Coastal Forces Veterans

Another evocative couple of photos of the Burmese 'Dark' T201. One on the inclined slipway at Saunders-Roe Beaumaris. The slip way built in 1953 on the funicular system where the boat starting on the level at the top of the inclined rail tracks, but ending up at a small angle to help them roll acros...

P1602 seems to have had a number of problems during trials. The first observation was the light gauge hull plating (1/10") and slight flexing and 'panting' of the plates when taking a rough sea. The plates above the triple ROTOL variable pitch props were also vibrating considerably and were som...

Having just spoken to a friend who was an inspector at Saunders-Roe Anglesey, he told me the aluminium hull plates and rivets of the five Burmese Dark Class were assembled with a brown marine adhesive as a form of belt and braces. I assume the plating was effectively caulked with it. It would be fai...

I have just asked a friend about the rumour of the Japanese ‘Dark’ class being fitted with only one engine, but he had neither heard about it or could suggest any reason for it. He did, however, tell me a story about the Burmese T201-T205 series. One of them was moored at Menai Bridge pier during so...

After the loss of the experimental all aluminium MTB P1602 in early 1952, Saunders-Roe won the contract to detail design and build the next generation of FPB known as the Dark Class. They were somewhat ‘chunkier’ and box-like around the rear quarters than the more elegant P1602. The Darks were of a ...

I think Dark Scout's welded hull was an experiment for the navy as the company had built the 72ft all welded aluminium motor/sailer 'Morag Mhor' for the British Aluminium Co. Dark Scout may also have been an experiment to further reduce cost, time of construction, weight and complexity and possibly ...

Having mentioned the SARO built FPB for Japan I found this page from the company magazine of 1957. The four negatives I have found so far are in particularly poor condition and very badly wrinkled. I will try to repair one or two some time when I'm not scanning the rest of the comapny magazines or s...

Yes Julie, the FPB for Japan was shipped out 29 July 1957 and P1120 Dark Scout was launched 20 March 1958. Scout was therfefore the last Dark built at SARO for the RN as the rest of the order was cancelled. There is also some info on the BMPT forum . As this subject has come up so soon in the new Da...

Ted, thanks for dropping in the photo of P1101 Dark Adventurer outside the main hangar with the old Fryars house shown in the background. The low building next to it was the drawing office where my father Victor Mills worked from late 1945 to 1974 and where I spent a few years too. This photo is of ...