- 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 ship of the first Motor Torpedo Boat class the Netherlands has operated.
This is the TM I-class, HNLMS TM IV!
HNLMS TM IV going at speed
Source: Foto's
History & Design
Spoiler
The origins of this class starts in Great Britain, with the Thornycroft company. Roughly around 1917 Thornycroft developed a so called Coastal Motor Boat (CMB). These were small 55 foot boats armed with two torpedoes, two machine guns and up to four depth charges.
Throughout the 1920’s the ships would serve not just in the British Navy, but for example the Siamese Navy also operated some. And ofcourse the topic of this suggestion, the Netherlands Navy operated some too.
A boat of the TM I-class best tested in Britain
Source: Foto'sIn total four of these Thornycroft boats were purchased and used by the Dutch Navy. Small torpedo boats like these were called Torpedomotorboten (Torpedo Motor Boats), or in short TM-boats. Ofcourse the English term for these are Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB’s). These four Thornycroft boats were the first of this type to be used by the Dutch Navy, so they were classed as the TM I-class. And the four ships were TM I, TM II, TM III and TM IV.
These boats of the TM I-class were armed with two 450mm torpedoes. These torpedoes were loaded on the rear of the boat, and when launched they would be shot backwards out of the boat. The ingame Russian G-5 boat has the exact same system. I’m not 100% sure but the G-5 might even be a Thornycroft boat, or some licence production of it.
A boat of the TM I-class launching a torpedo
Source: Foto'sFurther weapons were two depth charges, with one of either side of the boat, just behind the bridge.
And lastly a twin 7.62 mm Lewis machine gun could be installed on top of the bridge, and would be controlled by someone standing up just behind the driver of the boat. This twin machine gun mount does not seem to present on many photos of the boat, but sources do mention it, so maybe it was more a war time thing that was only installed when at war.
HNLMS TM IV in London, getting lifted onto a transport to be shipped to the Netherlands. Note the original TM 4 name, not TM IV as would be used later
Source: Foto'sHNLMS TM IV was finished somewhere in 1928. We’ve got a bunch of nice photos of the the boat getting lifted by a crane onto a transport to be send to the Netherlands.
A fun little detail: When the boats came out the Thornycroft factory their names were written on the sides of the hull. But these actaully used normal numbers instead of Roman numbers. So for HNLMS TM IV, her name was written on the side as TM 4.While TM IV was send to the Netherlands, the boat was not actually going to be used around the mainland. All the boats of the TM I-class would end up in the Dutch East Indies, how exactly they got there is not known. But the small boats with their limited range were perfect for the mostly Island landscape of the East Indies.
But during the interwar perion not much really happend, and so there actually is no service record I could find of HNLMS TM IV. What we do know is that TM IV was in conservation in Soerabaja in 1939. And in 1941 the boat was put out of service and scrapped.
Ingame
Spoiler
To be completely honest, I do believe this boat is a little to weak to fit even in reserve tier of any coastal fleet. The boat only has 450mm torpedoes, not 533mm onces like most have. And only two machine guns is also not enough. The best ingame counterpart of this boat is the Russian G-5, but that one has 533mm torpedoes, and the 12.7mm DShK also packs more of a punch then a twin 7.62mm machine gun mount.
But at the same time the HNLMS TM IV is small and fast, so it can still be of some use. And considering the TM IV is of the first class of MBT’s the Dutch Navy used, it also plays a bit of a historical role.
Now where should this boat 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.
As for the exact placement of this boat I think it would work best as a cheap BR 1.0 premium. As mentioned above, the boat is a bit to weak to be a Reserve boat, so as a premium it’s more of an optional thing people can buy, just for fun.
Specifications
Spoiler
Standard: 13 tons
Length: ~18.60 m[1]
Beam: ~3.80 m[1]
Draft: ~1.90 m[1]
Powerplant: 2 x 375 hp Thornycroft RY12 engines
Maximum speed: 37 knots (68.5 km/h)
Crew: 5 menArmament:
1 x 2 7.62 mm Lewis machine guns
2 x 450 mm torpedo tubes
2 x depth charges[1]: These dimensions are taken of another similar MTB, the HNLMS TM 3 II.
HNLMS TM IV still in Britain, getting ready to be shipped to the Netherlands
Source: Foto's
And there you have it! I hope you enjoyed reading about this little boat.
See you on the battlefield!
Extra photos
Sources
Spoiler
History and information:
- Nederlandse torpedomotorboten - TracesOfWar.nl
- 55 ft coastal motor boat (circa 1917); Warship | Royal Museums Greenwich
Extra information:
- J I Thornycroft Coastal Motor Boat | waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news – updated daily
- Time running out to save the last WW2 55-foot Coastal Motor Boat - YBW
Photos: