1/250 Harbour Defence Motor Launch ML1031 (Paper Model)
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by Horst Muerell |
The Harbour Defence Motor Launches (HDML) were designed in 1939 to protect British harbours against submarine attacks. The boats were diesel-powered with 260 to 320 hp (depending on the manufacturer of the engine) and reached a top speed of 11,5 kts. The HDMLs were built by small yards spread all over the British empire (300 at home, 56 in the dominions and 74 under lease-lend). In service they proved to be very seaworthy with most reliable engines and were used as convoy escorts and subchasers in nearly all operational zones of WWII.
Technical Details:
Length: 22,00m
Breadth: 4,90m
Draught: 1,45m
Displacement: 54t
Speed: 11,5kts
Complement: 2 officers, 8 men
Total built: 430
ML1031 is an example of an early type HDML. She was ordered 17 January 1940 and built by Berthon Boat, Lymington, Dorset, where she was completed September 1940. The armament consisted of a 3pdr Hotchkiss gun forward, a twin-Lewis gun amidships and eight depth-charges. The model represents ML1031 in September 1940 just after completion and is based on a photograph in John Lambert’s book “Allied Coastal Forces of World War II, Vol. 1”. ML1031 was sold in August 1946.
The construction of the model and the information about the original were based on the following sources:
