£3,000 - £5,000
A FINE 1:30 SCALE MODEL OF H.M. M.T.B. 621, BUILT BY JAMES A. SILVER LTD, DUNBARTONSHIRE, CIRCA 1942
modelled by A.W. Penny of Teddington, with carved hull with silver-plated and painted wood and metal fittings as appropriate, detailed superstructure, mounted on twin columns with original glazed display case with maker's plates, measurements overall -- 25 x 53 x 17in. (63.5 x 134.5 x 43cm.)
Designed by Noel Macklin for the Fairmile Boat Building Co., these largely wooden craft were conceived as a kit to be assembled by various small boat yards around the country. This enabled the UK to produce 228 between 1941 and mid-1945 for use as either gun or torpedo boats. M.T.B. 621 was originally conceived as a gunboat when commissioned in 1942 but repurposed in 1943 as the torpedo boat as depicted in this model. Lend-lease provided a good supply of 2500hp Packard engines and with four mounted in series, they could develop 29 knots fully loaded and with a crew of 21. Under the Command of J.A.H. Whitby R.N.V.R. from 1st September 1943, she took part in Operation 'Tarbrush', an abortive attempt to survey the beach defences at Westkapelle as part of the Allies' liberation of Antwerp. Although bravely and repeatedly attempted either the weather or enemy surveillance was too much to overcome. M.T.B. 621 was sold out of service in April 1946 to the Sea Cadet Corps and disposed of in February 1955. It seems likely Capt. Whitby commissioned this model as a keep-sake of his war service from A.W. Penny of Teddington who specialised in these models but about whom very little is known.
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