Japanese MTB

[SVaaka]

Hi,
I red from one book, recalling it was commode Hara´s book dealing mostly with Japanese destroyer-operations during WW II, that japanese did have and tried to produce motor-torpedo boats during WW II. Does anyone have any info from those - or even possible fotos?

[hisashi]

Previous discussions;
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=68979
Japanese Torpedo Boats (Japanese Wikipedia)
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%AD%9A% ... %E8%BB%8D)

Since 1922 Japan acquired some WWI MTBs from Britain and Germany, but in Aug 1937 Chinese MTBs attacked CA Izumo (no damage) and IJN was interested in this weapon.
CA Izumo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_cruiser_Izumo

They built six T1 class (see previous discussions) MTBs after 1941 but good engine was scarce, so many variations appeared with many available engines. In general they were poor because of insufficient engine power and too small in number against massive allied fleets.

[SVaaka]

Thanks find nice links. Finnish navy had similar problems with MTB´s and modified aircraft-engines like Japs - they didn´t last. Ex-aircraft-engines seemed to looses their power after few hours of use.

[LWD]

There has been some discussion on them over at:
http://www.j-aircraft.org/smf/index.php?board=5.0
including some pictures. Not sure they are still up though as things expire on that board.
You might ask.

[David Thompson]

Here's a US Navy photograph of what appear to be Japanese MTBs under air attack at Kure Naval Base, c. 24 Jul 1945 (scanned from John W. Lambert, Low Level Attack: The Pacific, Specialty Press, Stillwater [MN]: 1997, p. 94:

[PT Dockyard]

These are T-14 Class boats, probably the most common by the end of the war.

[James A Pratt III]

Warship International Magazine issues No 3 & 4/2007 have an excellent article "Motor Torpedo Boats of the Imperial Japanese navy" by Hans Lengerer. It mainly deals with design and production with very little on operations. It is a must for anyone interested on the subject.

[Felix C]

There was a color drawing in the 1970s of one type of Japanese MTB. 2 18" torpedoes, 2 DCs, 1 25mm mounted ontop of the cabine. Thorneycroft design. I think it was the series where Richard Moore(??) or Anthony Preston were editors. The Purcell History of WW2 installments which were bound in one volume dealing with warships.

[marek O.]

Hello SVaaka,

Completely by surprise, some time ago, I've found that Page:

http://imperialjapanesewarships.devhub. ... ne-hunter/

on which there is a color scheme of IJN mtb Type 51 and data of Type 14 mtb.

Regards,
Marek