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British Power Boats 71.5ft MGB/MTB’s

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Paul Theakston View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Paul Theakston Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 September 2006 at 9:20am

Thanks AndyS for the additional clues. Christian, I had heard of Philip Simons expertise on the subject, and may well pester him directly on the subject. You will also be right on my confusion between pennant numbers and boat numbers.

If Ambra was MTB 506, which was certainly a BPBCo build, does anyone have record of her activities in the Mediterranean? I can find nothing that records her being part of any of the wartime Flotilla's in the Medi.

In hope

 

Paul T

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clive View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote clive Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 December 2006 at 12:54pm

Hello all,

  I have the remains of what I think is MGB56 sunk and rotting without a superstructure in a mooring  in Norwich. I'll try and take some photos to post soon for those who are interested.

   The MGB was called Morning Flight, she was used as a houseboat by the late Commander Ron Ashby for more than 41 years in Thorpe.  

  Morning Flight was sold by us a couple of times and the superstructure removed to enable her to pass under a low bridge and onto the river but the relevant authorities would no allow her on the main river in case she sank.

  Since then (early 90s) the hull has been wrapped in polythene to allow her to be floated in another rescue attempt but abandoned. I recon she is too wet even for firewood but would be an addition for the gallery!

masbie something in the water.   www.freewebs.com/masb32/
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Christian View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Christian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 December 2006 at 3:27pm

Hi Clive

Thanks for the info, look forward to seeing the pictures. Her close sister (70ft BPB Whaleback) MGB 55 survived at Portchester until 1985, the CFVA had tried to preserve her but she was beyond repair.

Rgds,Christian.



Edited by Christian
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jimmy p View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jimmy p Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 December 2006 at 5:35am

 Hi Clive,

 If you want her off your hands pm me an address to look at her as i'm after a whaleback.

 Seriously thinking of buying a vosper in malta that christian has tipped me off to (ambra or raia) but doing that as a liveaboard would leave me with enough money for a basket case as well compared to house prices at mo.

 Do you know the yard number? Narrow her identity down definitively!

 

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Pioneer View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pioneer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 December 2006 at 8:55am

Hello 'jimmy p'

Just a small point -'Ambra' and 'Raia' are not Vosper's but BPB's

Pioneer - Forum Moderator
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dgray View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dgray Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 December 2006 at 5:23pm

Hi Jimmy,

Tried to send you a message but your mailbox is still full. Did you get to see HSL145 or lookup Mr Crump as you'd hoped to do in November?

Do let us know what's happening.....

Cheers

Don


Only a number, not even a name. How shall posterity hear of thy fame?
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clive View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote clive Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 December 2006 at 8:14pm

Well, here are some photos of the somewhat abandoned MGB56 as of today. I had a row around her, the hull planking seems quite hard apart from where she has had repairs! there are holes in the deck and most of the bearers have gone

  She is in my ownership but has been sunk for most that 15 years or so. she was wrapped in polythene, floated and some of the superstructure removed to allow her to pass under some low bridges onto the river but not allowed passage. we then gave the man his £100 back and left the boat where it was(and is)

  She is free to a good (or bad) home or available for a team building salvage attempt weekend! ..seriously though, the polythene is quite thick and passes right underneath her to deck level from bow to stern so would float with some decent pumps which I have.

   Please dont visit the site if you know where she is as a friend of mine looks after the site. contact me first and I sort it out no problem.

   Thanks  Clive...

masbie something in the water.   www.freewebs.com/masb32/
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jimmy p View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jimmy p Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 December 2006 at 2:20am

 

 Thanks Pioneer, i stand corrected.

 Actually emptied my inbox now, oops. Been snowed under with work but usually quiet until end of jan so have to do a roadtrip to see mr crump & clives boat. Get plenty of pics for site while there.

 

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northeastuser View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote northeastuser Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 February 2007 at 11:00pm

Hi, I keep meaning to post this but never seem to get round to it. MGB56 is one of the Canadian whalebacks built for the Norwegian 11th flotilla and I believe she was in service with a mtb 102.

My scribbled notes say she was a 74ft 1939 class.

My notes were a result of a telephone conversation with a gentleman from the costal forces trust.

He was reading to me over the phone an extract from Home Waters At War by L.C.Renalds?

I was reminded of this info while reading about the Canadian whalebacks built by the BMP co in Canada. (Source john Prichard.)

Perhaps someone with a little more info that me could check this out. Perhaps the Canadians may be interested in her.She may be rarer than your normal whaleback and to rare to be a houseboat.

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jimmy p View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jimmy p Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 February 2007 at 1:46am

 NE,

 Thought it might be. dont know if any 70ft type 2's where built at hythe.   But...

 Checked with the royal navy museum & they say she's from Hythe, launched 5th sept 1940, 70ft,16.5ftx 4ft draught. 3x Merlins not Napiers. 28tons.

 Bit of a mystery there! Worth asking the ships plans collection at the NMM in greenwich.

 Are their any other 70ft whalebacks left?? With the small number of 63footers this one must be extremely rare, maybe last of its kind!!

 Definatley worth preserving if she cant be restored just yet. If Cmdr Ashby can give her a new life after seeing action on them we owe it to him as well as the boat.

 If its beyond our pockets has anyone got the beckhams phone number?



Edited by jimmy p
A boat is a hole in the water surrounded by wood, into which one throws money
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