Fairmile A motor launch

The Fairmile A motor launch was a type of Motor Launch designed by Fairmile Marine for the Royal Navy.

Development
Shortly before the Second World War the British industrialist Noel Macklin submitted to the Admiralty an innovative plan for the series production of a motor launch. The design used prefabricated parts, which allowed various small concerns, such as furniture and piano manufacturers, to produce the individual components. These components could then be assembled in separate shipyards. The hull was to be made of double diagonal mahogany planking with plywood frames divided into nine watertight compartments.

The Admiralty rejected the concept, and so the prototype was built as a private venture. In July 1939, two months before the outbreak of war, the Admiralty had a change of heart and awarded Macklin a contract to build eleven further Type A Fairmiles.

Service
The first vessel (ML100) wasn't completed until May 1940 because of handling problems at low speeds; however the subsequent boats had all entered service by July. Their role was to be anti-submarine escorts in coastal waters; however once the better Fairmile B motor launches began to enter service in the autumn of 1940, the Type A boats were converted to minelayers.