RFC 113, also known over the years as Makaira or 113RFC, is a truly exceptional vessel and one of the most distinctive powerboats of her era. Built in 1938 by The British Power Boat Company, she is strikingly different from the typical gentleman’s motor yacht of the period. At 47 feet 6 inches, she was conceived as an express cruiser where speed, power, and style were central to her design philosophy.

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Commissioned by Mr John Heron Storey, a former Royal Flying Corps officer of 113 Squadron during the First World War, the boat was named in honour of his squadron, hence “113RFC”. Storey served extensively in Egypt and the Middle East and was awarded the Order of the Nile in 1918. From the outset, the brief for the vessel was clear, she was to be fast, elegant, and modern. Powered originally by twin 100hp Power-Meadows petrol engines driving through Power V-drives, she cruised comfortably at 18 knots with a top speed of 24 knots, remarkable performance for the time. Launched in June 1938, she is believed to be the only example of her type ever built.

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With the outbreak of the Second World War, Storey gave RFC 113 to the Admiralty in 1940. She was initially based at St Helier, Jersey, operating as a crash boat and air sea rescue vessel, crewed entirely by local Jersey volunteers. In May 1940 she was ordered to Dunkirk, arriving at Ramsgate on 31st May for Operation Dynamo. Although she initially withdrew due to engine trouble, she went on to play a critical role in the evacuation of North West France and the Channel Islands.

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On 17th and 18th June 1940, RFC 113 completed evacuation runs between Jersey and St Malo and was the absolute last vessel to leave St Malo, departing as German forces were entering the town. On board was Commander Clarence “Johnny” Howard-Johnston, in charge of the demolition party tasked with destroying the port. RFC 113 stood offshore and observed the explosions before returning safely to Jersey.

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Following the occupation of the Channel Islands, RFC 113 was taken to the UK mainland and subsequently transported by road to Scotland. She served at several Royal Naval Air Stations, including Arbroath and Crail, where her hull form made her ideally suited to crash boat and rescue duties in support of Swordfish squadrons. In 1944 she returned south and was used as a dispatch boat in the lead-up to the D-Day landings. She remained in naval service until February 1946 and was finally returned to her owner in 1947, having served throughout the war in multiple theatres.

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Post-war, RFC 113 re-entered civilian life and passed through a number of owners, during which time she was renamed Makaira. Over the decades she was re-engined several times, including installations of Perkins diesel engines, and underwent various alterations, some of which obscured her original elegant lines. By the late twentieth century she had fallen into poor condition and was eventually discovered in a field, barely recognisable from the sleek express cruiser launched in 1938.

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Her fortunes changed when she was acquired by Jon Blair, who undertook a meticulous and historically sensitive restoration at Dennett Boat Builders. The project returned her to her original identity as RFC 113 and reinstated her classic British Power Boat Company profile. The restoration was widely recognised, winning the 2020 Classic Boat Award for Best Powered Vessel.

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Today, RFC 113 stands as a historically significant and visually striking Dunkirk Little Ships. She has since taken part in major commemorative events, including the 85th anniversary return to Dunkirk, and plans to remain an active and proud member of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships. Few vessels combine such performance-led design, wartime service, and survival against the odds.