Although small by naval standards, it was larger than the preceding steam or diesel-engined harbour launches of 56ft and coastal motor boats of 40 and 55 ft length. The first motor launches entered service in the First World War. These were five hundred and eighty 80-foot-long (24 m) vessels built by the US Elco company for the Admiralty, receiving the numbers ML-1 to ML-580. They served with the Royal Navy between 1916 and the end of the war, defending the British coast from German submarines.[1] Some of the earliest examples, including ML 1, also served in the Persian Gulf from June 1916. After the Armistice of 11 November 1918 a flotilla of 12 Royal Navy motor launches travelled down the Rhine performing duty as the Rhine Patrol Flotilla.[2] The only known surviving example of a World War I era motor launch is ML-286, which now lies in a poor condition on the banks of the River Thames.
Gardiner, Robert, Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921 Conway Maritime Press, 1985. ISBN0-85177-245-5.
Gardiner, Robert and Chesneau, Roger, Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946, Conway Maritime Press, 1980. ISBN0-83170-303-2.
External links
Naval Museum of Manitoba
Juno Beach
A Short History of HMS St Christopher. Royal Navy Coastal Forces training base, mainly for MLs
Stoker Harold Siddall Royal Navy, his service in ML.1030 and capture in Crete 1941
"The Movies" A Motor Launch History
May 04, 2023
motor, launch, other, types, launch, launch, boat, small, military, vessel, royal, navy, service, designed, harbour, defence, submarine, chasing, armed, high, speed, rescue, some, vessels, water, police, service, also, known, motor, launches, motor, launch, 59. For other types of launch see Launch boat A Motor Launch ML is a small military vessel in Royal Navy service It was designed for harbour defence and submarine chasing or for armed high speed air sea rescue Some vessels for water police service are also known as motor launches A WW I motor launch ML 59Class overviewBuildersElcoOperators Royal NavyBuilt1915 1918In commission1915 1920sCompleted580 General characteristics ML 1 50 seriesTypeMotor launchDisplacement34 tLength75 ft 23 m PropulsionPetrol engineSpeed19 kn 35 km h Complement8Armament1 13 pdr later replaced with 1 3 pdr depth charges General characteristics ML 51 550 seriesTypeMotor launchDisplacement37 tLength86 ft 26 m PropulsionPetrol engineSpeed19 kn 35 km h Complement6Armament1 13 pdr later replaced with 1 3 pdr depth charges General characteristics ML 551 580TypeMotor launchDisplacement37 tLength80 ft 24 m Speed19 kn 35 km h Complement8Armament1 13 pdr later replaced with 1 3 pdr Contents 1 World War I service 2 World War II types 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksWorld War I service EditAlthough small by naval standards it was larger than the preceding steam or diesel engined harbour launches of 56ft and coastal motor boats of 40 and 55 ft length The first motor launches entered service in the First World War These were five hundred and eighty 80 foot long 24 m vessels built by the US Elco company for the Admiralty receiving the numbers ML 1 to ML 580 They served with the Royal Navy between 1916 and the end of the war defending the British coast from German submarines 1 Some of the earliest examples including ML 1 also served in the Persian Gulf from June 1916 After the Armistice of 11 November 1918 a flotilla of 12 Royal Navy motor launches travelled down the Rhine performing duty as the Rhine Patrol Flotilla 2 The only known surviving example of a World War I era motor launch is ML 286 which now lies in a poor condition on the banks of the River Thames World War II types Edit Royal Norwegian Navy motor launches off Dover during the Second World War Examples Type Length Weight Speed Built Total Lost Designed forFairmile A motor launch 110 ft 34 m 57 tons 25 knots 46 km h 1939 12 Submarine chasing later minelayingFairmile B motor launch 112 ft 34 m 85 tons 20 knots 37 km h 1940 45 1 284 Submarine chasing many later roles including air sea rescueHarbour Defence Motor Launch 72 ft 22 m 54 tons 12 knots 22 km h 1940 45 486 47 Defending harbours anti submarineBPBC Type Two 63 ft High Speed Launch Whaleback 63 ft 19 m 21 5 tons 36 knots 67 km h 1940 42 70 RAF air sea rescue downed aircrew particularly in the English ChannelThe BPBC Type Two was succeeded by the Type Three 68 ft Hants and Dorset Post war many motor launches were taken on as pleasure boats A number of them are on the National Register of Historic Vessels 3 See also EditHarbour launch High speed launch Motor gunboat Motor torpedo boat Coastal Forces of the Royal Navy R boat German World War II equivalent Dark class fast patrol boatReferences Edit Gardiner p 101 Jeffrey Charles The Rhine Patrol Flotilla Part I Establishment of the Flotilla Gardiner and Chesneau p 71 Gardiner Robert Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1906 1921 Conway Maritime Press 1985 ISBN 0 85177 245 5 Gardiner Robert and Chesneau Roger Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1922 1946 Conway Maritime Press 1980 ISBN 0 83170 303 2 External links EditUK National Register of Historic Vessels Naval Museum of Manitoba Juno Beach A Short History of HMS St Christopher Royal Navy Coastal Forces training base mainly for MLs Stoker Harold Siddall Royal Navy his service in ML 1030 and capture in Crete 1941 The Movies A Motor Launch History Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Motor Launch amp oldid 1091495108, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
