Cruel Seas - Soviet G-5 MTBs

The Soviets used many captured craft and received British and American MTBs that were used in their light flotillas. Their home-grown efforts, however, produced the peculiar looking G-5 light torpedo boats. They built scores of these aluminium boats, a material which was vulnerable to salt water.

They were small and initially not very fast, but later models were 16 tons in weight and could manage 38 knots. Later G-5s could even achieve speeds of up to 40-48 knots if well maintained. They had a petrol engine. The late series even got up to 53 knots!

Their main strike weapon was two torpedoes, stern launched, which was rare in WWII. They were dropped tail first into the water, so a sharp turn was necessary on launch to get out of the way. Unlike most other nations, the boats carried no cannon but were armed with one 12.7mm machine gun and normally two 7.62mm MMGs.