Torpedo boat carrIer continues to be developed further into 20th century

A very niche concept. May be useful in a situation like the Solomons or perhaps the retaking of the Philippines but not much use in open oceans.
 
Unlikely, it has the same sort of issues with a seaplane carrier, but doesn't possess that vessel's advantages in the scouting role. The torpedo boats are more powerful, but also more vulnerable and don't have the speed, and still can't be recovered in heavy seas. This makes it limited in use compared to the alternative. That alternative was the practice of turning Torpedo Boat Destroyers, meant to defend against Torpedo Boats, into platforms for torpedo attack themselves. As Destroyers are bigger than torpedo boats they have greater range, especially as they continue to get larger, they carry more torpedoes, they handle heavy seas better and when subs become a problem can serve as ASW escort. Ergo the niche disappeared pretty quick

If you really need small torpedo boats delivered somewhere, the standard MTBs of WWI were designed to fit on the davits of existing vessels, as a result any ship could carry them. If you need bigger MTBs, easier to just put stronger davits on your existing ships rather than design a whole new class for the rare occasions where you would need them delivered somewhere in immediate combat condition, rather than as deck cargo on a freighter
 
Maybe as part of a well deck amphib/carrier/tender/support vessel concept? But the drivers aren't there and the Treaties will kill it.
 
I would think of it more as a MTB support vessel like a sub or destroyer tender. Would have a well deck to bring them aboard for long range transport/repair facilities, but not being used like a aircraft carrier for MTB's.
 
You end up with something like this. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashland-class_dock_landing_ship

USS_Ashland%3B10120107.jpg
 
Sort of depends on on your objective. MTBs in WWII were very useful in many roles such as scouting and engaging barges and other vessels of their own class. Their record against larger ships was, however rather disappointing.
 
The USN, along with some other countries, did some serious thinking about amphibious warfare between the World Wars. I don't think that it's inconceivable that the LSD could come into widespread use before the '60's. (Landing Ship Dock, not the "other stuff," that Captain Kirk labeled "LDS."

Once the LSD is around, putting torpedo boats into it is possible. It might count as an "Auxilliary" if you only arm it with some 5" guns and no tubes of its own. Massachusetts-class large landing ship, anyone?
 
HMS Hermes and the sea plane carriers and the submarine tenders pottering around Pacific atolls are a better model than an amphib . It is just when pushed to its ultimate conclusion it ends up looking like a modern day LSD that does all of the jobs. Getting to that stage in say 1910 is the challenge.
 
I think our definitions of intelligent differ.
It was an updated concept of the linked-mine that the IJN used at Tsushima dropping them across the line of advance. As a ship snagged the two mines linked together they were pulled against the hull and detonated. IIRC it accounted for one Battleship.
 
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/uk/brit_dd_vulcan.htm

http://www.navypedia.org/ships/france/fr_dd_foudre.htm

At end of 19th century the concept of the Torpedo Boar Carrier seems to have been briefly explored , The concept seems to have fizzled out just before WW1 . Could the concept have survived longer

would a MTB carrier have been feasible

a sort of sea bound aircraft carrier delivering torpedo strikes , maybe of limited use for commando raids

They die when destroyers become available for fleet use and aircraft for torpedo attack, which is 1915 at the latest. After that the torpedo boat is either a small coastal patrol craft which gets more use from AA or ASW armament than an anti capital ship weapon, or a niche fast attack craft they gets killed in daylight because if you don’t have air superiority and if you do, use a torpedo bomber that moves ten times faster and can see further.

It’s one of those things that makes sense for a very brief period but then Not so much. Vulcan is an interesting ship though, a respectable light cruiser of its era, with half a dozen 16 ton torpedo boats and a couple of countermining boats. It’s got the potential to pack a powerful punch vs an weakly defended harbour. In good weather,
 
CHITOSE and CHIYODA carried a mix of seaplanes and mini-subs before both were eventually converted into CVL's. Useful to bring them in and operate them before a base was built but using them to launch mini-subs in a fleet action was never tried and, if it had been, more than likely would have failed. If the enemy fleet is driven off the subs more than likely won't get into action, and if the enemy fleet is victorious either the subs will have trouble getting off an effective attack, be sunk or lost.

MTB's take too long to deploy and then must attack the enemy, if seas are rough this won't be easy. And if the enemy sees them coming will do their best to make sure they won't get an effective attack. I agree with RamscoopRaider and Gannt the chartist that torpedo-armed DD's were definitely the way to go...
 
For a larger role, MBT hydrofoils need to be introduced before guided missiles make MBTs speedy, floating targets
 
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