by Michael Maynard
1/72 D-Day Plus 4, USCG 83' Patrol Boat Diorama (Scratchbuilt)
The US Coast Guard's Rescue Flotilla 1 was tasked with saving the crews of sinking landing craft on D-Day. As planned, the 60 boat flotilla would be devided between the British and American landing area waters off Normandy. The patrol boats, 83 feet in length, were designed as coastal sub chasers just prior to WWII. Constructed of wood, these tough little Cutters were powered by 2 Sterling Viking gasoline engines, giving them a speed of 21 knots. The boats ASW gear consisted of depth charges and "mouse trap" depth bomb rocket launches. A single 20MM gun was carried aft as well as bridge wing mounted 30 cal machine guns. The boats were equipped with a SO-2 search radar and a QBE series sonar. Manned by a crew of 14, the "rescue flotilla" boats were loaded aboard freighters and arrived in England a month prior to the invasion. The "mouse traps" were removed and additional life rafts, davits, and scramble netting was added. All crew members were given a crash course in first aid and drilled in "man overboard" rescue evolutions. The patrol boats formed up with the invasion fleet and made the channel trip without incident. The original plan was for the boats to patrol the waters off the beach to cover the sinking of large landing vessels by shore batteries or German aircraft. But as the battle progressed the large ships went unscathed and the smaller LCVP, LCM, LCI's were damaged by German gun fire close to the beach. Changing tactics quickly, the "St. Bernard's" ran close to shore plucking hapless sailors and soldiers out of the sea. One boat, the #30, came under German shore guns while rescuing a British crew from a landing craft ablaze and sinking. The diorama depicts the #30 boat back at it's temporary base in Poole England, being repaired in a shipyard. The diorama utilized a variety of HO and 1/72 scale items such as the brick yard office and the dock crane. The boat hull was built from wood but the deck house and fittings are plastic and brass. All told, the US Coast Guard rescued 1,437 men and 1 woman(a nurse) during the invasion of Normandy with the loss of two patrol boats. Often overlooked in the historic telling of D-Day, the US Coast Guard did it's part, 1,438 people owe their lives to the bravery of "Americas Lifesavers".
