PBR 31 Mk. II "Pibber" - US river patrol cutter

When the Vietnam War began, the US Navy focused on deep-sea vessels: primarily aircraft carriers and submarines. However, the Vietnam War was not a traditional war. Vietnam has about 3,000 km of inland waterways, and due to the undeveloped road network, water transport was the main mode of transport in the mid-XXh century. Naturally, when hostilities began, the US Navy decided to start patrolling these waterways. To perform this task, a small and fast patrol cutter was needed. Therefore, the PBR (Patrol Boat River) Mk I was created on the basis of a civilian recreational cutter. The PBR was a high-speed, shallow-draft diesel-powered vessel designed for the rivers and bays of southern Vietnam. The hull of the ship was made of fiberglass to reduce weight and increase speed, and a water cannon propulsion system allowed the ship to navigate in small and narrow spaces. The first Mark I boats appeared in Vietnam in 1965. A new modification, the Mark II, was developed in 1966. This variant was larger and developed a higher maximum speed (up to 29 knots). The first eleven PBR's were delivered in March 1966 and quickly entered service in Operation "Game Wardens". The PBR's were armed with two .50-caliber M2 machine guns, mounted in an M-36 turret forward, and a .30-caliber M1919 machine gun in the stern, and as auxiliary weapons, an M60 machine gun or an M18 automatic grenade launcher could be installed. The PBR crew consisted of 4 soldiers, armed with personal weapons, two URC-46 radio stations and a "Raytheon" 1900 radar were installed. Their effectiveness was essential and formed the basis of small cutter's operations with the Special Operations Command in future conflicts. In total, about 250 PBR's were used in Vietnam.

A very interesting model of a ship from the Vietnam War period. Excellent detailing, although the model can be safely attributed to medium complexity, but, working under the supervision of a more experienced colleague, it will be perfectly assembled by both a modeler with little experience and an advanced beginner modeler. All parts and assemblies are made down to the smallest detail, including weapons and interior equipment of the control cabin. There are additional elements - boxes, tanks and fuel tanks - details. Traces of exploitation really enliven the model. The publication also includes a very original base with an imitation of the water surface. From the publication You can assemble one of the two ships of the 116th Special Purpose Group of the US Navy (Task Force 116), which participated in the actions of Operation "Game Wardens" - monitoring and suppressing Viet Cong activities in the Mekong Delta. Unit "Dong Tam River Rats", Vietnam, 1968-1971.