MAS torpedo boats

The Italian Navy sent four torpedo boats (MAS 526 to 529) of 12th MAS Flotilla, commanded by Capitano di Corvetta (Lt-Comm) Bianchini, with four officers, 19 NCO's, and 63 other ranks.

The target of the 12th Flotilla is the ramshackle Soviet flotilla on Lake Ladoga (estimated at 6 gunboats, 2 large and 5 small torpedo boats, 32 armed minesweepers, 9 armed transport ships, 17 armed tugboats and 1 submarine, plus another 25 other boats).

The first day of operations, MAS 526 is rammed and then run aground on Mokerikki islet. MAS 526 will be out of commission until October.

Actually there were 2 times when Finland received MAS boats and this photo is about the first time and is MAS 220 named MTV 1 "Sisu":

Following text is written by Jari Aromaa:

The first motor torpedo boats were Italian built M.A.S boats, built 1917 by Fratelli Livorno in Orlando. Their original names were MAS 220 and MAS 221. They were purchased 1920 and named MTV 1 (Sisu) and MTV 2 (Hurja). They had two 45 cm torpedoes installed on the sides. The hull shape was not suitable for the sharp waves of Gulf of Finland. They were wet boats and earned the nickname "fountain" because everyone was wet when returning from the sea. Their maximum speed was only 25 knots, also due to the unsuitable hull construction.

Hurja was not used as motor torpedo boat after early June 1941 and Sisu after Spring 1942.