Name HMAFV 2757

Built in 1957 by Vospers, Southampton, this was the second vessel constructed to a refined design and upgraded engines as a Mark II RTTL.  These craft were the flagships of the RAF fleet from the mid 1950s to the early 1970s with 21 examples deployed worldwide.  2757 was powered by twin turbocharged Rolls Royce “Griffon” engines which were 16 and a half litre V12 petrol engines using 130 Octane Avgas highly leaded petrol. These were the same engines as used in the Shackleton Maritime Patrol aircraft except that the marine version had a water jacket fitted for cooling. Each engine developed 1750 BHP and they were configured to run through a “V” drive to the propellers, i.e. the back of the engine faced forward.  HMAFV 2757 was involved in important trials to enable the launches to rise more effectively on to the plane. The Mark II RTTL tended to a bow-high attitude in the water and, as a result, the deep vee section at the forefoot rode above the water rather than cutting into it to soften and divide the water as it should to maximise the speed gained from the planning effect. A fixed angle trimming wedge was fitted under the rear hull, which helped the launch to rise onto the plane more effectively. The wedge is visible on 2757 in her current location at the RAF Museum’s London site.

Her official RAF Movement Card shows that, following delivery to No.238 Maintenance Unit in January 1958, HMAFV 2757 was assigned to No. 1100 Marine Craft Unit (MCU) in Alness until August 1965, when she returned to Mountbatten (Plymouth) for Category 4 Repairs.  On completion of that work, some 6 months later, she was assigned to No.1105 MCU Portrush, staying there until the unit closed in 1971. On 18 June 1971, while at Mountbatten, she was ordered to sea to search an area west of Plymouth where gigs and whalers taking part in the annual Royal Navy Regatta had got into trouble in rough seas with a Force 7-8 winds.  By the time she rounded Rame Head, the wind speed had risen to a full south-westerly gale and she was beaten back to Plymouth. She was again called on to support the rescue effort for the same event in a Force 8 gale. In 1974-5, the vessel was regularly commanded by F/Lt Colin Chandler, completing some 50 operational exercises/sorties, mainly involving RAF aircraft, though with some work with the Royal Navy and Army. She was latterly kept serviceable at RAF Mountbatten pending being gifted to RAFM as the last surviving 68ft H.S.L. in the UK. 

On 26 November 1977, she made her final voyage from RAF Mountbatten up the English Channel to London's Royal Victoria Docks (arriving on 28 November) for movement by road to Hendon where she became a museum exhibit on 4 December 1977. After 25 years in one position at the end of the Museum car park, she was moved across the car park to her present display position by crane and lorry on 15 August 2002 to make way for the new landmark ‘Milestones’ building. She continues to be restored and maintained by volunteers, a friends team and contractors, with a partial re-paint completed in November 2003.