Chris Behan -  PBR (Patrol Boat River)

   Submarine U-96        PBR        PCF Mk.1      Bell SK-5 Hovercraft  

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Hello Martin,
Here is some more info for you !

Both are scratch built the PBR stands for Patrol Boat River the actual craft is based on a family motor cruiser, with a fibreglass hull, the guy who made the family cruisers went in for a government contract to build coastal patrol craft but when he got to the meeting he found that the contract had already been awarded to someone else.
He however bid for a smaller river patrol boat the Admiral in charge asked him to submit plans, the builder Willis Slaine told the Admiral he had not got time for plans if the Navy came to his boatyard the following Friday they could " Ride on the damn thing".

The Navy did and were completely astounded the craft beat all the Navy requirements, and a legend was born. Sadly Willis Slaine died of a heart attack the next week.

The craft were propelled by Jacuzzi water jets were highly manoeuvrable and very fast they had twin 50 calibre machine guns up front and a 50 calibre on the stern and a 40 mm grenade launcher a amidships and a 30 calibre machine gun. They were fibreglass construction with ceramic armour over the con area and engine spaces and guns platforms.

The model is 1/16 scale and is a home made fibreglass Hull and plasticard cabin and deck, the cabin is fully detailed and all the instruments illuminate at night time, the model is propelled with a water jet system with a 750bb turbo motor and 14.4 volts, only the rear 4" are in the water at full speed.
The crew are 120mm super scale Verlinden resin figures, and are superbly detailed, painted in US marine green and weathered with shading and red Vietnam mud.
The model took 2 yrs to build and is very popular when exhibited.

The Hovercraft is a 1/16 scale model of a US Army Bell SK5 7255 Model assault craft Hovercraft.

This was built to accompany the PBR as this too was used in Vietnam. The model is built from balsa ply and Plasticard and is propelled by a 600 series motor driving a 7x4 prop through a conventional prop tube the lift fan is also a 600 series motor with the same fan for lift, both motors are individually controlled with two speed controllers and the model has a jet turbine engine start sound fitted, working running and nav lights, and the cabin is fully detailed with an M16 and grenades fitted to the rear cabin wall, the craft has two 50 Calibre machine guns fitted above the cabin, a 40 mm grenade launcher fitted to the left bow area and twin 30 cal machine guns amidships.

I have at present a 1/16 PCF( coastal patrol boat) on the building blocks again same era as the other two from Vietnam.

Hope the info is of use cheers.
Chris Behan.


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