Canadian Fairmile B motor launch

87: 74: 61: 3976: 1113: 904: 1027: 818: 26: 418:(3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph) speed advantage over the British boats. As one former Fairmile Captain described them, "sheathed for operation in ice and displacing 100 tons, they were indeed veritable 'Little Fighting Ships'." Crewed by two or three officers and 14 sailors, accommodation on the Fairmile B was thought to be "cramped but comfortable". 947: 859: 1073: 987: 320:

in Canadian waters. By the end of 1940 with the first British Fairmile B motor launches completed, performance figures and a complete set of drawings and specifications were sent to Canada. Although unimpressed with the trial results that showed that the Fairmile B was not quite maneuverable at slow

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and the mainland of Canada. Regularly deployed in flotillas of six "The Little Ships" relieved larger escort craft urgently needed elsewhere by carrying out anti-submarine patrols, port defence and rescue duties. Based out of shore establishments on the St. Lawrence River, Halifax, Saint John,

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for a "standard price for each vessel of $ 85,000 in the east and $ 76,000 in British Columbia." It was expected that the twenty-four boats would be delivered by the end of 1941 but shortages of resources and components delayed builders efforts. As such, only thirteen Fairmiles built in the

442:) engines, could reach a speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) maximum, 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) sea speed and had a range of 1,925 miles (1,673 nmi; 3,098 km) at 7.5 kn (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph). Later versions ( 458:

A unique design feature of the Fairmile B was that with forty-eight hours notice each boat could be reconfigured to serve in a different role. Fitted with steel strips and tapped holes to ease equipment swaps, weapons and specialist gear such as

4294: 353:, Ontario, due to winter storms. Once in Halifax, only four of the Fairmiles could be kept operational due to a general shortage of naval personnel and all other available crews being prioritized to 410:, they arrived in prefabricated kits, ready to be assembled for the RCN by a number of different boatyards. In contrast to the British built boats, the Canadian Fairmile was narrower, had a greater 316:

was planning to build Type "B" Fairmile motor launches for such work in British waters", the RCN began to investigate the comparative advantages of building and employing the Fairmile B

4303: 4074: 471:, and guns could be quickly stripped and attached to the boat. In two days, a Fairmile could have its weapons and equipment reconfigured to serve as an escort, 284:

They were known by their crews as "The Little Ships", "Little Fighting Ships", "Q-Boats", "MLs" or "Holy Rollers" (due to their violent pitching and tossing),

4426: 4193: 4421: 4390: 450:) were fitted with larger 700 hp (520 kW) engines able to achieve a top speed of 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) with an identical range. 321:

speeds required for the ASDIC to work correctly, the need for more anti-submarine vessels was so great that the Naval Staff proceeded with the program.

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design incorporating slight modifications for Canadian climatic and operational conditions. Eighty-eight were built in Canada for service with the

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During the Second World War the Canadian Fairmile B of the RCN played a vital role escorting shipping along the St. Lawrence River, in the

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was the first of a series of wooden Canadian-built Fairmile B delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) on 18 November 1941

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Originally designated and painted up as 'Coastal Motor Launch' (CML) 01–36, the Canadian Fairmile B was built of double

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In July 1941 the Naval Staff let out another contract for twelve MLs in order to help provide for the defence of

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under the command of Flag Officer, Newfoundland. After the war, the French Fairmiles were returned to the RCN.

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By April 1941, contracts for the first twenty-four Fairmile B boats was signed with seven builders in

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Shelburne, Sydney and on the West Coast; at sea the RCN Fairmile Fleets were accompanied by two "

384:, continuing material shortages delayed the commissioning of these vessels to May and June 1942. 338: 278: 92: 4100: 407: 313: 4302:. Operations Division Naval Staff Admiralty. 16 December 1944. pp. 57–61. Archived from 4269: 3779: 590: 329: 4353: 4338: 4513: 4097:

Allied Coastal Forces of World War II Vol 1: Fairmile designs and US submarine chasers

4019: 4528: 4503: 3774:(USN) as US coastal protection had been depleted by transferring ships to the RN for 211:

1,500 mi (1,300 nmi; 2,400 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)

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gives the later engines as "Sterling Admiral engines of 850 hp" and making 24 knots

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With a fuel capacity of 2,320 gallons of 87 octane gasoline, the early Fairmiles (

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realized that the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) needed more vessels equipped with

192: 184: 3766:) were built by Le Blanc for the Royal Navy (RN) and were transferred under 476: 404: 1112: 4332:

Fairmile Motor Launch at Juno Beach Centre "Canada In WWII" junobeach.org

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Originally designated and painted up as CML 003. To Free French 1943 as

817: 25: 483:, ambulance or rescue launch. Small arms for the crew were a 9 mm 373: 350: 325: 18:

Type of boat built by Canadian boatbuilders during the Second World War

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Fairmile Bs built in Canada in service with the United States Navy

1072: 986: 858: 3974: 1111: 1071: 1025: 985: 945: 902: 857: 816: 491: 414:, and were slightly more powerful giving the Canadian boats a two- 297: 237: 148: 3049: 484: 400: 4399:

British and Commonwealth coastal forces of the Second World War

4372: 4029:. Vol. 14, no. 4. Royal Canadian Navy. pp. 11–16 850:

Originally designated and painted up as CML 002. Sold 1946 as

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and adjacent waters. Intended for anti-submarine patrols at

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Heenan, RCNR (Ret), Captain Joseph A. (February 1962).

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