Elco PT-20 class

Type: Patrol Torpedo (PT) Boat
Principal user: USA
Production: a total of 48 boats were produced .
Design History: This Elco design was selected (along with the Higgins and Huckins designs) after a series of trials on-ufficialy called "the Plywood Derbys".

Dimensions:

Length: 77 feet
Beam: 19' 11"
Displacement: 33 tons

Propulsion

Powerplant: Three Packard gasoline engines generating 1200 Horsepower each.
Speed: 39 knots
Renge: 550 miles

Armament: Torpedoes: 4 MK 7 torpedoes in steel tubes.
Guns: Two twin .50 caliber machine gun turrets.
Two twin lewis guns could be mounted optionally forward of the bridge.
Armor: The bridge area and gun turrets were covered by light bulletproof / fragmentproof plating.

Crew: 12 men
Tactical Analysis: This was a "classic" PT design, with 4 tubes and 4 machine guns. They were a little slower than the later PT designs.
Other Derivatives: The PT-59 gunboat conversion was a PT-20 class boat with no torpedoes but a lot of guns. Go to the PT-59 page.

The PT-20 class diogram (signal/squardon publications PT Boats)