Britain produced 29 Vosper 73-foot Type I and II boats, but their acquisition became entangled in Admiralty politics. Supporters associated with Reginald Henderson and Stanley Goodall saw value in a treaty-exempt coastal striking force, while opponents feared competition with battleships and carriers. Early in the war, changing the numbers painted on boats helped the Royal Navy suggest that its coastal force was larger than it really was. The Type I carried four 18-inch torpedoes, while the preferred Type II traded two torpedoes for a quick-firing 6-pounder and shifted the design toward heavier gun power.
Chapter · 19:28-23:10
Vosper 73-foot boats and the Admiralty fight over coastal strike craft
The Vosper Type I and II pair compact torpedo armament with a procurement struggle over whether small attack craft threatened capital-ship budgets.