I have just visited the RAF Museum at Hendon which has two of these craft on display outside in the open. While chatting with the restoration team on my visit, they said they may try to have these craft displayed in a covered area in the future to prevent the ravages of weather. At present they are on cradles and not in their natural environment i.e Afloat on water! so they tend to dry out which affects the integrity of the hull planking. The ones at the Museum are the same as the craft pictured, i.e. one is a 'Target towing launch' and the other a 'General service pinnace'. Another recent addition to the Museum is the 'Sea plane tender' which paid a visit to Newhaven during early May 2010, and which is now being made ready to place alongside the 'Sunderland flying boat' in one of the display halls at the Museum. Hendon is an excellent museum which is well worth a visit.

I'm pleased I found these photographs and information as I used to serve on these air sea rescue boats while serving in the RAF from 1968-1973 at RAF Mountbatten, Plymouth, 1151 M.C.U  Malta and Alnes in Scotland. This made my day.

The RTTL shown in the picture was refitted and posted to Gibraltar in '71 or '2 , she joined 2753 there, I was a electrician in Gib from 1970 to 73. She was the boat that sank in the Med a few years later, 'allegedly' her hull collapsed. Much more likely she caught a semi submerged container, we had several close calls with them during my time there.

Hi Tony, here are some photos of the last moments of 2754. I am not sure what date this happened but I seem to recall it was about '74 ish, (I'm sure someone will correct me!) and more to the point nobody was lost or hurt during the 'incident'. I agree with you about 'semi-submerged' containers - they were/are a real danger. 

My dad (the engineer Jim Beard) was on 2754 around 1972. My sister was born in Gibraltar and I went to St Georges School which became the Casino. I remember seeing these boats.

You are correct Chris Y. The launches will deteriorate. I took my son to Hendon in 2005. The pair were both outside on the cradles then and the same thing was said . 'They are to be put inside soon'. We will see. Our old C.O. At Newhaven used to say ' Ah the RTTL. 68 feet of snarling driftwood ' or occasionally referred to as 'A high speed navigational hazard'.  Driftwood is how the pair will finish if they aren't enclosed. A point on 2754. A view was put up that it was a case that the hull did collapse. She was in a following sea and for whatever reason, she dug her nose in and at any speed , other than slow ahead she will become something the hull wasn't designed to be'' A submarine''.

Finally are there any photos existing of HMAFV 2760 who broke from her moorings in Mountbatten in late 70-early 71? She wound up on the rocks on the other side of the harbour. My lasting memory of her , when she was hauled out onto Mountbatten slip was her pair of rudders. they looked to have been made of dough. Regards to all, Barry Ogle, 26 Jan 2013

I was one of the chaps who got on to 2760 when she went ashore on the rocks at Queens Anns battery. We inflated a life-raft in the sick bay to give the radio fitters time to recover the very valuable gear on board. There were many people on the pan as we dragged the hull on to the cradle with a pinnace that had managed to pull her of the rocks. The chippy in charge was an S.A.C. No one else wanted to be responsible.

Are you sure it was a pinnace that pulled 2760 off the rocks Pete, I thought it was the RSL. I know mate, I was on it! I was on duty that night and what a night it was, after almost sinking the marine tender in the storm, we got back to the marine dock and in the glare of the searchlight saw 2760 slipping backwards towards one of the seal craft. We shot back out to drop the anchor (after a frightening clamber aboard), but too late to hold her, fendered her off other craft and she shot across to the rocks. We then got the RSL to try to pull her off.

You could be right Chips, its a long time ago. Am I right in thinking the mooring bouy was still attached to 2760 as it had failed at the swivel.   I do remember it was a filthy night weather wise.