Summary

Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) 379 was the prototype of a new Royal Navy design for a 73-foot fast attack flush decked wooden MTB combining torpedo and heavier gun armament. Chief designer was Commander Peter du Cane, Managing Director of Vosper Ltd, Portsmouth, UK. Power was provided by three 1400 horsepower Packard petrol engines. Top speed was 39 knots at full power. Armament was four 18-inch torpedo tubes, one 20mm Oerlikon gun and two .303 machine guns. Sixteen of this Type 1 design were built as MTB 380-395 and five Type 2 boats were built as MTB 524-527 featuring a six-pounder gun. MTB 379 was ordered in 1942 and built in early 1943 with the other boats being built thereafter. These MTBs were widely used in naval operations in the English Channel and along the coast of occupied Europe until 1945.

This 1:24 scale model was purchased in 1958 by the Museum from Mr John Walker, a professional ship model-maker and former employee of the ship construction branch of the Department of the Navy.

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