The following photographs have been supplied to me by the Historical Section of the Royal Airforce, unless otherwise noted, and are used with my thanks and acknowledgement. Unfortunately the quality of the photographs are compromised due to my having to scan photocopies of the originals because the MOD have closed down the historic photograph section, from which it was possible to purchase. Acknowledgements: the photographs - to whomsoever was responsible; The RAF Air Sea Rescue Service 1918-1986 by Jon Sutherland and Diane Canwell, Pen and Sword Aviation 2005; Fast Boats and Flying Boats- a biography of Hubert Scott-Paine - by Adrian Rance, Ensign Books.
The boats illustrated below depict the class of boat that exhibited the pronounced sheer, which was such a characteristic becoming known as a"Whaleback"
Definition; ASRL means - Air Sea Rescue Launch , also known as High Speed Launch i.e. HSL.
High Speed Launch 122
64 feet in length built at Hythe in 1939
and delivered in 1940
High Speed Launch 123
64 feet in length built at Hythe in 1939
and delivered in 1940
High Speed Launch 128
63 feet in length built at Hythe in 1939
and delivered in 1940
High Speed Launch 128
63 feet in length built at Hythe in 1939
and delivered in 1940
High Speed Launch 130
63 feet in length built at Hythe in 1939
and delivered in 1940
High Speed Launch 140
63 feet in length, built Hythe between
October 1941 and September 1942
High Speed Launch 142
originally built for South African Air Force
63 feet in length built at Hythe between October 1940 and September 1941
High Speed Launch 145
originally built for South African Air Force
63 feet in length built at Hythe between
October 1940 and September 1941
High Speed Launch 146
originally built for South African Air Force
63 feet in length built at Hythe between
October 1940 and September 1941
High Speed Launch 146
originally built for South African Air Force
63 feet in length built at Hythe between October 1940 and September 1941
High Speed Launch 149
originally built for South African Air Force
63 feet in length built at Hythe between
October 1940 and September 1941
High Speed Launch 149
originally built for South African Air Force
63 feet in length built at Hythe between
October 1940 and September 1941
High Speed Launch 166
63 feet in length built at Poole
between October 1941 and September 1942
my father would have been involved in its build.
High Speed Launch 177
63 feet in length built at Poole
between October 1941 and September 1942
my father would have been involved in its build.
High Speed Launch 181
63 feet in length built at Hythe
between October 1941 and September 1942
High Speed Launch 186
63 feet in length built at Hythe
between October 1941 and September 1942
note aircraft at top left of photo.
High Speed Launch 188
63 feet in length built at Hythe
between October 1941 and September 1942
High Speed Launch 130,
two Power Boats side by side,
built at Hythe, with MGB 24 moored outboard.