Fire Support Boat, Riverine (FSBR) Mk.IILength: 51 feet 8 inches (15.75m)
Beam: 15 feet 6 inches (4.72m)
Draught: 24 inches (61cm)
Displacement: 20.67 long tons (23.15 short tons / 21t)
Propulsion: 2 x 270/370 hp (201/276 kW) Cummins VT8-370-M turbocharged marine diesel engines,
each powering a Caldwell & Lacey TP12M turbine water-jet with a thrust bucket for
reverse thrust.
Speed: 22.5 knots (25.25mph / 41.85 km/h)
Complement: 10 - 12
Armament: 2 x 40mm Bofors multi-purpose autocannon in a US M-42 twin-mount turret (248 rnds)
1 x 20mm General Dynamics M168 Vulcan rotary cannon (3,000 rnds)
2 x .50 cal Browning M2HB machine guns (3600 rnds)
Assorted personal small-arms
Armour: Hull – ¼ inch mild steel plus internal reinforcing up to ¾ inch
Superstructure – 1 inch armour grade aluminium
The Fire Support Boat, Riverine, Mk.II was an Australian-built vessel designed for operations in the rivers & deltas of South East Asia utilising primary & secondary weapons acquired from US forces in Vietnam.
Operated by the Royal Australian Marines of the Joint US-Australian River Patrol (JUSARP) from 1967 until the withdrawal of Australian main force units in 1978, when they were handed over to the Republic of Viet Nam Navy (RVNN).
The FSBR’s were generally used with RAM PBR 31 Mk.II’s in operations against North Vietnamese / Viet Cong supply bases along the river. However, they often served as flank-guards for main force land operations in the Mekong Delta & River areas, & as fire-support for RAM Special Boat Service infiltration & extraction operations, & US Navy SEAL activities all along the Vietnamese coastal & riverine areas.
Only 6 of these boats were built, including the 2 Mk.I’s which were converted to Mk.II standard. As river boats the FSBR’s were quite exceptional, with a rapid acceleration & impressive agility for their size. However, they lacked sufficient crew accommodation for extended patrol operations & had generally poor ride qualities in all but the calmest seas. Despite this they were the preferred support boats for special operations teams as they were fast, heavily armed &, with their exhaust gasses exiting via the water-jet units, quiet.
Depicted is FSBR Kilo-Four (a.k.a.
“The Real Thing”) as she appeared at the height of the 2nd Tết Offensive, in 1975, during short a Rest & Re-armament break. In the cockpit is the Duty NCO, Corporal Lionel “Snowy” Walters.
(Note: These are the last photo's before the cockpit roof was glued in place.)
Lidded, roofed & covered.
(Link to new SmugMug album:
https://guyplachy.smugmug.com/RAM-Fire-Support-Boat-Riverine/)
Well, except for a bit of loose gear floating around, that's it!
FINISHED!