MAS 13 MOTOR TORPEDO BOAT

The full index of our ship stamp archive
Post Reply
aukepalmhof
Posts: 7771
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

MAS 13 MOTOR TORPEDO BOAT

Post by aukepalmhof » Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:35 pm

Only one stamp on this MS shows a watercraft, she is the MAS 13 a torpedo armed motorboat, as given on this web-site:
http://20thcenturybattles.com/2015/05/1 ... rld-war-i/
The Italian post gives by this stamps:

It show characters and scenes from the First World War. Specifically, from left to right in a clockwise direction: Francesco Baracca, Italian aviation ace, next to his plane a mountain artillery position of the Alpini Corps of the Italian Army a trench with a machine gun position of the Italian Army during the battle of Gorizia a MAS torpedo armed motorboat of the Italian Navy. The words “PRIMA GUERRA MONDIALE” First World War appear on all the stamps, which are completed, respectively, by the words “IN CIELO” in the sky, “IN MONTAGNA” in the mountains, “IN TRINCEA” in the trenches and “IN MARE” at sea, “ITALIA” and the denomination“ € 0,80”.
The stamps, arranged into two rows, are contained in a perforated box on the right side of the sheetlet. Outside of the box, on the left, is the façade of the national monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, better known as the Vittoriano or Altare della Patria, located in Rome, on the Capitoline Hill, with, on the left, the logo of the Centennial of the First World War, adopted by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. On the top edge of the sheetlet are the words “PRIMA GUERRA MONDIALE” First World War on the right, written vertically, are the dates “19141918”.
Luca Vangelli
Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato S.p.A., rotogravure.

Of the MAS 13 I found: A wooden hulled craft, built after plans of the watertaxi’s in Venice. Displacement 20 tons, fitted out with a gasoline engine, range about 200 miles. Crew 8-10. Armament two torpedoes, a MG or light canon. Fate unknown.

In March 1915, the Italian navy placed an order with the Societa Veneziana Automobili Navali (SVAN) for two 15-meter boats powered by gasoline engines and capable of 30 knots. Armament consisted of two 18-inch torpedoes launched over the stern. They were named Motorbarca Armata SVAN and numbered MAS.1 and MAS.2. The two boats were not great successes, however, and in November 1915, they were rearmed with guns and confined to submarine chasing.
Twenty more boats were ordered from SVAN, MAS.3 through MAS.22. Built with additional weight to compensate for the fragile hull, their speed dropped to 21 knots, and the method of firing torpedoes over the stern was found to be clumsy. Nevertheless, the Italian navy pushed ahead with plans to use them as an offensive weapon in the Adriatic Sea. Each MAS boat had a crew of eight, and MAS.5 and MAS.7 were the first of the group to be fitted with 14-inch torpedoes and dropping gear.
The MAS boats scored the first major success for torpedo boats on the night of December 9, 1917. The two old Austro-Hungarian battleships WIEN and BUDAPEST had been bombarding Italian shore positions when MAS.9 and MAS.13, under the command of Commander Luigi Rizzo, crept into the Trieste roadstead where the two capital ships were anchored. This time everything went perfectly. Both MAS boats got within 200 meters of the Austrian ships without being detected, after using hydraulic shears to cut through three protective hawsers (cables). Maneuvering into position, MAS.9 fired two torpedoes. Both hit WIEN amidships, and in a few minutes the old battleship rolled over and sank. Although MAS.13‘s torpedoes missed their target, both Italian boats were able to escape unseen.
By then, the MAS crews had perfected their operations. Two or three boats would be towed by larger boats and destroyers to the starting point, thereby saving fuel and avoiding premature engine breakdowns. The destroyers could also provide covering fire and smoke to aid in the getaway.

Italy 2015 0.80 Euro sg?, scott? and MS
http://20thcenturybattles.com/2015/05/1 ... rld-war-i/
Attachments
MAS 13.png
Image (41).jpg
Image (42).jpg

Post Reply