The idea of developing a new torpedo boat first emerged among British designers in the late 1930s. They recognized the potential of German boats with powerful armaments and high speeds at relatively low costs. Following the outbreak of World War II, development accelerated with Noel Maclean's proposal. Maclean was a former cavalryman and member of the Dover Patrol from 1916 to 1918. In 1939, he founded Fairmile Marine and submitted a design for a wooden boat to the Admiralty. The boat could be built in piano and furniture workshops. Within a year, this led to the creation of the Fairmile A, followed by the Fairmile B and Fairmile C.

However, by the end of 1940, it became apparent that the new British boats were vulnerable compared to the German ones. They were slower and had more expensive but weaker armaments. Additionally, their torpedoes were ineffective against small, mobile targets. To remedy this, the Admiralty recalled Maclean's longer designs, which had been rejected for minor reasons. By March 1941, the designs had been modified to include a stern similar to that of a destroyer. Almost a year later, the first series of the new Fairmile D boats was ready. The first vessel of the second series (617–632) was the MGB 617, which was launched on October 8, 1942. This series differed from previous vessels with having 21-inch torpedoes. Additionally, the boats were modernized throughout their service. For instance, beginning in 1944, some were outfitted with 6-pounder guns. The MGB 617 remained in service with the Royal Navy until mid-1945. Afterwards, it was placed in reserve and sold for scrap in 1952.

The Fairmile D (617) was introduced in Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea". Compared to its predecessor, the boat underwent significant changes. The 40mm automatic gun was replaced with a 57mm cannon, which has a lower rate of fire but dealt more damage. The ship's arsenal was also supplemented with two 533-millimeter torpedoes, giving it a much better chance of victory in combat against enemy destroyers. The boat still has powerful and numerous weaponry; however, it does not stand out in terms of survivability due to its large, wooden hull. This makes it best suited for quick, sudden attacks on enemy torpedo and gun boats.