1/72 RAF Air Sea Rescue Launch (Airfix)
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1/72 RAF Air Sea Rescue Launch (Airfix)
The Airfix kit of the RAF Air Sea Rescue Launch properly depicts the British Power Boat Co.´s Type Two HSL. This vessel was used to rescue downed allied aircrew, mainly but not only from British ports. The boats were originally only lightly armed, with two bomber-style machine gun turrets. Their decks were painted bright yellow to ease identification by friendly aircraft about to ditch. Luftwaffe attacks led to the yellow recognition to be much reduced and the armament much improved.The 1978 vintage Airfix kit is mainly correct in outline, and only some details are either too clunky or not strong enough. I built a late-war boat with full armament and my corrections were centered on the masts and rigging, plus the transparencies. I used styrene stock, wire and generic PE. I did some scribing of the hull sides to hint at the diagonal planking of the orginal. Cooling water outlets were added to the transom. The model was primed using Stynylrez, I painted it with Vallejo acrylics. The decals worked quite well, despite their size and age. I made my first cage aerials for this porject, following a method detailed by Ulf Lundberg in the German site www.modellmarine.de - look for "Reusenantennen".
I added CMK resin figures for the Revell Gato submarine to the kit figures. The base was made in my usual method. I remade the flag as the paper item was too thick, using cigarette paper.
All in all another great trip down memory lane!
