- Yes.
- No.
- In a future Dutch/BeNeLux techtree.
- In the French BeNeLux sub-tree
- Other (Please explain in the comments).
- I said “No” in the first question.
Today I’m going to suggest a weird British boat which the Netherlands Navy operated.
This is the MTB 418-class, HNLMS MTB 433!
HNLMS MTB 433
Source: Foto's
History
Spoiler
HNLMS MTB 433
Source: Foto'sThe MTB 433 was part of the British Power Boat 72 feet-class Motor TORPEDO Boat. It’s very important to point out the Torpedo part here because the British Power Boat company was making the 72 feet boats in many different types.
The Netherlands Navy operated a handfull of these boats and specifically the Dutch onces are known as the MTB 418-class online.The origins of this boat are very mysterious. Almost all sources say that this boat started it’s life as the HNLMS MGB 114. But when you look at photos of the actual HNLMS MGB 114 you’ll see that they are not the same boat. They’ve got different hulls and weaponry. Now yes the weapnry could have been changed, but changing the hull shape halfway through it’s carreer? I highly doubt that.
My best explanation is that the HNLMS MTB 433 replaced the HNLMS MGB 114, instead of the 114 becomming the 433.
Either way the HNLMS MTB 433 pops up at the start of 1944. A new Dutch crewed 2nd MTB Flotilla was created and the MTB 433 was made a part of that. But there is one very strange thing to point out, HNLMS MTB 433 has no torpedoes. On every single photo I’ve seen of the boat it’s got no torpedo tubes fitted.
Instead she’s got a Motor Gun Boat gun setup. This adds even more to her weirdness. But it also makes her very unique which is why I wanted to suggest her. It’s most likely that she together with her other MTB 418-class sister ships carried out various patrol and harass missions in the English channel. I’ve seen one source mention that the other ships of the MTB 418-class might not have all been fitted with torpedoes either, so maybe this whole 2nd MTB Flotilla was simply filled with some more odd boats.
There is however one other explanation I have. Near the end of 1944 the 2nd MTB Flotilla was disbanded, and HNLMS MTB 433 would from then on carry out patrol missions. It could be that during the 2nd MTB Flotilla time she might have had torpedoes, but no photos of it exists. And that the photos we do have are of her in her patrol duty layout.
Sources say that HNLMS MTB 433 would survive the war and would be used as an unarmed patrol boat. But when I look at photos of this patrol boat after the war, it does not have the same hull as HNLMS MTB 433. What actually happend to HNLMS MTB 433 is unknown to me.
Design
Spoiler
HNLMS MTB 433 was 21,95 metres long, had a beam of 6,27 metres and a draft of 1,53 metres, and displaced 40 tons. She had a crew of 13 men and was able to reach a top speed of 35 knots.
The boat was powered by three 1.350 hp Packard engines.
She were armed with a single 57 mm 6-pdr / 7cwt QF Mark IIA at the front of the boat. This gun was mounted in a Mark VII mounting.
Furthermore she was armed with a twin 20mm Oerlikon Mark V mount at the rear, which was placed on this elevated position giving it excellent firing angles.
A close up of the rear 20mm Mark V mounting on HNLMS MTB 433
Source: Foto'sLastly HNLMS MTB 433 was also armed with two twin 7,92mm Vickers GO machine guns. These were placed on either side of the bridge.
The final bit of weaponry onboard were two depth charge mounts, with one on either side of the boat.
Ingame
Spoiler
HNLMS MTB 433 would just be a cool addition to the game. She’s all round just a normal MGB. We have boats ingame armed with the British 6 pounder gun, but we don’t have it on a small fast patrol boat yet. So it would be cool to see how this one would function ingame, and just how effective it would be.
Now where should these boats go to? As usualy with my Dutch vehicle suggestions, I ofcourse want to see this ingame in a Dutch or BeNeLux techtree. Ofcourse the BeNeLux has been added to France, so this is now the only option where Dutch vessels will go to. But it must be said that the Netherlands and France have nothing in common, and do not make sense to combine together ingame.
In the French tree the HNLMS MTB 433 would be a cool addition because it’s strictly a motor gunboat armed with the 6 pounder gun. France only has one motor gunboat in their coastal tree right now (The VTB-13), and it is nothing like the HNLMS MTB 433. So adding the HNLMS 433 would help make the French coastal tree a bit more unique.
Specifications
Spoiler
Displacement: 40 tons
Length: 21,95 m
Beam: 6,27 m
Draft: 1,53 m
Powerplant: 3 x 1.350 hp Packard engines
Maximum speed: 35 knots (64,82 km/h)
Crew: 13 menArmament:
1 x 1 57 mm 6-pdr / 7cwt QF Mark IIA in a Mark VII mounting
1 x 2 20 mm Oerlikon autocannons in a Mark V mounting
2 x 2 7,92 mm Vicker GO machine guns
2 x Depth charge racks, with one on each side of the boat
HNLMS MTB 433 next to another patrol boat
Source: Foto's
And there you have it! I hope you enjoyed reading about this little boat.
See you on the battlefield!
Sources
Spoiler
History and information:
Extra sources:
Photos: