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I've been back into this modelling malarky seriously now for close to 3 years after a 30 plus year break. OK, there were one or two lapses in that time, but nothing major. In the last 3 years I have done a little on the AFV front, quite a few 1/72 and 1/144 aircraft, but have not re-dabbled in a maritime model. I did start a couple of 1/700 Cold war frigates some years back in the form of two conversions of a Matchbox HMS Kelly. One was to be an RN Type 15 Frigate - HMS Rapid, and the other a type 16 Frigate, HMS Terpiscore. I still have these in their semi made state, and they will form a WIP in due course. In the meantime, I decided to wet my appetite on something "simple", or so I thought. Influenced on here by some superb examples of Coastal Forces craft by many including @robgizlu @longshanks @andrewa @seadog @JohnWS and @Courageous (I am sure there are others), I recently picked up a very old boxing of Airfix's Vosper MTB, which along with these two beautiful publications (below), has tempted me to make a start on a Coastal Forces model. Of course, those of you already into this fascinating world will know that the subject can become quite consuming! The two publications I picked up were these. It goes without saying I now want vols 3 and 4 but they must wait! And the model in question is this old girl: Other key bits of research include the John Lambert plans for MTB 379 through 395. One immediate question I would have of those who know this subject well, is that these plans appear to show an extra exhaust vent on the starboard side at the rear. From the internal diagram, this looks correct for the Port side but I suspect it should not be there on the starboard side? Indeed the profile drawings of MGB 380 and 391 in the Coastal Forces series, show this as not existing (assuming the starboard view of 391 is correct). I clearly have much to learn about these, and many other classes of MTB's and indeed MGB's, so hope for advice on the way! A start has been made on the hull, with lower, sides and rear in place (eventually after some struggles). The deck is simply taped for now, and I have also removed the moulded on torpedo guide/supports, as I was not really happy with these as moulded. I suspect there will be other areas I will change/remove, as per some of the other BM'ers I have mentioned already. I am learning from your builds guys! I've also started to remove some of the existing deckhouse moulded on detail, as I would prefer to scratch build these. Also I can see from the plans, and some other builds on here, there appear to be some minor inaccuracies. You will be familiar with these (held with blue tack): Well so far, we have these. Much detail to add I know! I have already modified the front part of the bridge by removing the raised part and scratch building a new doorway. The detail on my copy of the plans is not brilliant, but I think this is fairly accurate. I have also started to improve and clean up the deck vents (is that what they are called?) using a drill and mini dremel tools. One small and one large down, five small and three more large to go! The rear end has had the the locating holes drilled out, ready to remove the moulded on steps and replace with brass wire. As I said above, I would really appreciate any advice/guidance/tips along the way and suggested areas to improve on the kit. I will unashamedly be referring to others past builds on here, for guidance and assistance! Thanks Terry

Hi all, I just joined the forum after finding lots of useful info on Coastal Forces here. I bought the Italeri Vosper MTB kit mostly on a whim, fancying building a kit and assuming a larger scale would be easier to pick up, though I now appreciate that the smallest part in any kit will be similarly sized to the smallest part in any other kit. Anyway, I have picked up some tools and glues and have made a start on parts which I’m fairly sure I can carry on with without firmly committing yet to which boat I will actually portray. The only thing I am certain of is that it will not quite be OOB. On the strength of the many recommendations throughout coastal forces builds on here I picked up a copy of Coastal Craft History Volume 1, and I plan to choose a specific boat from the many diagrams based on whichever colour scheme and weapons configuration most sparks my interest. I also ordered the horse drawn Breda, just for options, but it will probably end up fitted (minus the horse) 😀 I remain tempted by the Griffin detail kits, mostly for the additional weapons offered, but as I have never worked with photo etch before I think it may be beyond my skill level at this stage. Once I have figured out a photo host I’ll post some pics of my meagre progress. Lewis

Hi all, Quick update on the scratch built hatches collected from the etch spares box.. Nearly there with hinges and clasps as you can see the poor quality from the kit.. Updates soon.. Happy modelling

Hi all,  Quick update ...ive been busy with the ammo lockers ( not finished yet) and dry fitting some scratch built hatches and done some more work on the torpedo tubes...the hatches will eventually match in with the coastal craft deck grey... Thanks ..  

Hi all, I've been really busy away from the forum for a while... on with this for about 18 months now and moving house inbetween, so a new workspace had to be built in the new house before the build could proceed!! NOW ITS ONWARDS!!😯😯 The wheel house is totally scratchbuilt and and the horrible origional kit deck was all flattened with a Dremel and started up over.. A mix of scratch building and aftermarket parts are still to be done as you can see.. Things still to do include, new mast, hatches, ammo lockers, twin Vickers, ropes, stantions, vents, cowels, cleats etc.. Research for my Vosper 73" 380 (1944 Thornycroft) was taken from the net, various books including osprey publishing and many trips to Telford for inspiration lol😀🤗 All comments welcome and I'll post more pics very soon as the build continues..!!! HAPPY MODELLING!! Hi all, Quick update ...ive been busy with the ammo lockers ( not finished yet) and dry fitting some scratch built hatches and done some more work and the torpedo tubes...the hatches will eventually match in with the coastal craft deck grey... Thanks ..

This is the Coastal Craft resin MTB 234 Kit with Gunthwaite figures, bit of a change of scale for me, and a really tricky paint scheme to get masked... Lots of extra little details here and there, but a nice break from scratch building capital ships. Andrew MTB234-8

The biggest highlight in our Italeri Sale is the whopping 40% off the Italeri 1/35 Vosper 74 St. Nazaire Raid Kit! This amazingly detailed kit accurately represents one of the actual British Torpedo Boats used in the highly daring and deadly St. Nazaire raid (Operation Chariot) on a heavily defended dry dock on 28th of March 1942. Watch out for more great deal from Wonderland Models! https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/blog/article/italeri-vosper-74-st-nazaire-mar-2016/

We've got a fantastic offer on the 1/35 Vosper MTB 74 'St. Nazaire Raid' plastic model kit from Italeri right now, with 40% off for a massive saving of £40!! This fantastically detailed model of a real life British Motor Torpedo Boat used during the St Nazaire Raid in World War II could also be complemented nicely with Italeri's 1/35 Vosper MTB Crew figures set which has 10% off! Hurry now while stocks last! For more info, check out our newsletter here.

Coastal Craft History Volume 1 Coastal Craft Histories This new book from Coastal craft, entitled Vosper Torpedo Boats from the 68ft PV boat to MTB538 is the first in, hopefully, a series of books covering all of Britains Coastal Forces. The second in the series is already complied and due to go to print shortly. The book is in landscape format allowing authors the space for the excellent side views. The profiles and text are by Mike Smith with the editor being none other than Neil Robinson. All the profiles are produced from those of John Lambert with his co-operation. The book begins with a short piece about the first Vosper private venture, the 68ft motor torpedo boat. This is followed by a forward and information about the book itself, what the profiles were based on and the resources from whence the wartime photographs came. Then there are short articles on the following:- The history of Vosper Torpedoes and torpedo boats Hull and wheelhouse design Engines Torpedoes and depth charges Armament Details of Vosper batches Included in the above articles there are suitable profiles of various boats and the ever changing profile of the 68 footer MTB 102. The next thirty five pages show the many and various colour schemes used on particular boats. Each of the full colour profiles, some with top down views are beautifully drawn comes with information about the particular boat, as well as the colours used. There are also useful notes on the references used if the modeller would like to go further in their research. At the end of the book, there is a page dedicated to listing the great many books that are available followed by one page covering the kits and detail sets that are available from Coastal Craft, with the last page showing whats to come in the next book. Conclusion This book is an absolute must have for anyone interested in the Vosper boats of WWII. Whether you have any kits or not, but of particular use with those who have the any of the available kits who would like to produce something not out of the box, especially as there is so much available aftermarket for the 1:72 fraternity. Those modellers who choose to model in 1:35 will need to hone their scratchbuilding skill, but this book will certainly be a help as to what equipment and modifications are appropriate to which boat. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

I am building 1/72nd scale model hulls in glass-fibre for some WWI and most WWII and later CF types over the coming months. The two scales have been chosen to match the most popular scales of the model kits currently available from the likes of Italeri, Revell and Airfix etc. so that modellers can add their favourites to their existing fleets of PTs, HSLs, MTBs, MAS and E-Boats. In 1/72nd scale I have done; Fairmile B, Fairmile D with and without scallops, 72ft RN HDML and RAN 80ft version, Australian 80ft ambulance launch like Krawarree, USN WWI and WWII Subchasers, AMS/YMS/BYMS minesweeper, RN 80ft WWI Elco ML, USCG 83ft Wheeler, HAM class minesweeper, Camper & Nicholson long MGB, Ford Class SDB. The list of wartime boats is very long and will include; all RN long and short MTBs and MGBs (at least 20 different boats), RN SGB, MLs, all 4 MFV's, 105ft MMS, all RAF HSLs, 56ft and 60ft RAF GSP, hopefully some RAF STs and RSLs, most RASC vessels (I still need plans for several), USN PTs, USAAF 63 and 85ft AVRs, also a German R-Boat and an FLB-V and the Australian Halvorsen 62ft fast supply launch. Post-war hulls will include; RAF Vosper RTTL, RAF 63ft GSP, RAF 96ft Krogerwerft D-Boat, RN Brave, Dark and Gay class FPBs, Ton class minesweepers and also some foreign boats such as the Nasty Class PTF and possibly German Jaguar and Schutze Classes. I have also already done a few in 1/35th scale; Fairmiles B & D and the 72ft HDML. I intend to continue this project over an extended period and I welcome requests to move any favourites to the front of the queue. I have an album of some previous builds; http://www.flickr.com/photos/25721684@N00/sets/72157632269542118/ Regards, Christian.

This is a little sideline project for when i need a change from planes. Bought from Modelzone in their sale for a very good price. I have been wanting one of these for a while but never had the cash , so this showed up at the right time. Im building it as mtb 234 because i like the mid blue camo. 234 had 3 rudders and an oerlikon gun mounted on the bow. The gun will be comming from accurate armour when i get some cash. I have followed the build of the 1/72 one in the new Airfix mag regarding the rudders , but i have seen others building the center one with a shaft the same length as the other two , so im not sure which is correct , if anyone know please let me know. Heres the scratch built rudder. Not perfect but good enough for me. It needs the control arm from the stb rudder adding yet.

Having purchased the Italeri 1/35 Vosper MTB i was wondering if there are any good sites with detail photos etc? TIA

Dock with Stairs 1:35 Italeri The 1:35 series of Motor Torpedo Boats from Italeri have been in production for a number of years now, and the range has been expanding since the initial launch (excuse pun) of the S-100 boat some years back. While many modellers will be happy to pose their finished kits on a simple stand, some will want to place theirs in a more realistic quayside or seaborne setting. Italeri have foreseen the former with their series of modular quaysides that have been released of late. This kit is a full 30cm segment of quay with an inset staircase for ease of access to the waterline. It stands almost 9cm tall and has a width of almost 20cm. There is no water included, as that would be tricky in a modular format. The box is adorned with a superbly painted model, and is around the size of a small 1:48 fighter box. Inside are three sprues in one bag, with a length of rope in a separate bag inside the main one. I say sprues, but one is just the large top of the quay, with a cobbled surface, manhole, grid and deckside crane/railway moulded into it. The other two sprues contain the other main surfaces, accessories and smaller scenic detailing parts. Construction is simple, but take care with the angles when adjoining perpendicular surfaces. It would be wise to use a set-square or engineers' square to keep everything square. The staircase is built up first, and requires a rectangular section to be cut out of the quayside, which is marked out on the underside of the part with a heavy pre-cut line that should be easy to complete. The quay wall also needs a similar shaped section removing, which is again marked and pre-cut. These are then mated, and a pair of constructional L-profile pillars to hold the rear of the quay level. The stairs fit into the opening that was cut earlier, and a set of C-shaped capping stone parts hide the joint neatly. After main construction, the additional items and accessories can be made up, and used at will. They include two pairs of wooden mooring posts of square and round section, T-shaped and L-shaped metal mooring posts, a boarding plank, small H-shaped mooring posts and of course a flotation ring. Some scrap diagrams at the end of the instructions show some examples of uses of the rope, with various knots that are typically used on the mooring posts. There are no decals of course, and a painting guide gives advice on typical colours of the various elements of the base in Model Master, Italeri and FS shades, but as with all diorama bases, the world is your oyster for variations, depending on the colour of the stone used in the quay, the cobbles and the state of the wooden parts. Check your references, and if you aren't feeling adventurous you could do a lot worse than imitating the finished article on the box top. Conclusion It's a lovely simple kit, and when sympathetically painted should look very nice. At 30cm long however, it will need to be coupled to another kit from the range, such as the Long Dock (5612) that is also available, which will give a total dock length of just under a metre. The forthcoming Biber mini-sub may be a likely candidate for just this one section however. Because of the modular nature of the kit, there are no sides or back to the quay, so once you have built up the length that you feel works for you, you will need to box off the open sides and rear, possibly mounting it on a board in the process. The bravest amongst us will also add water around the boat with all the work that entails, and my hat goes off to those talented folks. Thinking laterally, the kit could also be used as a diorama base for armour or figures, as some kind of captured harbour scenario - Afterall, it is the same scale as the major armour scale. I could actually see my completed Neubaufahrzeug atop it, depicted at Oslo harbour during the taking of Norway perhaps? Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of