Modelmakers Archive - May 2010

Platform, Universal, Rigid Inflatable Boat, Airborne Delivery... is what it stands for, in case you were wondering. The name is an acronym for a platform specially designed for air dropping ready-to-go speedboats (or RIBs) into the sea. The system literally launches itself out of the back of a plane, separates from the boat, deploys parachutes and lands both platform and RIB safely into the water. The platform can be recovered for further use or sunk for covert operations.

Having explained what it is now I can tell you a bit about the model. It’s at 1:10 scale (10cm equals 1 metre) and was commissioned as a demonstration tool for use at exhibitions. The client needed all the working components to be accurately modelled (hooks, straps, spring release clips, etc) so that he could explain the simplicity of the design and what made it such a reliable, proven system. It was a challenging project because of the high level of detail required and the wide variety of model making techniques needed to make all the model components. We were very pleased with the final result though and hopefully you can appreciate the quality of the model from the photographs.