I sent one message with reference to one of these D-Boats, it was sold by Germany to Uruguay´s Customs in 1961, two years later it was trasferred to the Uruguayan Navy, nominated as R-3, after renominated as PR-10 "Carmelo".

more information write to vigadearga@hotmail.com

A brief history
After the second world war and as part of the occupational forces the Second tactical air force the RAF took over Sylt airport in 1945 and later in 1946 the RAF decided to use the airport and the airspace west of Sylt and Amrum as a firing range, and was known as RAF Sylt Armament Practice Station. From February 1948 to February 1949 the airfield was closed and prepared for the operation of jet aircraft.
For target practice a target towing Squadron was stationed continuously on the station. The aircraft used were Miles M. 25 Martinet, hawker Tempest TT, DE Havilland mosquito TT. 35, Gloster Meteor F. 8, Meteor T 7.
For instruction and training flights the flight also had some DE Havilland vampire T. 9s, hawker Hunter F. 4s, Hunter T. 7s.
The aircraft of the target towing squadron were housed in the hangar of 402 near the South West of the Station. Therefore, the unofficial designation of weapon training squadron 402 was used at the time.
For patrolling and securing the range area, as well as for rescue and training operations Marine Craft Section boats were stationed at List and Hörnum, Bristol Sycamore HR 14 rescue helicopters were Also station at RAF Sylt.
Air traffic control boats and HSLs were stationed in the port of List at the beginning of the fifties (see pictures)
D Boats
In 1954, the decision was taken to replace the air traffic control boats and the HSLs with RttLs mk2s Rescue Target Towing Launch. As part of the rebuilding program to help the German economy the boats were designed and built by Krogerwerft Yard at Rendsburg. (Later taken over by Lursson ship builders) and were numbered D2762- D2766 these boats came in service mid 1955 which explains why my Father severed on both HSL and D-boats (preferring the D-boat) D2762 and D2765 Based Hörnum, D2763 and D2764 from List, with D2766 as a reserve boat in the event of maintenance or breakdown,




Their design was very different to any other boats in the Marine Craft Section/unit more like the German Schenllboot or S Boot (allied code name 'E' Boat which my father always used), with flared bows and rounded bilges and powered by high speed diesels.


The D boats were fitted with winches for Target Towing, these were removed as the boats duties were change to Range Safety and ASR

These boats only served with the RAF, until 1961. Two were sold to the south African Air force D2762 and D2764 in1961, and the other three handed over to the Federal German Navy in 1961. All were subsequently used as ASR craft.

D- Boats in German service
The German Navy, the “Bundesmarine commissioned them on 1.9.1961 as FL 9 to FL11 and were used by Marinefliegergeschwader 5"naval aviation Squadron 5” Until end of September 1975. the three were termed as air traffic control
The fate of these three boats is a bit uncertain, one of these boats was in the process of being sold as NVG S1 as a North Sea supply boat, this deal fell through and the boat was sold to private owner in italy (no further record for this boat found) the other two boats are said to been scraped or de-commissioned , however these boats are quit properly the two that ended up in the service of the Spanish customs service as cutters, after they were confiscated when smuggling, I have tried to contact the Spanish about these boats but have not heard from them and presume they were scraped or sold in to private hands ( there is the suggestion that they were driven on rocks and sunk, no evidence found)

D-boats of the South African air force/navy
The two boats that were obtained by the south African air force in 1961 were originally known as R30 and R31 and they served under SAAF until 1969 when the unit was taken over by the south African navy and R30 became P1552 and R31 became P1551 these were changed again when holiday makers referred to the boats as PISS1 and PISS1 too R30 to P30 and R31 to P31.
Both these boats were diffidently sunk R30 Lost off Saldanah Bay on 7 October 1988 after striking a reef off Danger Point. R31, near Cape Point, after she grounded through contaminated fuel issues
There are somethings about these boats that strike me as odd,
The originations that took over these boats, they don’t like to mention the fact that these were ex-RAF or British boats,
There is no record of the Spanish boats, it is said that they were sunk but no details are available except what is said on one form.
I think I have done as much looking for information as I can, most of the bare facts are stated so thanks to all those web sites and forms that I have used and the pictures I have used
I would like to thank to Dave M for the drawing
And thanks to the marine craft branch museum for their help and for putting me in touch with Mr Rick Mortby who built the museums model of the D boat
And a big thank you to Rick Mortby for the scale drawing and for his trust.
And to Dr Christian Ostersehlte historian for Lurssen shipbuilders for the pictures of my Fathers boat D2763

and now I can start the building of the model D boat

If you look at

http://www.rafboats.co.uk/

This is a useful reference source.
Stephen you may want to consider adding the link

http://www.rafboats.co.uk/ff46vmk2.html

Hi teejay,
There are a number of photographs on

http://www.rafboats.co.uk/galleryrttl.html

Hi teejay
I have a book sailors in the RAF isbn 1-85260-407-7 that mentions the 5 96' German D-boats 2762-6 used between 1955-1961. Welded steel construction with twin Maybach diesel engines. Design was similar to the compromise round bilge shape of the wartime E-boats making them swift and sea kindly.
Whilst similat to the Hants & Dorset RTTLs they were clearly very different and bigger.
I was going to attach an outline drawing of D2764 which may be of help but its too large to post. if you send me your e-mail via pm I will share over my dropbox account.
Dave

Hi,
Looks like fun! I would have thought my first port of call would be the National Maritime Museum then I would try the German equivalent. What scale are you thinking of?
If you are going for a small model you could draw your own based on the photos of the boat and her sisters.
Good luck
Edward

A brief history
After the second world war and as part of the occupational forces the Second tactical air force the RAF took over Sylt airport in 1945 and later in 1946 the RAF decided to use the airport and the airspace west of Sylt and Amrum as a firing range, and was known as RAF Sylt Armament Practice Station. From February 1948 to February 1949 the airfield was closed and prepared for the operation of jet aircraft.
For target practice a target towing Squadron was stationed continuously on the station. The aircraft used were Miles M. 25 Martinet, hawker Tempest TT, DE Havilland mosquito TT. 35, Gloster Meteor F. 8, Meteor T 7.
For instruction and training flights the flight also had some DE Havilland vampire T. 9s, hawker Hunter F. 4s, Hunter T. 7s.
The aircraft of the target towing squadron were housed in the hangar of 402 near the South West of the Station. Therefore, the unofficial designation of weapon training squadron 402 was used at the time.
For patrolling and securing the range area, as well as for rescue and training operations Marine Craft Section boats were stationed at List and Hörnum, Bristol Sycamore HR 14 rescue helicopters were Also station at RAF Sylt.
Air traffic control boats and HSLs were stationed in the port of List at the beginning of the fifties (see pictures)
D Boats
In 1954, the decision was taken to replace the air traffic control boats and the HSLs with RttLs mk2s Rescue Target Towing Launch. As part of the rebuilding program to help the German economy the boats were designed and built by Krogerwerft Yard at Rendsburg. (Later taken over by Lursson ship builders) and were numbered D2762- D2766 these boats came in service mid 1955 which explains why my Father severed on both HSL and D-boats (preferring the D-boat) D2762 and D2765 Based Hörnum, D2763 and D2764 from List, with D2766 as a reserve boat in the event of maintenance or breakdown,




Their design was very different to any other boats in the Marine Craft Section/unit more like the German Schenllboot or S Boot (allied code name 'E' Boat which my father always used), with flared bows and rounded bilges and powered by high speed diesels.


The D boats were fitted with winches for Target Towing, these were removed as the boats duties were change to Range Safety and ASR

These boats only served with the RAF, until 1961. Two were sold to the south African Air force D2762 and D2764 in1961, and the other three handed over to the Federal German Navy in 1961. All were subsequently used as ASR craft.

D- Boats in German service
The German Navy, the “Bundesmarine commissioned them on 1.9.1961 as FL 9 to FL11 and were used by Marinefliegergeschwader 5"naval aviation Squadron 5” Until end of September 1975. the three were termed as air traffic control
The fate of these three boats is a bit uncertain, one of these boats was in the process of being sold as NVG S1 as a North Sea supply boat, this deal fell through and the boat was sold to private owner in Italy (no further record for this boat found) the other two boats are said to been scraped or de-commissioned , however these boats are quit properly the two that ended up in the service of the Spanish customs service as cutters, after they were confiscated when smuggling, I have tried to contact the Spanish about these boats but have not heard from them and presume they were scraped or sold in to private hands ( there is the suggestion that they were driven on rocks and sunk, no evidence found)

D-boats of the South African air force/navy
The two boats that were obtained by the south African air force in 1961 were originally known as R30 and R31 and they served under SAAF until 1969 when the unit was taken over by the south African navy and R30 became P1552 and R31 became P1551 these were changed again when holiday makers referred to the boats as PISS1 and PISS1 too R30 to P30 and R31 to P31.
Both these boats were diffidently sunk R30 Lost off Saldanah Bay on 7 October 1988 after striking a reef off Danger Point. R31, near Cape Point, after she grounded through contaminated fuel issues
There are somethings about these boats that strike me as odd,
The originations that took over these boats, they don’t like to mention the fact that these were ex-RAF or British boats,
There is no record of the Spanish boats, it is said that they were sunk but no details are available except what is said on one form.
I think I have done as much looking for information as I can, most of the bare facts are stated so thanks to all those web sites and forms that I have used and the pictures I have used
I would like to thank to Dave M for the drawing
And thanks to the marine craft branch museum for their help and for putting me in touch with Mr Rick Mortby who built the museums model of the D boat
And a big thank you to Rick Mortby for the scale drawing and for his trust.
And to Dr Christian Ostersehlte historian for Lurssen shipbuilders for the pictures of my Fathers boat D2763

and now I can start the building of the model D boat