Victories of Soviet motor torpedo boats in WWII

Победы торпедных катеров в ВОВ

The list presented by Lupetto Solitario

Motor Launch of Red navy in combat. Победы торпедных катеров в ВОВ.

Отметка о первой победе.
The 1st victory mark of a Soviet MTB.

Baltic : Soviet Navy made an heavy use of G-5 class during the first years of war, to use then the larger D-3 and the newly built “Komsomolets” class in 1945. They scored the best victories of all the war against large enemy ships, including a destroyer and a large torpedo boat: it was also strategically important the sinking of Finnish minelayer “Riilahti" because was heavily used to lay the minefields against Soviet submarines in 1943.

= German gunboat SAT-3 August by TK-17, TK-87, TK-73 and TK-93 on 13 July 1941 (60 machinegun hits)
= German barge B-1P by TK-17, TK-87, TK-73 and TK-93 on 13 July 1941 (few machinegun hits)
= German barge B-2P by TK-17, TK-87, TK-73 and TK-93 on 13 July 1941 (few machinegun hits)
= German barge Eemlan by TK-17, TK-87, TK-73 and TK-93 on 13 July 1941 (few machinegun hits)
= German motorboat Melpomone by TK-17, TK-57 (later TK-94), TK-111 and TK-121 on 16 August 1941 (one machinegun hit)
= German motorboat Adele by TK-57 (later TK-94) and TK-67, TK-93, TK-111 on 27 August 1941 (run aground)
= German motorboat Dite Kerner by TK-57 (later TK-94) and TK-67, TK-93, TK-111 on 27 August 1941 (run aground)

+ German auxiliary minesweeper M-1707 Luneburg sunk with torpedo by TK-104 on 14 September 1941. (already  
  damaged by mine and coastal artillery of 130mm)   
+ German patrol ship V-308 Oscar Neynaber sunk with torpedo by n°12 on 23 September 1941
+ German submarine hunter UJ-1216 Star XXII sunk with torpedo by TK-152  on 26 August 1942 
+ Finnish minelayer Riilahti sunk with torpedo by TK-94 in 23 August 1943 
= German gunboat SAT-15 Polaris by TK-14,TK-44, TK-76 ,TK-94 on 6/Sept/ 1943 (machinegun hits, suffered 2-4 wia)

+ German minesweeper M-37 sunk with torpedo by TK-15, TK-45 or TK-65 on 5 June 1944   
+ German torpedo boat T-31 sunk with torpedo by TK-37 or TK-60 on 20 June 1944
= German torpedo boat T-30 damaged with gunfire (1kia, 13wia) by TK-37 and TK-60  on 20 June 1944

= German submarine U-679 damaged (with 8 wia) by TK-47, TK-57 and two patrol boats on 15 July 1944 with gunfire. 

= German motor torpedo boat S-68 had 1 machinegun fire hit, by TK-96, TK-136, TK-166, TK-193, TK-195 or TK-196 on 18 Nov 1944

+ German destroyer Z-34 heavily damaged with torpedo and never repaired by TK-131 or TK-141 on 16 April 1945
+ German merchant Emili Sauber (2435 GTR) sunk with torpedo by TK-133 on 28 April 1945
(previously damaged by aircraft). No cargo 
+ On Victory Day, motor torpedo boats captured a number of German vessels attempting to flee west against the instrument of 
surrender: TK-141, TK-15 and TK-55 intercepted and captured one schooner, one tug and two motorboats forcing them back to Libau. 
TK-115 seized two motorboats (left drifting to sink). TK-145, TK-316, TK-333, TK-354 seized one tug and two motorboats in Polish 
waters (103 POWs). TK-37, TK-96, TK-183, TK-185, TK-188 and TK-193 captured one barge and four motorboats on the way to Bornholm. 
TK-16, TK-36, TK-56, TK-136 and TK-195 captured a tug and a barge avoiding their escape in Sweden (800 POWs).  

Groups of motor torpedo boats laid a number of small fields of mines into the Gulf of Finland, both defensive and
offensive. It’s difficult to exactly identify the minelayer-units because the fields often overlapped or were reinforced.

Confirmed victories scored by such fields close Tjuters and other locations were:

+ gunboat SAT-1 Ost (on 4 August 43)
= minesweeper M-22 (on 15 September 43)   
= Finnish minesweeping boat Muikku (on 20 October 43) 
+ minesweeping boat R-70 (on 11 August 44) 
+ gunboat AF-35 (on 28 August 44)  
= gunboat AF-50 (on 28 August 44)
+ motor torpedo boat S-80 (1 September 44) (Note: field laid by boats TK-144 and TK-164 both of rare experimental classes! Respectively a “Stalnoy” class and the unique SM-4 type)

Ace/best units:  
TK-37 had 7 victories (1 shared torpedo kill, 1 shared gunfire damaging, 5 shared seizures).
TK-94 had 5 victories (1 individual torpedo kill, 4 shared gunfire damaging). 
TK-15 had 5 victories (1 shared torpedo kill, 4 shared seizures). 
TK-141 had 5 victories (1 shared torpedo kill, 4 shared seizures). 
TK-96 had 5 victories (1 shared gunfire damaging, 4 shared seizures). 
TK-183 TK-185 TK-188 TK-193 had together 5 victories (all shared seizures).

Arctic : Motor torpedo boats scored the best strategically important result of the war compared with other fleets, sinking 8 merchants/motorboats that supplied the enemy forces in North and making their part to stop the enemy advance toward Murmansk. Additionally, were sunk nor less than two minesweepers of large class and two patrol ships. Most important of all, motor torpedo boats achieved these victories with a little number of losses (especially comparing with Baltic and Black Sea). The small number of D-3 class units proved to be useful in Arctic waters and in the last years of war were used lend-leased Allied boats that were valued by Soviet sailors.


= German patrol ship V-6109 Nordwind, (1 machinegun fire hit) by TK-13, TK-14 or TK-15 on 14 September 1941 
+ Norwegian merchant Bjornungen (165 GTR) sunk with torpedo by TK-12 on 6 October 1941. Cargo for railway.
= German submarine U-454 damaged by TK-14 with depth charges on 24 April 1942
= German minesweeper R-63 by TK-13 (machinegun fire hits) on 18 April 1943
+ German merchant Foula (109 GTR) sunk by TK-13 on 21 June 1943 (with machine guns). Cargo for Luftwaffe.
= German merchant KT-3 (834 GTR) (1 machinegun fire hit) by TK-13 and TK-14 on 15 September 1943.
+ German merchant Maria (200 GTR) sunk by TK-13 on 22 December 1943 (with 2 torpedoes) 

+ German merchant Moder II (124 GTR) sunk by TK-215, TK-218 and TK-219 on 7 May 1944 (boarded and then set afire) 15 pow,
 including the collaborationist major of Vadso city.

+ German merchant Nerissa (992 GTR) sunk with torpedo by TK-239 on 28 June 1944. No cargo.  
+ German merchant Hugin (124 GTR) destroyed by TK-239 on 15 July 1944 (machine guns and depth charges). Cargo of lumber
+ Norwegian motorboat Storegga (41 GTR) destroyed probably by TK-239 on 15 July 1944 (gunfire hit and beached) or by TK-12 and TK-13.
= Norwegian motorboat Rossfjord damaged with machineguns by TK-240, TK-242 and TK-243. On 15 July 1944 
+ German merchant Colmar (3992 GTR) sunk with torpedo by TK-219 on 19 August 1944. Cargo of 1500t of concrete, 642t of food and 15t of ammunitions. 
+ German patrol ship V-6102 Koln was sunk with torpedo by TK-215 and TK-222 on 19 August 1944    

= German minesweeper R-151 damaged with machineguns (12 or 15 hits) by TK-205 on 19 August 1944
+ On mines laid by TK-172, TK-192, TK-213 and TK-214, was sunk the German auxiliary minesweeper R-304 on 6 September 1944.
= German minesweeper M-252 damaged (10 wia) by (blind) torpedo and gunfire of TK-211, TK-242 or TK-243 on 14 September 1944
+ German patrol ship V-6101 Gauleiter Bohle sunk with torpedo by TK-202, TK-222, TK-242 or TK-208 and TK-240 on 25 Sept.1944   
+ German minesweeper M-303 sunk by TK-241 with torpedo on 12 October 1944     
+ German merchant Capadose (135 GRT) sunk with torpedo by TK-230, TK-238, TK-241, TK-246 on 12 October 1944. 
+ German coastal minesweeper R-311 heavily damaged with torpedo by TK-230 on 21 October 1944.
+ German minesweeper M-31 sunk with torpedo by TK-237 or TK-244 on 21 October 1944.

Individual best units: 
TK-13 had 6 victories (1 individual torpedo kill, 1 individual gunfire kill, 1 individual gunfire dam.,1 shared gunfire kill, 2 shared gunfire dam.) 
TK-14 had 3 victories (1 individual depth-charge dam. 2 shared gunfire dam.)
TK-239 had 3 victories (1 individual torpedo kill, 2 individual gunfire kills) 3 victories
TK-242 had 3 victories (1 shared torpedo kill, 2 shared gunfire damaging) 3 victories

Black Sea: Soviet motor torpedo boats were less involved in torpedo attacks, they were often used as landing units and to carry supplies but were also used as escort boats for little convoys of barges and supply boats. These different duties resulted in a number of losses due enemy air attacks or mines. The standard class of motor torpedo boats on Black Sea was the G-5: however were active also the very first lead-unit of the D-3 class and the single prototype of SM-3 class. Despite having scored less victories, some were important: the CB-5 (only enemy submarine sunk by a Soviet motor torpedo boat) and the Romania (a minelayer: the largest enemy warship sunk by Soviet motor torpedo boat).

+ Italian midget submarine CB-5 sunk with torpedo by D-3 on 13 June 1942
= Italian midget submarine CB-3 lightly damaged by torpedo explosion (splinter) by SM-3 and D-3 on 19 June 1942 
+ German auxiliary patrol boat WM-2412 sunk by TK-154 (and patrol boat SKA-0175) with gunfire on 25 July 1942 
+ German landing craft F-334A  sunk  (13 kia, 1 wia) with torpedo by SM-3 and D-3 on 1 August 1942 
= German motor torpedo boat S-49 lightly damaged (with 2 wia) by SM-3 on 23 October 1942 
= German submarine U-9 lightly damaged by TK-35 with depth charges on 27 December 1942 
= German motor torpedo boat S-102 lightly damaged in battle by TK-33 and others on 25 April 1943 
= German submarine U-9 lightly damaged by TK-106 with depth charges on 28 May 1943 
= German submarine U-24 lightly damaged by TK-12, TK-32 (and patrol SKA-062 and MBR-2 seaplane) on 13 June 43 
+ German fishing schooner seized TK-116 and TK-126 on 18 August 1943 (two seized in total)
+ German fishing schooner seized TK-116 and TK-126 on 18 August 1943 (two seized in total)
= German landing craft F-446 has light damages by TK-43 (and patrol SKA-081) with gunfire on 3 Nov43 
= German landing craft F-578 has light damages by TK-43 (and patrol SKA-081) with gunfire on 3 Nov43 
= German minesweeper R-37 damaged with casualties in clash against TK-101(lost) and TK-81 on 4 November 43 
= German minesweeper R-204 damaged with casualties in clash against TK-101(lost) and TK-81 on 4 November 43 
= German minesweeper R-216 damaged with casualties in clash against TK-101(lost) and TK-81 on 4 November 43 
= German landing craft F-535 lightly damaged by TK-76,TK-86 and TK-104 with gunfire on 17 November 1943 
= German landing craft F-521 has light damages and casualties by TK-94, TK-114 (and gunboat BK-321) on 21 Nov 43 
= German landing craft F-573 has light damages and casualties by TK-94, TK-114 (and gunboat BK-321) on 21 Nov 43 
= German landing craft F-472 has light damages by TK-114 (and gunboat BK-306) on 23 Nov 43 
= German landing craft F-594 has light damages by TK-114 (and gunboat BK-306) on 23 Nov 43 
= German landing craft F-342 damaged with 1 kia and 8 wia by TK-96 (and a group of armed barges) on 5 Dec 43
+ German submarine chaser UJ-104 damaged with torpedo by TK-344 (ex-TK-43) on 27 April 1944 

+ German submarine chaser UJ-104 sunk with torpedo by TK-353 on 11 May 1944

Also in Black Sea, Soviet motor torpedo boats laid small fields of mines.
As happened before, it is impossible to define which boat laid the successful mines.
+ German lighter Zwettel (on 24 September 1942) or German own mine. 
+ German motor torpedo boat S-102 (on 8 July 1943)
+ German landing craft F-302 (on 2 October 1943) 
+ German landing craft F-315 (on 2 October 1943) 

Individual best units:
TK-114 (4 shared gunfire damaging) 4 victories 
D-3 (1 individual torpedo kill, 1 shared torpedo kill, 1 shared torpedo damaging) 3 victories
SM-3 (1 shared torpedo kill, 1 individual gunfire damaging, 1 shared torpedo damaging) 3 victories 
TK-344 (ex-TK-43) (1 individual torpedo kill, 2 shared gunfire damaging) 3 victories

Far East: During the brief conflict with Japan in 1945, Soviet motor torpedo boats (lend-leased former Allied boats) made multiple attacks against Japanese scattered ships in the northern waters or in harbors. The end of the war make this particular front much unknown to researchers and writers. Only in very recent times, thanks work based on Japanese books, it could be possible to identify some of them, but such list is poor in details and future works could make edits and correction. A important detail however was the absolute lack of Japanese escort protection during the fighting, because almost the entire Japanese fighting force was stationed in southern waters, ready to wait for a US invasion fleet on the main islands.
NOTE: It is possible that merchants sunk on 10 and 11 August suffered earlier damage by air raids, but it is unclear the degree of damages suffered (also on other reports, these air attacks were less successful than believed and not all the ships were damaged).


+ Japanese merchant Kari Go (3111 GRT) sunk with torpedo on 10 August 1945 by TK-534, TK-573 (both G-5 class) and TK-562, TK-573 (both Vosper class).
+ Japanese merchant Taishun Maru (2857 GRT) sunk with torpedo on 10 August 1945 by group of Vosper-class: TK-566, TK-567, TK-570, TK-580 and TK-587 (Japanese wrongly believed by submarine).
+ fishing schooner boarded and scuttled by two motor torpedo boats (both Vosper class). Three prisoners. On 10 August 1945.
+ Japanese merchant Enpo Maru (6873 GRT) finished with torpedoes by TK-549, TK-550 and TK-563 on 11 August 1945 (the ship previously crippled by an aircraft).
+ Japanese merchant Edamitsu Maru (6872 GRT) finished with torpedoes by TK-549, TK-550 and TK-563 on 11 August 1945 (the ship previously crippled by an aircraft).
+ Japanese merchant Tensho Maru (3035 GRT) finished with torpedo by TK-549, TK-550 and TK-568 on 11 August 1945 (the ship previously crippled by an aircraft).
+ Japanese merchant Hozugawa Maru (875 GRT) grounded while evading 4 m.t.b (Japanese wrongly believed by submarine) on 12 August 1945, 
  later finished with torpedo by TK-589 on 13 August.
+ Japanese auxiliary minesweeper (fishing schooners in appearance) captured by two motor torpedo boats (Vosper class) on 22 August 1945 (two seized in total).
+ Japanese auxiliary minesweeper (fishing schooners in appearance) captured by two motor torpedo boats (Vosper class) on 22 August 1945 (two seized in total).

Individual best units:
TK-549 and TK-550 (both 3 shared torpedo kills).

photo Фото Motosiluranti TK-322, TK-343 e TK-344 affondano caccia-sommergibile UJ-104

On this precious photo it's visibile the German submarine chaser UJ-104 split in two pieces after the torpedo hit, one already sunk but the one still floating, the enemy will tow away that floating half of the ship but it will be later lost during the voyage due heavy sea.

Motosiluranti TK-322, TK-343 e TK-344 affondano caccia-sommergibile UJ-104.

Motor torpedo boats

Soviet WWII fleet

War is over

main URL