| Article number: | 10.11.068 |
The Air-Sea Rescue (ASR) boats used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1942 were fast motorboats designed to rescue pilots who had crashed or made an emergency landing at sea. These vessels were part of the RAF Air Sea Rescue Service, sometimes also known as “The Sea Otters” (after the Supermarine Sea Otter seaplane, which often operated alongside these boats).
Around 1942, the RAF mainly used the High-Speed Launches (HSLs) from the British Power Boat Company, specifically:
Designer: Hubert Scott-Paine, British Power Boat Company
Length: 64 feet (approximately 19.5 metres)
Speed: Up to 36–40 knots
Engines: 3 × Napier Sea Lion petrol engines (approximately 500–600 hp each)
Crew: Approximately 9–10 men (helmsman, engineers, medic, and gunners)
Armament (1942 configuration):
Twin .303-inch Vickers K or Browning machine guns in turrets
Additional twin .303 or .50-inch machine guns amidships for defence
Range: Approximately 500 nautical miles at 25 knots
The RAF’s ASR boats were tasked with:
Rescuing downed Allied aircrew in the English Channel, the North Sea and the Mediterranean.
To work in conjunction with aircraft such as the Supermarine Walrus and Avro Anson, which coordinated air-based rescue operations.
Using smoke signals and radio beacons to mark positions and request air cover.
They operated from RAF Marine Craft units stationed at coastal airfields and ports such as Dover, Calshot and Newhaven.
Medical equipment was on board, including first-aid kits, morphine, oxygen and stretchers.
The boats were equipped with rescue nets, ladders and rubber dinghies to quickly retrieve pilots from the water.
The crew wore protective clothing against hypothermia and were trained for rescues in bad weather.
From late 1942–1943, an improved design came into service:
Type 2 HSL (“Whaleback”) – 63-foot class, with a strikingly curved deck and heavier armament.
This version was faster, more seaworthy and better protected during enemy attacks.
Specifications:
|
Drawing number |
10.11.068 |
|
Description |
Air-Sea rescue boat (1942) - RAF |
|
Quality |
frames; side view; deck plan |
|
Scale |
1 : 10 |
|
Number of sheets A00 |
0 |
|
Number of A0 sheets |
0 |
|
Number of A1 sheets |
1 |
|
Number of A2 sheets |
0 |
|
Number of A3 sheets |
0 |
|
Number of A4 sheets |
0 |
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Total number of drawing sheets |
1 |
|
Number of A4 text pages |
0 |
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Weight in grams |
65 |
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Details |
Overall length 85 cm |
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Remarks |
artek 0010 |