Just about all of us have heard about MTB's (Motor Torpedo Boats) or as called in the US, the PT boat. But few are aware of their close cousins, the MGB (Motor Gun Boat). The British started WWII with MTBs build by several companies, whose job was to attack enemy ships with the torpedo as its major weapon. However, there are many times when a torpedo isn't really what is needed.

The British found this out at the start of the war when German Schnellboots (or as the Brits called them, E-Boats[enemy boats]) started harassing channel and north sea convoys. This was particularly troublesome after Germany the low countries and France, providing bases right along the channel coast. What was needed was a similar boat to combat the German menace. Unfortunately, the Admiralty had ticked off the top designer of these sorts of boats, Scott-Paine, who took his designs to the US and Elco where they were developed into the PT boat we all know about.

Fortunately, there were other boat makers like Thornycroft, British Power Boats (BPB) and Fairmile, who were able to eventually provide what was needed. Initially, these non-torpedo carrying MGBs were little more than adaptations of the MTB, which had good speed, but poor armament and even poorer sea keeping and crew accommodations. Eventually, the British learned and thanks in great part to Fairmile, were able to develop boats that were not only the equivalent of the German E-boats, but eventually were able to out-gun them as well. The heaviest armament generally carried were 40mm cannon. I found it interesting to note that many of the later Fairmile D boats were fitted with torpedoes and reclassified as MTBs.

A major reason for the success for the Fairmile design is that these boats were produced as kits and sent to a multitude of boat makers around the world where they could easily be constructed in a relatively short time. This allowed them to be built close to where they were needed as these boats were needed in places other than the UK and Mediterranean.

In his book, author Angus Konstam covers these ships with the design and development of each class, modifications made to the various ships, and a brief look at how they were used in combat. This is all superbly illustrated with period photographs and the excellent art work of Tony Bryan.

It is an outstanding volume and a great primer on these little known, but important ships. I found it quite interesting and I know you will as well. It is a book that I can highly recommend to you.

May 2010

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