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  • Italian MAS & MS Boats 1915–49: Italy's fast coastal forces

    Italian MAS & MS Boats 1915–49 by Cernuschi, Enrico;

    Italy's fast coastal forces

    Series: New Vanguard; 347;

      • GET 18% OFF

      • Publisher's listprice GBP 12.99
      • The price is estimated because at the time of ordering we do not know what conversion rates will apply to HUF / product currency when the book arrives. In case HUF is weaker, the price increases slightly, in case HUF is stronger, the price goes lower slightly.

        6 205 Ft (5 910 Ft + 5% VAT)
      • Discount 18% (cc. 1 117 Ft off)
      • Discounted price 5 089 Ft (4 846 Ft + 5% VAT)
      • Discount is valid until: 28 February 2026

    5 089 Ft

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    Availability

    Not yet published.

    Why don't you give exact delivery time?

    Delivery time is estimated on our previous experiences. We give estimations only, because we order from outside Hungary, and the delivery time mainly depends on how quickly the publisher supplies the book. Faster or slower deliveries both happen, but we do our best to supply as quickly as possible.

    Product details:

    • Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)
    • Date of Publication 23 April 2026

    • ISBN 9781472870216
    • Binding Paperback
    • No. of pages48 pages
    • Size 248x184 mm
    • Weight 454 g
    • Language English
    • Illustrations Illustrated throughout with 40 photos and 8 pages of colour illustrations
    • 700

    Categories

    Long description:

    An illustrated history of the motor torpedo boats of Italy's fast coastal forces, from their raids on enemy battleships in World War I to the dashing campaigns of World War II.

    The confined seas around Italy made fast torpedo boats particularly suitable for the Regia Marina. The first were derived from the glamorous prewar hotel motorboats of Venice; although too slow, they scored remarkable successes against Austro-Hungary, sinking, among other successes, two battleships, as well as conducting valuable and little-known anti-submarine work.

    Researched from unpublished primary sources, this is the first authoritative book in English to study the MAS boats, their larger MS successors, and their wars in the Adriatic, Mediterranean and beyond. Renowned Italian naval historian Enrico Cernuschi explores their evolving technology, roles, and how the boats fought in two world wars.

    Illustrated with unpublished photos and superb original artwork, it traces their history from the famous actions of World War I to the troubled search for a real 'velocissimo' (very fast) MAS boat and their multifaceted roles in World War II, from the Malta convoy battles to the Black Sea naval war. It also explores little-known episodes such as their dangerous, clandestine roles post-1943, landing intelligence agents and commandos, and their secret 1945-48 battles against Yugoslavian communist infiltrators.

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    Table of Contents:

    INTRODUCTION
    The first MAS: World War I
    DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
    Interwar developments: 1919-34
    The looming war: 1935-40
    OPERATIONAL HISTORY
    The first phase: June 1940-June 1941
    The MS: a new boat
    The second phase: July 1941-December 1942
    The third phase: January-September 1943
    North and south
    ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION
    After the end
    The last bow
    FURTHER READING
    INDEX

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