Tamiya U.S. Navy PBR31 MkII "Pibber" River Patrol Boat 1/35 Model Kit

1/35 scale assembly kit of the U.S. Navy PBR31 MkII “Pibber” River Patrol Boat, used in the Vietnam War until the end of 1971. They were used to stop and search river traffic in areas such as the Mekong Delta, the Rung Sat Special Zone, the Saigon River and in I Corps, in the area assigned to Task Force Clearwater, in an attempt to disrupt weapons shipments. They were also used to insert and extract Navy SEAL teams, and were employed by the United States Army’s 458th Transportation Company, known as the 458th Seatigers.

• Tamiya 35150 – Military Miniature Series #150, U.S. Navy PBR31 Mk.II “Pibber”
• 1:35 scale, 279mm length
• This plastic kitset requires assembly, paint and glue to complete.

Suggested Paint Colors (not included):
TS-28 – Olive Drab
TS-33 – Hull Red
TS-6 – Matt Black
X-10 – Gun Metal
X-12 – Gold Leaf
X-27 – Clear Red
X-4 – Blue
X-5 – Green
X-6 – Orange
X-7 – Red
X-8 – Lemon Yellow
XF-1 – Flat Black
XF-10 – Flat Brown
XF-16 – Flat Aluminum
XF-2 – Flat White
XF-20 – Medium Grey
XF-49 – Khaki
XF-58 – Olive Green
XF-6 – Copper
XF-62 – Olive Drab
XF-65 – Field Grey
XF-7 – Flat Red
XF-9 – Hull Red

Knowing that patrolling coastal and river waterways during a conflict in Vietnam was going to be extremely hazardous, the U.S. Navy searched for a boat design that could be quickly produced and employed. One chosen was a fiberglass-hulled pleasure craft built by Modutec Marine in Seattle Washington.

The Patrol Boat, River or PBR as it was known militarily, became one of the most successful weapons systems used in Southeast Asia. It was 31’ 11” long ; 11; 7” wide, and 9’9” high above the waterline. It displaced 8 3/4 tons loaded drawing two feet of water. It’s crew of four was armed with a pair of .50 cal gun or grenade launcher mounted on a tripod in the fantail, plus a single M-60 on a pipe mount bolted to one of the amidships splinter shields. It was powered by two turbocharged Detroit Diesel 205 HP, V-6 marine engines, driving a pair of Jaccuzzi 14JY water jetdrives. The engines were located underneath the aft decking, and the boat was steered by two movable nozzles below the water line, mounted on the rear transom. The water intakes were located on the hull bottom. It had a top speed in excess of 25 knots. Surface radar and two-way radio equipment provided communication and maneuvering safety.