| Several forces shaped what is generally considered the best Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) of WWII, the Schnellboot (speedboat). These included developments in the internal combustion engine, the invention of the torpedo, the restrictions of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, British naval domination, and an American contract for a luxury yacht. Sometimes referred to as the "S-Boat" or by the archaic Royal Navy term "E-Boat" (Enemy Boat), the Schnellboot was a formidable assembly of technology, naval architecture, and highly trained men. |
