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Assault Support Patrol Boat, 1/72, by Georgi

G

Georgi Grigorov

Joined
Apr 23, 2024
Messages
10
Points
23

Hello,
I've been wanting to diversify my usual 1/700 work with something in 1/72 to go with my tank collection for quite some time now. And also because some models just won't look good in "normal" scales. And as my first subject (or series of subjects) I chose the boats used in the Mekong Delta. Practically all the boats used there are very, or very very, interesting, so the choice was quite difficult. But in the end I settled on ASPB. As I mentioned, I have been planning this project for quite some time, but first the Chinese plague intervened, and in the last two years, the war in Ukraine.Last week, while tidying up my office, I discovered that I had even bought quite a few books and magazines with materials and decided it was time to take action:) I re-read the collected materials to refresh my memory, I also searched the Internet for additional information, and that's how I came on this forum and on this post in particular:

Viet Nam era ASPB

One of the more unusual designs to come out of the Viet Nam war was the ASPB. These plans are from the ASPB manual.
shipsofscale.com
Which turned out to be crucial, because the proportions of the schematics in Friedman's book (and the last two in this post) appear to be quite skewed. At the moment, I don't have much to show, although the preparation I have done is key and time-consuming. That's it for today, we still need to work on the main projects.
My plans for ASPB are to do it in several configurations, moving in chronological order.



ASPB_WIP_01.png
 
With small steps (my son recently wrote a report at school about this great man and I am still on this wave) we are moving forward. It is very unpleasant that even the drawings from the manual differ in the different projections, fortunately in the table of the same dimensions. Also yesterday I found some very good pictures of the bottom of this boat, and I will measure the distance between the screw channels from them, it also shows the shape of the screws themselves. Having the case as geometries I played around a bit with the slicer, this will be a 16+ hour print!ASPB WIP 02.jpgASPB WIP 03.jpg
 
Unfortunately, this project died. A few minutes ago I came across very nice photos of Swift, and saving them in the BWN directory I found that it is empty!!!! None of the housemates admitted to touching my computer. I'll check tomorrow to see if I have a backup at the office. But not everything is so black. Firstly because due to a lack of pictures of the front of the early boats I had almost decided to skip them and start with the second series. Then the most important part - the photo analysis is still in my head, so I'll catch up quickly, but it's still kind of annoying....actually, it's quite annoying, but I'm trying to look ahead. And I had just finished modeling the superstructure :(
 
As a famous uncle with a cigar said - Never give up, never surrender:) The positive side of the story is that while I was restoring the collected photos I came across several new ones. I also read some good stuff. I couldn't find any pictures of the boats from the first series though. But given that the hull differs significantly so and so there isn't much continuity in design......in short after a lost day I'm back to where I was before the "loss". Only the nice stand I had drawn is missing.ASPB_01.jpg
 
Georgi Grigorov said:
Hello,
I've been wanting to diversify my usual 1/700 work with something in 1/72 to go with my tank collection for quite some time now. And also because some models just won't look good in "normal" scales. And as my first subject (or series of subjects) I chose the boats used in the Mekong Delta. Practically all the boats used there are very, or very very, interesting, so the choice was quite difficult. But in the end I settled on ASPB. As I mentioned, I have been planning this project for quite some time, but first the Chinese plague intervened, and in the last two years, the war in Ukraine.Last week, while tidying up my office, I discovered that I had even bought quite a few books and magazines with materials and decided it was time to take action:) I re-read the collected materials to refresh my memory, I also searched the Internet for additional information, and that's how I came on this forum and on this post in particular:

Viet Nam era ASPB

One of the more unusual designs to come out of the Viet Nam war was the ASPB. These plans are from the ASPB manual.
shipsofscale.com
Which turned out to be crucial, because the proportions of the schematics in Friedman's book (and the last two in this post) appear to be quite skewed. At the moment, I don't have much to show, although the preparation I have done is key and time-consuming. That's it for today, we still need to work on the main projects.
My plans for ASPB are to do it in several configurations, moving in chronological order.
Click to expand...
Hallo @Georgi Grigorov
we wish you all the BEST and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Birthday-Cake
 
You should know there are two versions of the ASPB, actually there is a 3rd but not under that abbreviation. The Program IV was created for the Mekong theater in '66 -67 timeframe. It was a good boat but had flaws. The aft was open so when the boat would power down it could become swamped by the wake. This could and did cause a few of the boats to sink. The second version Program V was a touch wider with a closed aft and few other modifications. You are working with a Program V boat drawings. This is also why earlier drawings you research aren't matching these spec's.
If you're really interested, the ASPB was the only boat created for the war and all were left in country. None exist in the United States country of origin.
Another tidbit of information, the Program IV boats were in RivRon 9 and 11. After the Navy figured out the boats were susceptible to flooding they had a modification they would perform called a Fram job. This widened the boat similar to Program V width and filled that space with foam to keep the boat afloat. The fram also enclosed the aft of the boat similar to the Program V ASPB. There is only one ASPB that I can document this modification to have happened too. I am the son of the sailor on that ASPB. The call sign of that boat is Dragonfly Alpha 7.
 
Hello Drangonfly, I read your post of 9/05/2024 with interest, and I just want to make a correction respectfully. You stated there are not any ASPB's in the US. I actually owned one from 1986 through 2003. My dad had purchased it in the San Francisco bay area and converted it to a commercial crabber. when he got it it still had some armor plating topside and did not have any engines. He built a new stepped wheelhouse and installed 2 rebuilt 8v71 Detroit engines. I bought the boat from him in 1986 and named it "Celtic" I had it CG inspected, (COI for 48 passengers). I used it untill 1996 in the sport fishing business, and the commercial Dungeness crab fishing industry out of Eureka, Ca. until I sold it to a fisherman from Westport, Wa. in 2003, as far as I know it is still fishing from that port. Celtic had on board an old navy maintenance manual indicating it was designated ASPB 6. I saw on TV a segment of the program "Modern Marvels" witch was about riverine craft during the Viet Nam war some footage of boats that showed ASPB 6 in a column on patrol. so at least one made it home. In about 1990 my dad had the opportunity to purchase another ASPB with he did, he converted it for fishing also, although it never did end up fishing. It is named "Saxon" and was last known to be laying in the Petaluma river at Haystack landing around 2004, Celtic was built in Portland, Or. by Gunerson ship yard in 1967. Celtic was a very capable boat, and very versatile. It served me well for 17 years.. sincerely Phillip Glenn, Eureka, Ca.
 
Hey Phillip, great information. During research I heard about one of the training boats being sold and converted to a fishing vessel. Maybe that was you and your father’s “Celtic” boat. I would be curious to find these ship yards and see if anymore are mothballed and will look for the Saxon. If you recall who, what, when or where ai would be grateful for the information. Craigyoung@live.com
Craig
 
Hi Craig, Thanks for your reply, I double checked on builder, I had misspelled the name, It is Gunderson shipyard. I think if you google it you may be able to get more info on ASPB's. I used to have some prints of building plans that an old friend obtained for me from gunderson, but can't remember what ever happened to them I probably let them go with the boat when i sold it. I don't know your location, but if in Washington state you could check with Westport harbor , it would be moored in the harbor where most of the native boats are moored, or at least it was several years ago. I also never did know exactly where my father bought the "Celtic" (ex ASPB 6), I think is was Richmond, Ca. but that is only a guess. Pretty sure "Saxon" came from the same place. Sorry I am so vague. If you want to call me my number is 707-442-7843.. Phil
 
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