British Motor Torpedo Boat 1939-45 (New Vanguard) [Paperback]

Angus Konstam (Author), Tony Bryan (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 20, 2003 | Series: New Vanguard (Book 74)

During the Second World War, flotillas of the Royal Navy's Motor Torpedo Boats and other coastal forces fought a deadly war for control of the English Channel and the North Sea. These small, fast boats attacked enemy convoys, escorted freighters, landed secret agents and even raided enemy ports. Unsung heroes, these craft and their tiny crews helped stave off defeat in the dark days of 1940. The same vessels then took the fight to other waters, and by the end of the war, British MTB's had seen service in the Mediterranean, the Baltic and the Far East. This book examines the development and operation of these frail, sleek little warships, and describes the way they were manned and how they fought.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Overall this book provides a useful potted history of these often-overlooked vessels, alongside a wealth of reference material that will prove invaluable to the modeller. Available at a keen price the book is excellent value for money and comes very highly recommended." -Graham Townsend, Model Shipwrights

From the Publisher

The unrivalled illustrated reference on fighting vehicles, transport and artillery through the ages. Each volume is illustrated throughout, making these books uniquely accessible to history enthusiasts of all ages.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (June 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841765007
• ISBN-13: 978-1841765006
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.2 x 9.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #473,901 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

With over 50 history books in print, Angus is a widely recognised and much-published historian. While he specialises in military and naval history he has also written numerous more general history books, designed to make the subject more accessible to a wider audience. Uniquely he has been able to draw on his expertise as a senior museum curator who has worked on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as on his academic training as a historian and as a maritime archaeologist.

His latest book is a full-length biography: Blackbeard: America's Most Notorious Pirate, which is published by Wiley & Sons. of New York (June 2006)

Angus is also just finished writing a history of the Allied landings at Salerno in September 1943 for the British publisher Pen & Sword, and he is currently working on a new project, with the working title of Supership: The Quest for the Renaissance Battleship.

Angus lives in Edinburgh, in Scotland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good read if you are into boats, April 6, 2009

By 

Michael White (Hobart., Tasmania. Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: British Motor Torpedo Boat 1939-45 (New Vanguard) (Paperback)

I read this book with little knowledge of what to expect.

It was really worth the read. Helped me understand more about the boats now that I have built a large scale radio controlled model of the mtb73

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars British COast Forces, December 4, 2011

By 

K. Schneider (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: British Motor Torpedo Boat 1939-45 (New Vanguard) (Paperback)

A nifty little book on the British COastal Forces of WW2. Very enjoyable, and excellent book for modelers of naval buffs just getting started in the field of naval history or torepdo boats of WW2.

For the price it is a wealth of information and great photo's and color drawings.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WW II British MTBs, September 17, 2010

By 

Sharon Chenoweth (Dayton, OH United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: British Motor Torpedo Boat 1939-45 (New Vanguard) (Paperback)

This is an excellent reference for modellers or history buffs, and I'm both! The photos are either taken while in action, the drawings are complete and revealing, and the information included is both fascinating and to the point.

I am attempting to model an MTB of the period for the second time. The first was botched because I was in such a hurry; this will make the details come to life. Also an ideal tie-in for "A Prayer for the Ship", one of my favorite novels on the time-frame, by Alexander Kent.