August 16, 2010: HMAFV HSL-102 seen at Portsmouth, England.

August 16, 2010: HMAFV HSL-102 seen at Portsmouth, England.

August 16, 2010: HMAFV HSL-102 seen at Portsmouth, England.

June 2, 2011: HMAFV-102 and HM MGB-81 seen at Portsmouth, England.

June 2, 2011: HMAFV-102 and HM MGB-81 seen at Portsmouth, England.

June 2, 2011: HMAFV HSL-102 alongside HM MGB-81 and HMAFV ST-1502 seen at Portsmouth, England. The masts of HMS Victory can be seen in the background.

May 26, 2014: HMAFV HSL-102 seen at Haslar Marine, Gosport, England. HM ML-1387 is seen astern.

RAF High Speed Launch 102  
Type Class: 100
Built by: British Power Boat Company, Hythe
Year built: 1936
Displacement 19 tons
Length: 64'  
Beam: 14'
Draught: 4'
Engines:  3 x 500hp Cummins petrol engines
Speed: 42 knots

22 of these craft were built and because of their unrivalled speed at the time were nicknamed the spitfires of the seas. The young men crewing these craft were very conscious that they were driving a bomb carrying 3,000 gallons of petrol. If hit in the tank they simply exploded. The background to their creation is most interesting.  Many people have heard of Major T. E. Lawrence (aka Lawrence of Arabia and El Orrance). After his exploits in Arabia during the First World War, Lawrence sought peace and obscurity and changed his name and enlisted in the RAF as simple Aircraftman T. E. Shaw.  

He just couldn't let things rest and designed a high speed craft for use in servicing seaplanes. He then went on to inspire and design a launch for ocean service and for service as a rescue craft. 22 of these Class 100 boats were built and did amazing service in the air/sea rescue role. In two months alone HSL-102 rescued some three dozen downed aircrew including the crew of a German bomber.

By 1943 the Class 100 boats were replaced by an improved design and were mostly transferred to the Royal Navy for various duties. After the war they were disposed of and HSL-102 passed through various private hands until spotted in 1993 and taken in hand for restoration and was relaunched by HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 1996, fifty-five years after she had first stepped onboard during a Royal Inspection to mark its sterling rescue work! HSL-102 is now owned by the Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust as part of the Historic Dockyard.