Revenue Protection Cutter

[Scotaidh]

...I wait with eager anticipation to read the backstory.

Me too.  It doesn't seem to be writing itself though...

What's the length of the boat?  I'm guessing about 20' / 6 or 7 meters?

[zenrat]

It's in the shed and i'm not or i'd measure it.
I'm now picturing the height of the figures and how many, laid down, it would take to equal the length of the hull...

...four or five.   So lets say 24 to 30 foot.  I'll measure to tomorrow.

I'll be writing the lies tonight and will just leave it blank.  So if when you read it it says "At XX' long the Revenue Protection Cutter..." then you know what happened.

[Old Wombat]

Love the Skipper's nice shiny Dacron uniform.

[zenrat]

Love the Skipper's nice shiny Dacron uniform.

Nothing but the best modern wipe clean fabrics for the officers.  You can't see him clearly but the matelot at the helm is wearing a drizabone and a beanie.

[NARSES2]

So if when you read it it says "At XX' long the Revenue Protection Cutter..." then you know what happened.

Official Secrets Act ? 

[chrisonord]

Late to the show  as per, very cool build Fred 

[buzzbomb]

I can hear the serene.... putt putt putt of this.

Nice work Fred

[zenrat]

...I wait with eager anticipation to read the backstory.

Me too.  It doesn't seem to be writing itself though...

What's the length of the boat?  I'm guessing about 20' / 6 or 7 meters?

It's in the shed and i'm not or i'd measure it.
I'm now picturing the height of the figures and how many, laid down, it would take to equal the length of the hull...

...four or five.   So lets say 24 to 30 foot.  I'll measure to tomorrow.

I'll be writing the lies tonight and will just leave it blank.  So if when you read it it says "At XX' long the Revenue Protection Cutter..." then you know what happened.

80mm.  Which equates to 20'.  Well done Scotaidh, you have a good eye.

[zenrat]

Revenue Protection Cutter 124.  "Velma".  Pompey Brothers 20' Launch - People's Democratic Republic of Victoria Revenue Protection Flotilla, Mornington Archipelago, June 1963.

The greening of Australia's Red Centre that followed the sea level rise caused by the 1946 South Polar bomb, and the impracticalities of shipping food through the Darwin Fallout Zone led by the early 1950's to a huge increase in international shipping passing the South East corner of Australia.
The People's Democratic Republic of Victoria and the independent nation state of Tasmania, recognising passage through the Bass Strait was an advantage that should be paid for, instigated tolls, levies and tariffs against shipping.
As always when tolls, levies and tariffs are instigated there are those who seek to avoid them.
The role of tax enforcement fell to the Revenue Protection Flotilla.

Revenue Protection Cutter - 1 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

In the open waters of Port Phillip and Westernport Bays and in the Bass Strait itself the 63' Gunboats did an admirable job aided on occasion by the Navy and the Air Force.
However, in shallow water areas such as the Mornington Archipelago the Gunboats were limited by the need to avoid rocks and shoaling.  Additionally, the clutter and false returns from the jumbled maze of islands and partially submerged infrastructure rendered radar useless meaning aircraft, even the searchlight equipped Gully Godwit flying boat gunships, were only really of use during daylight hours.
Smugglers and freebooters were quick to take advantage of this, offloading their booty to large numbers of small craft which disappeared into the mazes of islands.  With no way to combat them smuggling increased to become a significant drain on the local economy, eating into revenues which by rights should have gone to the shire treasury.
The solution supplied by an ordinary seaman who had grown up navigating the waters in run-abouts built by his Uncle, Jack Pompey, a renowned wooden boat builder from Mordialloc in the heart of the Mornington Archipelago.

Revenue Protection Cutter - 15 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Pompey Brothers 20' Launch had a hybrid construction – carvel planked below the waterline with upper works of ballistic ply over a welded tubular steel frame.  These formed an enclosed cabin over the centre of the vessel containing the helmsman's position and communications equipment.  The cabin was enclosed on three sides although the side windows and forward door were generally removed in all but the worst winter weather.
A 202ci six cylinder marine petrol engine mounted amidships provided enough power to get the launch to a maximum of 20 knots.
Armament varied but the most usual fit was a pair of 13mm VicArms machine guns mounted fore and aft.

Revenue Protection Cutter - 14 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The first 20 boats were built in Pompey Brothers' yard on Mordialloc Creek before production was switched to government run facilities.  The crews always claimed that these first examples were superior to the rest because they had soul, being hand build rather than coming from a production line.  Velma, flag #124 was the 14th built.
The engine's exhaust exited underwater which made the Cutters very hard to hear approaching (unlike the Gunboats, which running on three, for all purposes unsilenced, navalised V12 aero engines could be heard by the dead) especially when idling along on minimum rpm.  A quality the Flotilla took advantage of both when patrolling the islands and when acting on information received from loyal citizens.
While they couldn't completely eradicate nefarious nocturnal activities in the Archipelago and elsewhere along the Victorian coastline, craft like Velma made a significant difference becoming feared by ner do wells despite their comical appearance.

Revenue Protection Cutter - 5 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Model.
Zvezda Medieval Life Boat + scratch.
Guns from Academy US 2 ½ Ton 6x6 Cargo Truck & Accessories.
Figures from Airfix Vosper MTB and Land Rover with Bloodhound Missile.

Thanks to Scotaidh for input into the backstory.

Revenue Protection Cutter - 19 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[NARSES2]

That's really neat mate  Particularly like the "busy" look you've given her.

[PR19_Kit]

There's absolutely NOTHING in the finished model that tells you about its source kit. 

Brilliant job Fred. 

[Rheged]

Superb!!   I did enjoy the backstory, It was as creative as I'd anticipated.

[zenrat]

Thanks folks.

[jalles]

There's absolutely NOTHING in the finished model that tells you about its source kit. 

Yeah, that's the brilliant thing with this build, I wouldn't have seen this potential in that kit. Awesome job 

[zenrat]

There's absolutely NOTHING in the finished model that tells you about its source kit. 

Yeah, that's the brilliant thing with this build, I wouldn't have seen this potential in that kit. Awesome job 

It's thanks to Strobez that I built this.  He used a couple for Tintin builds and I thought "hmmm, I can do something with one of those".
I might get a couple more as I have an idea for a "Heath Robinson" float plane.