Type:Patrol Torpedo (PT) boat
Principal Users: US Navy, Royal Navy, and Soviet Navy.
Production: 27 PT-71 class boats were made; 5 were lend-leased
to the USSR and 7 to the UK.
172 PT-200 subclass boats were built; 15 went to the UK and 18 to
the USSR.
Design History: The Higgins 78' design was another design picked
from the"Plywood Derbys" competition. The PT-200 subclass were upgunned
boats that were given a differen designation.
Dimensions:
Length: 78 feet
Beam: 19'5"(PT-71); 19'11" (PT-200)
Displacement: 43 tons
Propulsion:
Powerplant: Three Packard gasoline engines generating 1200 horsepower
each.
Speed: 41 knots
Range: 550 miles
Armament: Torpedoes: 4 Mk 7 or Mk 8 torpedoes
in heavy metal tubes (early boats); 4 Mk 13 torpedoes on lightweight racks
(later boats)
Some boats had the aft or forward tubes replaced by depth charges. Two
charges could be mounted at the stern with all tubes retained.
Guns: Two twin .50 caliber machine gun turrets; one 20mm Oerlikon
on the stern.(PT-71 class)
Two twin .50 caliber machine gun turrets; two 20mm Oerlikons (one at the
bow and one behind the Bofors); one 40mm Bofors at the stern.
See the main PT boat page for info on optional crew mounted weapons.
Armor: the bridge and machine gun turrets were covered
with light bulletproof plating.
Crew: 17 men
Tactical analysis: These boats were like all other PT boats of the US. They were a little slower than the Elco 103 class but had a tighter turning radius.