Atlantic Models 73ft Motor Torpedo Boat

[Shar2]

73ft Motor Torpedo Boat

Atlantic  Models 1/350

 

Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) 379 was the prototype of a new Royal Navy design for a 73-foot fast attack flush decked wooden MTB combining torpedo and heavier gun armament. Chief designer was Commander Peter du Cane, Managing Director of Vosper Ltd, Portsmouth, UK. Power was provided by three 1400 horsepower Packard petrol engines. Top speed was 39 knots at full power. Armament was four 18-inch torpedo tubes, one 20mm Oerlikon gun and two twin Lewis .303 machine guns. Sixteen of this Type 1 design were built as MTB 380-395 and five Type 2 boats were built as MTB 524-527 featuring a six-pounder gun. MTB 379 was ordered in 1942 and built in early 1943 with the other boats being built thereafter. These MTBs were widely used in naval operations in the English Channel and along the coast of occupied Europe until 1945.

 

The Model

The kit arrives in a small, ziplock poly bag, complete with single piece hull, a small resin block and a small etched brass fret. The main hull, which is around 1.5 inches, (37.5mm) long, and is a beautifully moulded item, although the review example had two very small defect on the starboard side lower hull, near the chine and a slight moulding stub on the bow and stern, but these are all below the waterline so when using in a diorama they may well be ignored, unless the modeller is really picky, even then they will easily be removed with a sharp scalpel or a few swipes of a sanding stick. The rest of the hull and "superstructure" is very clean and nicely done.

 

 

 

 

Another small bag contains the rest of the resin items, these are the four 18” torpedo tubes and four ventilator cowls, although the review sample only came with three as one seems to have been knocked off the moulding block and it definitely wasn’t in the bag. These items have a small amount of soft resin flash and pour stubs which are readily cleaned up. Otherwise they are once again nicely moulded.

 

The rest of the parts are contained on the single, smallish etched brass sheet. These include the mast assembly, which is folded together to make the complete mast, with the radar antenna already in place. Just the anemometer and yardarm to attach and it’s ready to glue into position. The forward mounted twin 20mm cannon mounting consists of the guns which need to be folded into position, the separate sight, pintle, which isn’t actually needed on this kit as the pedestal is pre-moulded on the hull and shield. The bandstand railings are then carefully rolled to shape and glued in place. The rest of the brass fittings include the boats wheel and windshield for the bridge, two liferings, three deck hatches, jackstaff, anchor and railings for the bow and stern. On the forward pair of tubes there is a rocket projector, each required to be folded to make the complete part. On the rear tubes there are a pair of twin Vickers machine guns, which like the Oerlikon also need to be folded to shape along with the pintle and each gun fitted with a drum magazine. If required the model can be fitted with the three propeller shaft skegs, propellers and rudders, but as these kit will most likely find themselves in a diorama or vignette then they can be left off.

 

Conclusion

It’s great to see this and other narrow seas boats being re-released by Atlantic Models, having been lost to the modelling world since White Ensign went down. This is a great little kit and would be a good starter piece for those not used to working with resin or etch. Look forward to seeing other boats in the range being re-released as well as number of new kits which are or the drawing board. The instructions show the paint scheme for MTB 379 using Colourcoats paints, but if you wish you can paint it for whatever boat you wish to depict as there are no decals to worry about.

 

Review sample courtesy of Peter Hall of

 

Edited December 5, 2019 by Shar2