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Germany did not share its latest military technology with its Italian allies, so Italy decided to create its very own torpedo boat. And so the famous Motosiluranti motorized torpedo boats were created.
In 1941, when Italy needed torpedo boats and their German allies were in no hurry to share their latest technology, the Italian military decided to develop their own boats based on the German Lürssen torpedo boats in service with the Royal Yugoslav Navy and obtained by the Italians as a trophy after that navy’s defeat. The Italians were able to copy the profile of the German boats’ hulls, while the powertrain and armament were replaced with Italian versions. The new torpedo boats were perfectly serviceable – almost immediately after testing the initial production run of 18 boats, the fleet placed an order for 18 more, on the condition that the shipbuilders fix the flaws revealed in the course of the tests. The MS series torpedo boats (Motosiluranti – motorized torpedo boats) saw many battles. During World War II, they went up against the naval forces of the Allies, and after the war they remained in service until the 80s. In the course of multiple developments and redevelopments, the armament and design of the boats changed – apart from torpedo boats, there were also artillery versions, transport versions, landing models and even a version designed to carry explosive boats.
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In War Thunder, we present the MS74 torpedo boat from its second production run. A peculiarity of this boat is its increased anti-air armament and four torpedo launchers: two hinged type and two tubular bays. The torpedo boat has a draft of roughly 68 tons and is capable of reaching speeds of over 35 knots (65 km/h), with a crew of 19 men. The MS74 2A carries four Italian torpedoes: two 533 mm and two 450 mm. A single 20 mm Breda cannon mounted on the boat’s nose, and toward the rear are four German 20mm Flak 38 anti-air guns, which provide excellent coverage for destroying both airplanes and small enemy boats. Twelve depth charges help put off determined pursuers of enemy ships.
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The MS74 2A is an excellent torpedo boat in the lower ranks: no terrible flaws, only excellent advantages! This very boat will introduce War Thunder players to small Italian ships in the upcoming testing session for the Italian naval forces. Get involved in the fleet! See you soon!
