Italeri Models recently announced it's 2007 line-up of new kit offerings, and included were some highly interesting additions for us shipwrights! This NEWS story shines a spotlight on the subject of the upcoming M.T.M. "Barchino", another one of Italeri's "Large Scale Boats" in 1/35 scale plastic.

Kit Name~M.T.M. "Barchino"
Kit #~5604
Scale~1/35
MSRP~To be announced

Vessel History

"Also known as "Barchini" (little boats), the M.T.M represented an evolution of a fast surface attack vessel first conceived in 1936 as the M.A. (assault motorboat) and the M.A.T. (airborne assault motorboat), built by the Biglietto Varazze shipyard.

This same shipyard, in 1938-39, built two series of the new type M.T.; the first of 6 vessels, and the second, slightly larger and with a larger motor of 95HP, of 12 vessels.

This last construction period, in 1940-42, for the developement and building of the M.T.M. of which about 50 were built. From the M.T.M. derived, in 1942-43, the M.T.R. and the M.T.R.M. of which about 20 vessels were built, but only one entered service with the navy of the Republica Sociale Italiana.

Admiral Lachino, in his book "Sunset of a Great Navy" describes the M.T.M. as small motorboat-torpedo (M.T.S.M. invented by Capt. Guido Cattaneo), and commonly known as "barchini", piloted by a single man who would bail out of the vessel about 100 meters before hitting the target, abandoning the vessel in full speed. (Sounds exciting, doesn't it!?)"


Technical Specifications

Shipyard~ Bagliette-Varezze and Stabilimenti Aeronautici S.I.A.E - Sesto Calende
Year~1940-42
Displacement~1200 Kg
Length~6.15 meters
Beam~1.70 meters
Drought~0.45meters
Engine~6-cylinder Alfa Romeo 3.500 cc 95 H.P.
Speed~31 knots
Range~85 miles @ 31 knots
Armament~330 Kg mine
Crew~1


Details of this kit will be added as received by the MSW newsfeed, and remember,when contacting vendors, tell them that you saw it on the pages of Model Shipwrights!