If you type 'vintage' into the Build Blogs page you'll narrow it down to two excellent blogs. One by mturpin who supplied the previous comment and the other by Robbob both are very detailed. Also you can download a print booklet to your phone or computer in pdf format to view whenever by hitting the 'print booklet' option at the top of the page
Cheers Neil

Type "Crash Tender " into build blogs and you will find plenty of information.