RN-SRN4+

[Scotaidh]

<COMEX Rant>
If I ever build another of these kits, I'll not be as slavish in following the instructions.  For one, I'll attach the outer bulkheads to the overhead, instead of to the deck.  That will also make it easier to install all those fiddley odds 'n' ends with which the navies of the world so love to be-strew everywhere, mindless of the poor swabbies who have to navigate this knee-capping obstacle course. 
<FINEX Rant>
In this case, the main cabin roof only vaguely approaches the tops of the outer bulkheads.  I attempted to correct the problem with tape and glue - Nope.  Squadron putty?  Nope.  The very last of my Avies Apoxy? Maybe - it's still curing.  I applied it last night, about 1700hrs local, and thought that ample time for it to set by the time I reached it again this morning at 0630hrs.  I was, though, able to use this half-set state to carve it with a hobby knife, thereby vastly reducing the sanding still ahead. (That's for tomorrow.)
Anyway - see the putty - it's the brown stuff.  You can also see the armored bridge.



Putty on the port side, and the finished shrouds.



The shrouds just resting in place, to give an idea of how they'll look once installed. I'm not installing them until I get the roof-line mess squared away - right now it closely resembles the dog's breakfast ... 

[NARSES2]

Et voila, and suddenly it all comes together 

[Scotaidh]

I've been trying to research the sort of markings I need for this beast, but The Royal Naval Hull Numbering System is proving hard to find.  Ideally, this would be attached to either HMS Albion or HMS Bulwark - but they don't have hovercraft normally attached, just LCUs.

However, I did find out that as of 2012, four Griffon 2000TDX hovercraft are in service with the Royal Marines, type-designated LCAC(L) for Landing Craft Air Cushion, Light - with pennant numbers C21, C22, C23 and C24. 

My craft is far from "light", so I guess it'll be LCAC(H) C30 - need the gap in pennant numbers in case the Marines decide they need more of the Griffons, which they probably will.

Chartpak ordered - hope it beats the deadline!  Although, I am still waiting on my Challys and Warriors from Arrowhead ... :/

[PR19_Kit]

The nearest thing to your SRN4 that the Royal Navy had was the singleton BH7, and that carried a ship's pennant no. P235, and an aircraft serial as well, XW255! 

I've no idea where the 'P' came from though, but others here may do.

[Rheged]

The nearest thing to your SRN4 that the Royal Navy had was the singleton BH7, and that carried a ship's pennant no. P235, and an aircraft serial as well, XW255! 

I've no idea where the 'P' came from though, but others here may do.

As I recall, its P for PATROL.   The Ton class minesweepers  used in Hong Kong as patrol vessels  had their pennant numbers changed from M prefix to P

[buzzbomb]

Proceeding along nicely

[Scotaidh]

The nearest thing to your SRN4 that the Royal Navy had was the singleton BH7, and that carried a ship's pennant no. P235, and an aircraft serial as well, XW255! 

I've no idea where the 'P' came from though, but others here may do.

Kit, do you recall any of the SRN4 serial numbers?  I'm in the process of obtaining the proper decals, so I can make up my own, if necessary, but I'm thinking the operating company must have had their own designators for their craft, other than the names ...

[PR19_Kit]

They had constructors nos. which got well out of any sequence when they built the Mk IIIs, but I don't think they were shown on the outside anywhere, only on the ID plate by the main door.

They did have civilian style registrations, prefixed GH- and then a four figure number starting with a 2, eg. 'Princess Anne' (the only one left now) was GH-2007.

The full list, short as it is, is on James' site :- http://www.jameshovercraft.co.uk/hover/srn4/srn4.php

[Rheged]

Mountbatten Class SRN 4:-

01 - GH-2006 Princess Margaret 1968, Seaspeed - originally the prototype, converted to Mk.III specification in 1979. Scrapped at Lee-on-Solent in March 2018
02 - GH-2004 Swift, Hoverlloyd - converted to Mk.II specification for February 1973, broken up in 2004 at the Hovercraft Museum
03 - GH-2005 Sure 1968, Hoverlloyd - converted to Mk.II specification in 1972, broken up in 1983 for spares
04 - GH-2007 Princess Anne, Seaspeed - converted to Mk.III specification in 1978, on display at the Hovercraft Museum
05 - GH-2008 Sir Christopher 1972, Hoverlloyd - converted to Mk.II specification in 1974, broken up 1998 for spares
06 - GH-2054 The Prince of Wales, Hoverlloyd - built as Mk.II, scrapped in 1993 following an electrical fire

And for completeness, the two French N500 Bertin Naviplanes :-

N500-01 - Côte d'Argent registered LV 365.832 port of Le Verdon, Gironde estuary.She was destroyed by a fire at her construction site on May 3, 1977.
N500-02 - Ingénieur Jean Bertin registered BL 341.931 port of Boulogne Sur Mer.
Built for Seaspeed by SNCF in 1977. Transferred to Hoverspeed in 1983 after a number of modifications but was returned to SNCF later that year after Hoverspeed decided she was not suitable for their services. Broken up in 1985 at the Boulogne Hoverport.

[Leading Observer]

N500 Bertin Naviplane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xSL6v4GgTg&feature=emb_rel_pause
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKKGMBGZ5ZM

[Scotaidh]

They had constructors nos. which got well out of any sequence when they built the Mk IIIs, but I don't think they were shown on the outside anywhere, only on the ID plate by the main door.

They did have civilian style registrations, prefixed GH- and then a four figure number starting with a 2, eg. 'Princess Anne' (the only one left now) was GH-2007.

The full list, short as it is, is on James' site :- http://www.jameshovercraft.co.uk/hover/srn4/srn4.php

Thanks!   

[NARSES2]

04 - GH-2007 Princess Anne, Seaspeed - converted to Mk.III specification in 1978, on display at the Hovercraft Museum

I suppose if you were going to break them all up, bar one, then this is the one you'd keep ? If only to preserve your general state of health ? 

[PR19_Kit]

04 - GH-2007 Princess Anne, Seaspeed - converted to Mk.III specification in 1978, on display at the Hovercraft Museum

I suppose if you were going to break them all up, bar one, then this is the one you'd keep ? If only to preserve your general state of health ? 

Hehehe, dead right! My youngest brother used to be her official photographer for a number of years and he always wondered how he survived!

That one was the one I did my oil sampling work on in the 70s, and it's the one I've toured most times at Lee-on-Solent. They scrapped the 'Princess Margaret' some years ago rather sadly.

[NARSES2]

04 - GH-2007 Princess Anne, Seaspeed - converted to Mk.III specification in 1978, on display at the Hovercraft Museum

I suppose if you were going to break them all up, bar one, then this is the one you'd keep ? If only to preserve your general state of health ? 

Hehehe, dead right! My youngest brother used to be her official photographer for a number of years and he always wondered how he survived!

I knew someone who did some work on one of her residences and he said that she certainly didn't suffer fools,

[rickshaw]

Anne has always been my favourite Royal.  She has her mother's looks and her father's temper.  When I saw how she was scripted in the TV Show "The Crown" it seemed to be her.  She wasn't easy, she was tough, tougher than all the other Royals.   If we were going to have a Royal as Governor-General downunder, I'd go for Anne over Charlie, any day of the week.   She'd have been out there enjoying herself against the wildlife and bugger the locals!