Bold Pathfinder 1955
Bold Pathfinder 1963
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Bold Pioneer (ex-MTB5701) | P5701 | 5415 | White, Cowes | 1950 | 18.8.1951 | 1.1953 | sold 1958 |
| Bold Pathfinder (ex-MTB5720) | P5720 | Vosper, Portchester | 1950 | 17.9.1951 | 2.1953 | sold 1962 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
130 |
|
Displacement full, t |
150 |
|
Length, m |
P5701: 35.4 pp 36.9 oa P5720: 35.7 pp 37.4 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
P5701: 6.20 P5720: 7.80 |
|
Draught, m |
P5701: 2.00 P5720: 2.10 |
|
No of shafts |
4 |
|
Machinery |
2 Metropolitan-Vickers G.2 gas turbines + 2 Mercedes diesels |
|
Power, h. p. |
9000+5000=14000 |
|
Max speed, kts |
16 under diesels |
|
Fuel, t |
diesel oil |
|
Endurance, nm(kts) |
|
|
Armament |
as gunboats: 2 x 1 - 114/19 Mk I, 1 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 9 as torpedo boats: 1 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 9, 4 - 533 TT |
|
Electronic equipment |
presumably type 268 radar |
|
Complement |
18 |
Project history: Experimental prototypes served as test-beds for development of the Gatric gas turbine first installed in MGB2009, although they were initially fitted with ex-S-boat Mercedes diesels, which proved very unreliable. They were an earlier design than the 'Dark' and 'Gay' classes, but were bigger and more seaworthy. They were also very impressive, with twin funnels and lattice foremast. They were both aluminium framed with a wooden shell, butBold Pathfinder had a hull of round bilge form whereas Bold Pioneer had a hard chine hull, the object being to compare the two configurations.
Modernizations: mid-1950s, both: diesels were replaced by Deltic.
Naval service: No significant events.
Bold Pathfinder 1953 as MGB
Bold Pioneer 1953 as MGB
Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.
© Ivan Gogin, 2015