70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Motor Gunboats (MGB) & Steam Gunboats (SGB)
Borrel
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70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Borrel » Sun Jul 28, 2019 8:02 am

Can anyone give details of bridge/wheelhouse arrangements on these early boats (or direct me to a reliable source of reference)?

Grateful for any information.

Admin
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Admin » Sun Jul 28, 2019 10:14 am

Hello Borrel

The naval historian John Lambert conducted the greatest amount of research on Coastal Forces craft for his books and model plans, but sadly died before publishing anything comprehensive on the British Power Boat designs - at least as far as I am aware. I don’t know if naval historian and co-author, Al Ross, may hold any details, otherwise Portsmouth City Archives might be the best bet, or possibly the National Maritime Museum for plans.

This film from the East Anglia Film Archive, which I have pointed out before in this forum, contains some interesting shots at the end of the film, and in colour, of RAF rescue launches which are British Power Boat whalebacks, that would otherwise be identical to a Coastal Forces’ MASB, and which provides a useful insight into their sea-going characteristics.

Regards
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Borrel
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Borrel » Sun Jul 28, 2019 11:40 am

Thanks for this - much appreciated.

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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Admin » Sun Jul 28, 2019 2:11 pm

bpb-masb-36b.jpg
British Power Boat MASB 36
bpb-masb-36b.jpg (279.91 KiB) Viewed 65693 times

David Carter
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby David Carter » Mon Jul 29, 2019 10:15 am

The MASBs were constructed as Anti-Submarine, but many were transferred to duty as Air-Sea Rescue Launches. MASB 27 has been restored by D-Day Revisited and is now in Portsmouth. The D-Day website has many photos. I'll attempt to upload some of mine.
P1000830 (3).JPG
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P1000830 (3).JPG

Admin
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Admin » Mon Jul 29, 2019 10:49 am

That’s a point, the MASB 27 Restoration Project would be a place to try for information about bridge layout.

Borrel
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Borrel » Mon Jul 29, 2019 6:53 pm

That's very helpful, thank you (and the pictures are brilliant - didn't realise the DD hull planking was so visible).

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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Admin » Tue Jul 30, 2019 12:22 am

Image

IWM (A 6958): A view of MASB 37 as seen from the bow. The Commanding Officer is seen directing operation from his tiny bridge while the machine gunner is at the ready.

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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Admin » Tue Jul 30, 2019 9:48 am

That's very helpful, thank you (and the pictures are brilliant - didn't realise the DD hull planking was so visible).
Borrel, I mentioned Portsmouth City Archives above, but what I meant to say was Southampton City Archives, who keep photos relating to British Power Boat, as that is where the company was based.

Borrel
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Borrel » Tue Jul 30, 2019 10:37 am

Thanks, Admin. I guess Southampton is the place as BPB Hythe was close by. (But is an example of the conflicting information you get when researching, as several books quote Hythe Kent as being their base!)
Thanks again for the pictures.

David Carter
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby David Carter » Tue Jul 30, 2019 3:46 pm

9C2C299A-705A-4FFC-940E-46270C41FFB5.jpeg
A shot taken in the wheelhouse of MASB 27
9C2C299A-705A-4FFC-940E-46270C41FFB5.jpeg (96.43 KiB) Viewed 65649 times

Borrel
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Borrel » Tue Jul 30, 2019 4:14 pm

That's brilliant - thank you. Obviously it has been brought up to date a little but the elements are there. I think MASB 27 is a 60ft - on larger boats would all controls be duplicated on the bridge?

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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Admin » Tue Jul 30, 2019 4:47 pm

All Coastal Forces craft were controlled from the bridge and from the wheelhouse, but it seems that in operation the bridge was preferred at all times, even in heavy seas, and that is certainly where attacks would have been coordinated from, with radio messages, and later in the war, radar plots, being passed up to the bridge from below. In the larger Dog Boats, the gunners wore headsets and were communicated with by the gunnery officer via telephone. Usually the wheel itself would be taken by the Coxwain, who would be alongside the Officers on the bridge.

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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Pioneer » Tue Jul 30, 2019 8:21 pm

I think that you may be slightly mistaken with the layout of the MASB Bridge structure.
With the restoration of MASB 27, the reconstruction of the bridge clearly shows that the craft has two 'open cockpits' immediately behind the wheelhouse. The view taken of MASB 37 gives a false impression - the two Officers are well behind the screen.
MASB 4.jpg
'Cockpits' under construction
MASB 4.jpg (101.6 KiB) Viewed 65639 times

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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Admin » Tue Jul 30, 2019 11:13 pm

Yes I see what you mean. So the MASB only has a wheelhouse with two ‘hatches’ of sorts behind it, and no bridge as such. I can also see someone inside the wheelhouse in the IWM photo of MASB 37.

Borrel
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Borrel » Wed Jul 31, 2019 8:16 am

27 is a 60' (as was 37); I suppose it possible the 70' version had slightly more room for a bridge (although even in much later short craft this is described as being only 2'.6” x 5')

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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Pioneer » Wed Jul 31, 2019 9:48 am

Only one Helm - within the Wheelhouse. If being 'conned' from the 'cockpit' it would need instructions given by word of mouth shouted down through the 'cockpit'.
The image of MASB 37 shows Coxswain at the Helm.

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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Admin » Wed Jul 31, 2019 9:57 am

27 is a 60' (as was 37); I suppose it possible the 70' version had slightly more room for a bridge (although even in much later short craft this is described as being only 2'.6” x 5')

Our data shows there were 60, 63 and 70 foot versions. This photo taken at Dover handily shows MASB/MGB 8 & 10 which were 70 foot, while the second photograph depicts MASB/MGB 24 which was 63 foot. The external wheelhouse arrangement appears similar in both versions.

Image DOVER NAVAL BASE. 1941.. © IWM (A 9929) IWM Non Commercial License

Image DOVER NAVAL BASE. 1941.. © IWM (A 9922) IWM Non Commercial License

Borrel
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Borrel » Wed Jul 31, 2019 10:11 am

That is so useful, thank you.

alross2
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby alross2 » Mon Sep 09, 2019 1:33 pm

This is the cockpit of MGB16, one of the 70' boats, from the collection of Peter Scott. His grandfather was part of her crew. The MASBs pictured in this thread are 63' boats and had a different cockpit area. https://www.facebook.com/groups/7179359 ... SEARCH_BOX

Borrel
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Borrel » Mon Sep 09, 2019 9:40 pm

Thank you, I have applied to join that group.

David Carter
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby David Carter » Wed Sep 11, 2019 10:28 am

John Phipps of D-Day Revisited has kindly sent me this link, which shows the newly restored MASB 27 at speed:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bxrdsyj8fych ... 7.MOV?dl=0

Borrel
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Borrel » Thu Sep 12, 2019 7:48 am

Fantastic. (And in good company.)

alross2
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby alross2 » Mon Dec 02, 2019 5:19 pm

From the original BPB drawings for the MGB50-67 series.
Attachments
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Borrel
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Re: 70' British Powerboat Company Co (former MASB)

Postby Borrel » Tue Dec 03, 2019 7:21 am

Thank you.


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