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HSL 156

Printed From: BMPT Forum
Category: Boats (In alphabetical order)
Forum Name: High Speed Launches
Forum Description: Discussion on High Speed Launches
URL: http://www.bmpt.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=520
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 7:57pm


Topic: HSL 156
Posted By: dakota
Subject: HSL 156
Date Posted: 01 April 2008 at 4:23pm

  Hello all,

     I am a new member (although a senior citizen) who has been aeromodelling since the 1940's but now find that the weather is not compatable very often for this hobby, consequently I have now turned my modelling to boats.

Iam building a 1/24th scale RAF Air/Sea rescue launch (Deans Marine model) but I am making it a replica of HSL 156 which I have made contact with the Wartime Captain's son and also the son of a B.17 pilot from Cheveston (305 BG USAF) which crash into the North Sea and was picked up by HSL 156 in a mine field.

If anyone has any details of where this boat was stationed or other information I would be very grateful as I wish to make this model a true replica ( it is radio controlled and electric powered ) and I hope to use it at the Wicksteed Park Model Boat Club when complete)

Best Regards to you all

dakota



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dakota


Replies:
Posted By: ForumManager
Date Posted: 01 April 2008 at 5:09pm

Hello 'dakota'

Welcome aboard. I am sure that there will be some assistance to your query's - there are a couple of very knowledgeable RAF (or ex RAF I should say ) marine enthusiasts here. Keep dropping back - you will be answered.

Regards



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Forum Manager

Posted By: Christian
Date Posted: 01 April 2008 at 7:01pm

Hi Dakota

 

 

 

These photos of HSL 156 are available at the IWM.

HSL 156 was taken on charge in Jan 1941, and transferred to the Admiralty for disposal at Dumbarton in October 1946. Hopefully RAFWEBFOOT can fill us in on the intervening years. 

Posted By: rafwebfoot
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 4:27pm

HSL.156

On Charge 22/1/42 at Calshot

Allotted to N0.28 ASRU Tenby August 1942

Allotted to Brighton (Horsham) 12/9/42

Allotted to No.53 ASRU Fleetwood (Squiresgate) 5/9/44

Allotted to 213 MU 22/2/45

Shown in CC Census 31/12/45 

To Admiralty for disposal 10/10/46.

 



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FAIR WINDS AND A FAVOURABLE TIDE
Donald

Posted By: dakota
Date Posted: 03 April 2008 at 1:51pm

   Hi Groupie many thanks for the details

   Keep the trade winds blowing.

  dakota



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dakota

Posted By: skaramanga
Date Posted: 23 February 2009 at 7:18pm
Hi there.
Since I'm also building a model of the HSL 156,the 1/72 Airfix kit,and I have a few questions,if someone knows:

- Was the superstructure of this particular boat painted yellow at some point of her career,or it was  gray from the start?

- In the middle photo that Christian has posted, No CH 12389,there is a pipe that runs beside the sick bay door,and over the deck house.Does anyone knows what was this pipe for and were does it ends?
-At the same photo,there is a box,right after the sick bay door.Is this the port side's ammunition box,or it has some other use?

I will appreciate  any help,
Regards,
Constantinos

Posted By: Christian
Date Posted: 23 February 2009 at 8:00pm
My guess is early configuration; yellow decks/superstructure and short gooseneck vents for the fuel tanks, and later on dark grey decks/superstructure and up and over type tank vents. I think the ready use locker was further aft, I think the box in the photo above may be a crash box with emergency first aid items which has come up from the sickbay below.

Posted By: skaramanga
Date Posted: 23 February 2009 at 9:06pm
That was really quick Christian!! Thank you!
If your guess is right,my 156 is wrong......
I have used the short gooseneck vents and I'm going to depict her in a later configuration,as she was in '43,gray deck and superstructure,D/F Loop antenna,etc.
I knew nothing about the later vents....
Anyway,I can live with that......I think....

Thanks again,
Constantinos

Posted By: dakota3
Date Posted: 13 March 2009 at 11:46am

Cool     Hi Constantinos

         The colours for HSL 156 are as follows (1943 era)
 
         Superstructure       Ford Polar Grey   Humbrol paint no. 79
         Hull above water-line  semi-gloss black                    no.21
         Underwater Rover ember glow                                 no.70
         Deck    RAF Mid Blue                                                  no.96
         Bollards  Mercury Grey                                              no.34
         Fairleads   Mercury Grey                                           no.34
         Gun Mountings     Polar Grey                                    no.147
         Lifebelts    White / or Red & Orange                         
         Fore Mast   Black                                                       no.33
         Fore Mast  (to bridge level)  Polar Grey                     no.147
         Top Mast     White
         Flak Padding   Matt Dark Grey                                   no.224
         Prpeller         Bronze
 
        My Model HSL 156 is complete and has been used on the local
        model boat lake with great success
 
        dakota 3
 
 
 
        
 
 
 
 


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BAB

Posted By: john allsop
Date Posted: 14 May 2009 at 2:44am
I am also another "new" member. My HSL 156 has a yellow deck as shown in the painting by Steve Farrow. Incidentially i have had the model for a few years and the turret domes are not glazed, any ideas about obtaining domes or simple DIY glazing. . I made my model from the John Pritchard plan. 

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JOHN

Posted By: dakota3
Date Posted: 17 May 2009 at 9:26am
Originally posted by dakota dakota wrote:

  Hello all,

     I am a new member (although a senior citizen) who has been aeromodelling since the 1940's but now find that the weather is not compatable very often for this hobby, consequently I have now turned my modelling to boats.

Iam building a 1/24th scale RAF Air/Sea rescue launch (Deans Marine model) but I am making it a replica of HSL 156 which I have made contact with the Wartime Captain's son and also the son of a B.17 pilot from Cheveston (305 BG USAF) which crash into the North Sea and was picked up by HSL 156 in a mine field.

If anyone has any details of where this boat was stationed or other information I would be very grateful as I wish to make this model a true replica ( it is radio controlled and electric powered ) and I hope to use it at the Wicksteed Park Model Boat Club when complete)

Best Regards to you all

dakota



-------------
BAB

Posted By: john allsop
Date Posted: 17 May 2009 at 4:32pm
I am not going to describe my version but to point the way although you seem to have a lot of info already. In the books " Royal Air Force Rescue Boats by Geoff Pilborough and colour plates by John Pritchard" isbn 0 9510266 8 2 ( part one ) there is a drawing with the boat in grey when it was at Newhaven, it also shows the extra guns added in line with forward turret on the deck at each side, also in the book " Sailors in the RAF by Keith Beardow" there is a photograph of the crew on 156 and clearly there is a view of these added guns. I don,t know what drawing is given by Deans but the  plan of HSL 156 by John Prichard is still available, as are all of his others through "Model Boats" ( who now seem to go by another name) . The painting by Steve Farrow shows it with a yellow deck and these extra guns, but i don,t know if he was correct although my boat is in yellow with an oerlikon. By the way if you havn,t built a launch of this type before balance it about 2/3 from the bow, at least make that your starting point.

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JOHN

Posted By: john allsop
Date Posted: 17 May 2009 at 4:41pm
Just went back to page one, i see the boat is all finished and sailing well, in march my lake was still frozen solid.

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JOHN


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