HSL-142 - 63 FT HIGH SPEED LAUNCH

Entrance to the engine room was via a small hatch behind the turret. The engine room contained the three main engines, the auxiliary engine for battery charging and bilge pumping and all the controls. The two wing engines drove the propellers through direct gear boxes, whereas the centre engine faced forward and drove the centre propeller through a V-drive gearbox. The engineer of the HSL controlled the engines via large levers from a position between the wing engines, facing the centre engine. Communications to the wheelhouse was via a visual telegraphic display on the forward engine bulkhead, however the throttles were controlled directly from the wheelhouse by hydraulic controls. All the engine room instrumentation was on the port bulkhead. Abaft the engine room was an aft peak which contained the batteries but which also served as a stowage for ropes and fenders.

The fore deck was relatively clear of equipment, which not only gave the crew good visibility from the wheelhouse windows, but also ample space upon which to work when coming up to a wrecked aircraft, ditched airman or a mooring buoy. The 63ft HSL was equipped with WIT as well as an aircraft style intercom which linked the Captain with the Coxswain, gunners, and wireless operator. Some launches were later fitted with IFF and a radio direction loop which was either of the open type or enclosed pattern. VHF was also fitted to some launches.

The guns were mounted in two Boulton and Paul aircraft type turrets, each comprising a single Vickers .303 machine gun. Additional weapons in the form of twin Lewis machine guns were often positioned on free standing mountings each side of the wheelhouse. Some of the 63ft HSL's carried a 20mm Oerlikon cannon on a specially strengthened rear deck. Anti-shrapnel padding covered the top sides of the wheelhouse, chart room and sick bay, as well as the radio room. Armour plating was installed behind the coxswain's position and behind the engineer's seat in the engine room.

HSL 142 was BPB Yard No. 1631 and was originally ordered for the South African Air Force (SAAF) as the BW 3076, but was taken over by the RAF during build. On completion and after trials, she was taken on charge by the RAF at Calshot on 15th November 1940 and within a month allocated to serve with No. 22 ASR unit from Grimsby in December the same year. Two months later in February 1941 she was transferred to operate with several of her sisters with No. 27 ASRU from Dover. The HSLs were kept very busy and some suffered damage. HSL 142 was back at Calshot for repairs in August 1941 before being re-allocated for further service with 71 ASRU which was based at Gibraltar. She was received at Gibraltar in November 1941 and joined sister HSL 181 in the area. HSL 142 saw out most the war at Gibraltar but was returned to 43 Group for more repairs on the 31st May 1944, and then taken to 85 Maintenance Unit at Felixstowe in August the same year.

HSL 142 was officially written off charge by the RAF on the 17th April 1945, and kept in reserve until she was offered for disposal through the Admiralty Small Craft Sales on the 25th November 1946 at Felixstowe. Her post-war career is very sketchy, but she ended up as a houseboat on the River Thames. The current owner took up the offer of bringing the HSL to the Marchwood facility in order that the safe site and the local expertise could be used for continued restoration of the craft. HSL 142 arrived in April 2000 and is currently owned by Mick Dent. He needs assistance to ensure the project is completed, however of late, unfortunately very little progress has been made.

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