More on MTB 379/74

Here's some more info on the two MTBs.

Firstly, here's a link to the Traplet Publications page for the MTB 379 kit:

http://www.trapletshop.com/gb/p/13748/vosper-mtb-379

According to uboat.net, MTB 379 was a Vosper boat, 73 feet in length. MTB 74 was a Vosper boat, 72 feet in length. This conflicts somewhat with the information from the Osprey book British Motor Torpedo Boat 1939-45, which lists 379 as a 70-foot boat, and MTB 74 as a 70-foot as well, both Vosper. Another book, Allied Coastal Forces of WW2, by John Lambert, seems well respected, so might have the definitive information. However, it's out of print and copies on Amazon are listed starting around $150.

From naval-history.net I get this picture of MTB 234. Though it's not a 70-foot boat, you can see that it has the torpedo tubes mounted beside the wheelhouse.

And here's a picture of MTB 74. Note the placement of the torpedo tubes on the bow of the boat in front of the wheelhouse.

The problem with the kit is that it's semi-scale, so doesn't incorporate the curved section that leads from the rear deck to the higher deck at the bow. The kit is simply a flat deck from bow to stern. So, can I make the conversion? I don't know. Once I get to that part of the build I'll make the decision whether to just go ahead with the flat deck, or risk screwing up the whole boat by trying to make the deck match the pictures. I have no plans to go by to do this, so would just have to eyeball the whole thing. Risky. For me, anyway.

So now I'm off to take pictures of various projects, and will post them later on. But first, there's a bottle of The Macallan cask strength that's calling me. It's happy hour.