- Yes
- No
About the VTB 11 and its interest in War Thunder :
Like the VTB 8, the VTB 11 is a good contender for a reserve tier MTB for the French coastal tree. Armed with several kind of machineguns and/or a couple torpedoes, its firepower is a bit better and it would make it at the very least fun to play at that tier.
Context :
The French Navy became quickly aware of the efficiency of the Motor Torpedo boats after WW1. Among the biggest inspiration were Italian MAS, which quickly proved the potential of those ship, for example after sinking the austrian battleship Szen Itisvan, but most importantly, the British Thornicroft Coastal Torpedo boats which were extensively used during the war. Buying Thornycroft boats in 1921. They quickly became the VTB1 and VTB 2, “Vedette torpilleur” the first testing bench for a futur French made serie of MTBs, in a program called “Flottille d’échantillons”, or “sample fleet”, testing various technologies on successive operational boats. After a decade of testing, between 1921 and 1937, 10 VTB would be built, until the French Navy decided to end the sample fleet program. It was replaced by the 1937 War program, meant to mass produce MTBs for the French navy.
History of the VTB 11 :
The VTB 11 and 12 were the first of this new program following the experimental machines. They were both built by the SAACL, The Loire shipyard, which had made the disappointing VTB 10. They were built in the city of Saint Nazaire, and were meant to sail better and be better protected than their predecessors.
The VTB 11 was delayed several times, and almost completed in spring 1940. It never got to see action during the battle of France, and immediately had to flee to the UK to prevent capture by the Germans. There, it was finished by the British, and given to the FNFL. Its torpedo system was supposed to be installed in 1940, but they didn’t have the time to, so it was ultimately converted in sub chasing missions, being equipped with depth charges. The Royal Navy took it back from the FNFL late 1940. The VTB 11 was sunk by bombardment in 1943.
Specifications :
DIMENSIONS
Length (at sea level) : 18,75m
Total length : 19,85m
width (sea level) : 4,328m
Total width : 4,90m
Depth of the hull : 0,755m
maximal draught under the propellers : 1,23m
height of the forward freeboard : 1,56m
height of the middle freeboard : 1,50m
height of the rear freeboard : 0,925m
submerged surface : 2,496m2
floating surface : 62,056 m2
volume of the hull : 27,80 m3
theoric displacement : 28T
expected displacement : 28,57T
ENGINE
type : Lorraine 1160 HP x 2
Max speed (full) : 45 knts
ARMAMENT :
PLANNED :
Torpedoes : 2 x 400mm torpedoes Mle 1926 V
Torpedo launching systems : Loire lateral claw system ; hydropneumatic Loire tubes (planned)
1 x 2 Darne 7.7mm machinegun turret
HISTORICAL INSTALLATION :
1 x 2 Darne 7.7mm machinegun turret
2 x 2 Lewis gun 7.7mm Mgs mounts (FNFL refit, replace the torpedo launchers)
6 x 35kg depth charges
PHOTOS :
Blueprints :
Spoiler
PHOTOS OF THE VTB 11
Spoiler
Photo of the VTB 11 during a liaison mission in England.
VTB 11 during a visit by general de Gaulle : The Darne Machineguns turret is installed as well as the Lewis guns.
In the middle, the VTB 8. Above, the VTB 11. Below, you can see the unarmed turret of the VTB 12.
SOURCES :
Spoiler
Primary :
SHD Toulon :
série 2A1 and 2A4
Dossier 17S2 archives lehler
SHD Vincenne
Série TTC, TTD, TTY, 1BB2, 1BB8, DD1
SHD Cherbourg :
Dossier 2 A1, 2A5
SHD Centre des archives de Châtellerault (CAA):
Trial reports and plans
SECONDARY :
SAIBENE Marc, Les vedettes lance-torpille FRANÇAISE, Marines Editions, 2007, 127 p.