RN Fairmile 'D' MGB - 33 years in the making ...

[JohnS]

I've been meaning to post this for some time. Here's a brief description of my Fairmile 'D' (circa 1943) model build.

I scratch built the boat originally in 1975, in 1/72 scale, from some old black and white photos. I carved the hull from a 4X4 cedar fence post. The superstructure is paper card stock, and the fittings, guns, boxes, etc. are made from scrap wood, plastic, copper wire and cardboard. The machine gun turrets are wooden thread spools. In 2007 I came across a couple of great Fairmile 'D' books, including one by John Lambert, with detailed illustrations and photos. So, I decided to completely rework the model to it's present state.

Original model built in 1975.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/JWS/01FairmileDoriginalbuild1975.jpg

Rework begins in 2008.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/JWS/02FairmileDre-build2007-inprocess.jpg

New and reworked parts.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/JWS/04FairmileDre-build2007-bitspieces.jpg

The completed model before decals March, 2008.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/JWS/06FairmileDre-build2007-Bridge.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/JWS/07FairmileDre-build2007-StbdQtr.jpg

Completed model with homemade decals applied.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/JWS/05FairmileDre-build2007-scale.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/JWS/09FairmileDre-build2007-StbdBow.jpg

... and finally a photo of the 'Dog' boat in virtual water (using Photoshop).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/JWS/09FairmileDre-build2007-StbdBowwave.jpg

[steve roberts]

Hi John.What a brilliant model.I particularlly like the one in virtual water.I hate to think of the time and effort spent in the revap.Congratulations..Regards Steve,

[harry.gibbon]

Marvelous simply marvelous ... well done!!

Little h

[Don Boyer]

Really superb work! The "Yard" did quite a good job in re-vamping the old warrior....:).

And I see she's fully seaworthy once again!


Best Regards,

[Dave Hutson]

Hi John,

From one Model Ship builder to another ....WOW .... She has finished a great looking boat ..... she would look great RC'd and running the water.

With your permission I would like to print off and give your efforts an airing at our Model Boat Club here in Plymouth where I am certain the feedback will be very very positive.

Regards

Dave H

[JohnS]

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. I've been a fan of the Coastal Forces for as long as I can remember. Building the Fairmile 'D' (twice :D) was a labour of love.

Hi John,

... With your permission I would like to print off and give your efforts an airing at our Model Boat Club here in Plymouth where I am certain the feedback will be very very positive.

Regards

Dave H[/B][/B]

I'd be honoured, Dave. Please feel free to use the photos as you like. I've added a few more, below.

John

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/JWS/FairmileDStbdBow.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/JWS/FairmileDStbdQtr.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/JWS/FairmileDHotchkiss6pdr.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/JWS/FairmileDOerlikon.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/JWS/FairmileDBridge.jpg

[Vegaskip]

Beutiful model and exelent photos,almost as good as a plan for anyone building another model, What next?

Regards

[JohnS]

Beutiful model and exelent photos,almost as good as a plan for anyone building another model, What next?

Regards

Thanks Jim.

This year's winter project was a small 1:144 scale F-14 Tomcat (http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=204363). I'm afraid the next model won't be a ship either - I have a 1:48 scale Tomcat ready to go for next winter.

[Bee]

That's an absolutely beautiful model of an MGB, John. My Dad was with Coastal Forces and I'm sure that he would have agreed with me, and everyone here, that you've done a superb job.

Well done and thankyou for posting your pictures. (I also loved the "photo shopped" picture of her on the water.)

Cheers,
Bee

[holmesb4]

Beautiful model.

MTB_673 Tough Brothers Ltd, Teddington 6/43

For Operation Neptune - minelaying off the north west coast of France
MID POMtrMch Alexander Baxter P/MX78834
MID LTel James William Pearson P/JX153914

For a series of actions with German forces in the Plymouth area
MID TLt Richard Booker RNVR
MID AB James Hindley P/JX420121 (Post)
DSM Sig Alfred Charles Westcott C/LD9/X44710

For actions in the Plymouth area 7-8/44
DSC** TALt Cdr Thomas Nelson Cartwright RNVR
MID PO Alfred Peter Dawkins P/SSX17291
DSM LTel James William Pearson P/JX153914
MID TALSea Arthur Henry D/SSX24596

Birthday Honours 1945
MID CMtrMch Alexander Baxter P/MX78834


Known Crew
TALtCdr Thomas Nelson Cartwright RNVR Commanding Officer and Senior Officer 14th MGB Flotilla Commanding Officer MTB 673 and Senior Officer 52nd MGB Flotilla Three DSCs and two MIDs
TLt Richard Booker RNVR
TASLt Mervyn Ian Guy Hamilton RNVR HMS Eskimo (Destroyer) as an Ord 1941 MTB 673 1942 TSLt 22/7/43 MTB515 as third officer 3/5/43 First Lieutenant MTB 718 20/1/44 TLt 1/2/45 DSC 1945 Born 24/2/22 in Paris, France
CMtrMch Alexander Baxter P/MX78834
PO Alfred Peter Dawkins P/SSX17291
LTel James William Pearson P/JX153914
TALSea Arthur Henry D/SSX24596
AB James Hindley P/JX420121 (Killed in Action 27/6/44) Son of James and Mary Lily Hindley, of Leigh, Lancashire Buried in Dartmouth (Longcross) Cemetery Sec. G. Grave 121
Sig Alfred Charles Westcott C/LD9/X44710

Wartime Activities
Completed as MGB 673
21st MGB Flotilla Based on Dartmouth
10/43 Redesignated MTB 673
Employed on clandestine operations supporting resistance activities in France.
26/11/43 Operation Indifferent II.
MTB 673 in an attempt to land two agents at Baie de la Fresnaie conducted in conjunction with Operation Jealous II.. MTB 673 arrives late by which time the reception party has dispersed. Delay is caused by having encountered a German convoy entering St Malo. No reception committee is found. One agent is landed but the other opts to return to England.
1/12/43 Operation Indifferent II
MTB 673 in a second attempt but failed due to absence of a reception committee although a search lasted 90 minutes.
52nd MTB Flotilla
Based on Plymouth
6/44 Operation Neptune
Invasion of Normandy
52nd MTB Flotilla
Based on Plymouth
MTB 664, MTB 672, MTB 673, MTB 676, MTB 677, MTB 678, MTB 679, MTB 713, MTB 716, MTB 717, MTB 719 and MTB 720
Minelaying off the north west coast of France
A series of actions with German forces in the Plymouth area
26-7/6/44 Boats from the 52nd Flotilla lead by MTB 673 are in action off Jersey. MTB 673 torpedoes minesweeper M4620 and engages a second minesweeper with gunfire.
1945 To Royal Air Force Long Range Rescue Craft (LRRC) 022
Post War Fate

[RogerP]

John,

You should be justifiably proud on what you have created and close to my heart, you have included some figures, well done, a superb model.:D:D

I see you are in Canada, the very first coastal forces model I purchased was from White Ensign Models in the UK. It was a 71'6" MGB 75 in 1:350 scale and her skipper was LT Tom Ladner DSC & bar RCNVR. I had the very great privilege to write to him in April 2006 which he replied to and I had the even greater honour to actually speak to him by phone around the same time. It was only a few months later that I learnt of his passing on 23rd June 2006, he was 89 and a very fine gentleman indeed.

Coastal Forces in Paper, from Germany has now produced a card model of a 'dog' boat, based on MTB 794 which I will be converting to the MGB and LRRC versions.

[dragon king]

Hope you don't mind me downloading copies of your photographs of your beautiful model.
I am completing my very first build now that I've got the time as a retied person -- based on Perkasa kit but flying a Royal Navy ensiign as HMS BRAVE BORDERER .
My next winters project will be the Fairmile 'D' and I'm at the research stage
and this model sets the standard which I aspire to but will never acheive

[dragon king]

Hope you don't mind me downloading copies of the photographs of your beautiful model.
I am completing my very first build now that I've got the time as a retired person -- based on Perkasa kit but flying a Royal Navy ensign as HMS BRAVE SWORDSMAN
My next winters project will be the Fairmile 'D' and I'm at the research stage
and this model sets the standard which I aspire to but will never achieve

[cdsc123]

I am currently building 1/72nd scale model hulls in glass-fibre for some WWI and most WWII Coastal Forces types over the coming months.

The two scales have been chosen to match the most popular scales of the model kits currently available from the likes of Italeri, Revell and Airfix etc. so that modellers can add their favourites to their existing fleets of PTs, HSLs, MTBs, MAS and E-Boats.

I have done the Fairmile D as above, plus the Fairmile B, 72ft RN HDML and RAN 80ft version, Australian 80ft ambulance launch like Krawarree, USN WWI and WWII Subchasers, AMS/YMS/BYMS minesweeper, RN 80ft WWI Elco ML and USCG 83ft Wheeler.

The list of wartime boats is very long and will include; all RN long and short MTBs and MGBs (at least 20 different boats), RN SGB, MLs, all 4 MFV's, 105ft MMS, all RAF HSLs, 56ft and 60ft RAF GSP, hopefully some RAF STs and RSLs, most RASC vessels (I still need plans for several), USN PTs, USAAF AVRs, also a German R-Boat and an FLB-V and the Australian Halvorsen 62ft fast supply launch.

Post-war hulls will include; RAF Vosper RTTL, RAF 63ft GSP, RAF 96ft Krogerwerft D-Boat, RN Brave, Dark and Gay class FPBs, Ford class SDBs and Ham and Ton class minesweepers and also some foreign boats such as the Nasty Class PTF and German Jaguar and Schutze Classes.

I have also already done a few in 1/35th scale; Fairmiles B & D and the 72ft HDML.

I intend to continue this project over an extended period and I welcome requests to move any favourites to the front of the queue.




Here are some of my previous builds;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25721684@N00/sets/72157632269542118/