PT boats were used by the United States Navy during World War II as a stopgap vessel, providing firepower on the water. They were equipped with torpedoes and machine guns. Many of them were destroyed during the war by Allied air power.
PT boats served as a stopgap vessel to give the United States firepower on the water
The PT boat was a torpedo-armed fast attack craft used by the United States Navy during World War II. The designation «PT» stands for Patrol Torpedo, and they were sometimes referred to as «mosquito fleets.» Despite being unmanned, PT boats could fire torpedoes as far away as the enemy’s submarines.
The PT-8 was an 81-foot-long boat made by the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The PT-20 was a 77-foot-long boat built by Elco. These boats were capable of up to a twelve-hour patrol. The boats also had limited range, as hull fouling and engine wear would lower their speed and increase fuel consumption. They were deployed in the English Channel and Mediterranean Sea.
The PT boats had many issues during their service in WW2. The PT-323 (Elco) was cut in half by a kamikaze aircraft on 10 December 1944 off Leyte, Philippines. Another PT boat, the PT-308 (Higgins), was struck by another PT-304 during a night mission in the Mediterranean on 9 March 1945. Both boats survived and returned to base for repairs.
In addition to the torpedoes, the PT boats were also capable of deploying smoke screens to cover their positions during nighttime attacks. In addition, they had the capability to use searchlights and seaplane-dropped flares to locate them.
Though they were unable to counter Japanese battleships, PT boats played a critical role in the Pacific Theater. Their role was vital in the protection of American bases and fleets. By ensuring that U.S. ships could protect their bases and avoid being hit by enemy vessels, they remained an important asset for the United States during WW2.
Standard PT boats carried four 21-inch Mark 8 torpedoes with TNT warheads. This armament was designed to strike at enemy ships from up to 16,000 yards, giving the U.S. Navy the firepower it needed on the water.
PT boats were also fitted with numerous automatic weapons. All US PT boats carried twin M2.50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns. In addition, early PT boats mounted Dewandre plexiglas-enclosed rotating turrets, but after the attack on Pearl Harbor, they were replaced by open ring twin mounts designed by Bell and Elco. Later models had Bell Mark 9 twin cradles. Another common automatic weapon aboard PT boats was a 20 mm Oerlikon cannon.
They were equipped with machine guns
PT boats were designed to have a high crew to vehicle ratio, typically three officers to 14 enlisted men. However, PTs took on additional missions during the war, including dueling with Nazi shore artillery during the June 6 invasion of Normandy and capturing Italian naval personnel off the coast of Sicily.
In 1943, three 77-foot PT boats were converted into gunboats. They were PT 59, PT 60, and PT 61, stripped of their original armament except for twin.50-caliber gun mounts. These boats were fitted with two 40mm gun mounts and commanded by Lieutenant-Junior Grade John F. Kennedy.
Later, PT boats began carrying Mark XIII torpedoes, which ran at 45 knots and contained a 600-lb. warhead. These boats represented the late-war development of the PT as a heavily-armed gunboat. They also carried a 37MM rapid-fire machine gun and two 20MM machine guns in the bow and twin.50-caliber machine gun mounts on both sides of the cockpit, while the stern carried a 40MM gun. This was the most effective antibarge gun available at the time and became standard equipment on most PTs.
Huckins built two squadrons of PT boats during World War II. These boats were assigned to various locations including the Panama Canal Zone, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Hawaiian Islands. During the Aleutians Campaign, they were used to defend amphibious forces.
PT boats were designed to operate against enemy barges and sampans. They were also designed to be fast, and their high-powered engines allowed them to reach speeds of 50 knots. Initially, PT boats were designed to serve as torpedo boats, but throughout the war, they were given extra offensive weapons to help them fight the Japanese. They were particularly useful in the New Guinea area, where they were able to hunt Japanese barges as they moved through shallow waters during the night.
After the British Royal Navy rejected the Sea Sled, the U.S. Navy commissioned two types of Coastal Motor Boats, the 45-foot boat and the 55-foot boat, both of which were used as experimental vessels. In 1938, the U.S. Navy re-investigated in motor torpedo boats. This time, the Sea Sled was not considered and eight prototype boats were built. The designs were based on the work of a small group of naval architects.
They were torpedoed
The Japanese used a variety of methods to torpedo PT boats during World War II. Many were destroyed by Allied air power during the daylight hours. In addition, the Japanese tried to resupply their troops by navigating shallow draft barges. This was difficult for Allied destroyers to follow, and the barges were protected by shore batteries.
The PT boat proved to be a deadly mobile machine gun platform. Its fast speed and maneuverability made it a great asset to the US Navy. The design was first conceived during the World War I, and was modified for use during WWII. Eventually, the Elco Thunderbolt was developed to enhance the destruction of the PT boats.
The PT boat was powered by three 12-cylinder gasoline-fueled engines. The engines were built by the Packard Motor Car Company and were an improved version of the 2A engine used on the Huff-Daland XB-1 Liberty bomber during World War I. Eventually, the engines were designated with an «M» instead of an «A» — 3M-2500, 4M-2500, and 5M-2500.
The design of WWII PT boats was influenced by powerboat racing and was fitted with high-powered engines. The three V12 petrol engines produced a speed of up to 50 knots. Initially, the PT boats were intended for torpedo operations, but were later provided with additional offensive weapons. This made them particularly useful in New Guinea, where they were often used to hunt Japanese barges moving through shallow water at night.
The PT-109 was a modified 80-foot Elco that was commanded by future President John F. Kennedy during World War II. This vessel was the subject of a 1961 book by Robert J. Donovan, and was later used by the actor Clark Gable as a yacht. The film PT-109 was based on the book.
The Elco boats were the largest PT boats built during World War II. These boats displaced 56 tons of water and were powered by three Packard 12-cylinder gasoline engines with 1,200 brake horsepower. The crew of these boats was comprised of 12 to 14 sailors.
They were used by MacArthur
The PT boats were an important part of MacArthur’s campaign to liberate the Philippines in World War II. They specialized in close-range offshore attacks and were in much more frequent contact with the enemy than other surface craft. They served in nearly all of the Allied coastal actions during the war, and even played a crucial role in the Allied invasion of Leyte on 20 October 1944. Five PT squadrons were involved in this massive invasion, and General MacArthur rode in one himself.
PT boats were also equipped with a variety of automatic weapons. Early PT boats carried twin M2.50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns in rotating turrets. However, after Pearl Harbor, these guns were replaced with Mark 17 twin mounts, designed by Bell and Elco. These twin cradles could be fitted in front of or behind the cockpit, eliminating the flash of light from burning grease.
The PT boats were built of mahogany and plywood and powered by Packard marine engines. They were used by MacArthur and the Allied forces in every theater of war, and often faced much larger and more powerful adversaries. One famous example of the PT boats in action was in the movie They Were Expendable, which depicted the evacuation of MacArthur from the Philippines by a PT-109. The PT-109 was later used by John F. Kennedy to rescue General MacArthur and his crew.
During the war, PT boats were used to ferry American troops to the front lines. They were extremely useful in the Pacific Theater, and MacArthur was even able to use them to transport troops to the other side of the war. The first operational PT boat was delivered to the Navy in June 1940. The PT boats were modified a lot during the war, and by the end of the war, the Navy had settled on two standard types of PT boats.
The PT boats were capable of withstanding devastating battle damage. In one incident, PT-109 was hit by a kamikaze aircraft and remained afloat for 12 hours. In another instance, the PT-34 (Higgins) was hit by another PT boat, and her stern was severed. Although it was badly damaged, the crew managed to steer the boat back to base for repairs.
Submarines are small vessels that can travel underwater. During the first and second world wars, they were called ‘U-boats’ and displaced from 300 to 1000 tons. The word ‘boat’ for submarine is borrowed from the Germanic language. By comparison, the American fleet submarines displaced around 2,500 tons. They were smaller than most destroyers, but larger than corvettes or destroyer escorts.
Difference between ‘boat’ and’ship’
A boat is a small vessel that is used for traveling on water. In contrast, a ship is a larger vessel that can accommodate several smaller boats. In general, the terms are used interchangeably but can mean very different things depending on the context. Fortunately, there are several factors that can help you understand the differences between a ship and a boat.
Ships are larger and can carry many different types of cargo. A ship can carry more cargo than a boat and can also support specialized missions. The word «ship» is most commonly used for boats that are large enough to sail. It is also used for submarines. However, not all submarines are ships.
The difference between a ship and a boat comes down to how much space they take up. A boat is smaller than a ship and is more efficient for a smaller load, while a ship is a much larger vessel that can carry a variety of goods and people. A boat is generally more affordable to build and maintain, while a ship is much more expensive.
Another distinction between a ship and a boat is the use for which they’re constructed. A ship’s design is more complicated than a boat’s, and is used for a wide variety of different purposes. A ship is also more expensive, and may have more features and amenities than a boat.
Military uses of a submarine
Military uses of a submarine include surveillance and intelligence gathering. A submarine’s unobstructed mobility allows it to enter an area unnoticed, collect information, and change its position as the operational situation requires. In addition, it’s impervious to weather and rough seas. This gives submarines a unique advantage over land-based surveillance and intelligence gathering platforms. They can also conduct a variety of tactical operations when hostilities begin. A submarine can conduct combat search-and-rescue missions, perform sabotage, and provide intelligence on enemy movements.
Submarines are able to collect and relay data, including tides, weather, and enemy force structure. A submarine’s sonar can detect underwater targets. It also has the capability to locate enemy submarines. Once it has a target, it switches to internal guidance. A submarine’s sonar can track multiple targets at once, enabling it to detect and track multiple targets simultaneously.
Submarines can also be used for scouting missions, minelaying missions, and anti-submarine warfare. Submarines have become more dangerous, though, since nuclear energy concentrates all its destructive power into a tiny warhead. One submarine can destroy an entire coastline, and a fleet of submarines can ravage an entire great power in one salvo.
Submarines were developed to protect ships and provide support to other units. During the Second World War, Japanese submarines were used as platforms for attacking ships. They also provided supplies for other submarines. They were also used for sabotage and espionage. The Japanese Navy had numerous submarines during the conflict.
Today, submarines are used by all the major navies. They can operate at depths too deep for human divers to access. The United States, Russia, and Britain both maintain submarine fleets. Some submarines are specialized for specific missions, like rescue and human powered. Older underwater exploration devices, such as the diving bell, are still used.
Submarines have also been used to surprise and relieve besieged areas. Some submarines have even been used to perform experiments. The American David Bushnell had an egg-shaped design in the 1770s, and it was towed by a small boat. His submersible, the Turtle, was the first independently operated submarine to use screws for propulsion. In 1776, he tried to sink the British warship HMS Eagle in New York harbor.
Technology that allows submarines to travel underwater
The technology that allows submarines to travel underwater is a marvel of engineering. Unlike a standard ship, which uses an air-powered engine, submarines use a diesel-electric engine instead. This engine does not directly drive the propellers, but instead powers an electricity generator that powers massive batteries. The electric motor then powers the propellers of the submarine.
Submarines can travel deep in the ocean for months or even weeks, depending on the technology that powers them. Non-nuclear subs can surface and send messages, but they run the risk of revealing their location. Instead of sending messages by surface, submarines can use buoys to convert their sonar signals into radio signals. Another method involves using an underwater speaker system to create ripples at the surface of the water. These ripples can then be detected by high-frequency radar above the water and decoded back into messages.
The technology that allows submarines to travel underwater works on the same principle as airplanes do. Submarines have fins, called hydroplanes, which help them to rise above the water. By adjusting this force, they are able to achieve neutral buoyancy. This can be extremely beneficial.
Submarines can also be used to search and rescue survivors. U-boats were extremely important during World War II. Their technology and development reflected the German determination to win the war. The first U-boat was launched in 1939. Another type of technology that allows submarines to travel underwater is midget submarine technology. It allows big ships to access smaller vessels that are unable to access the surface.
Another important feature that allows submarines to travel underwater is advanced communication technology. They can send and receive signals from other submarines and shore bases via satellite. However, light does not penetrate deep into the ocean, so a global positioning system can’t work underwater. Submarines use inertial guidance systems, which track the ship’s motion through gyroscopes. These systems can be accurate within a hundred feet of the intended course.
Submarines are also extremely expensive. A nuclear submarine is one of the most powerful and capable of staying underwater indefinitely. It can also produce oxygen from seawater and desalinate the water for its crew. Submarines are used to defend maritime borders, and facilitate scientific research.
Inventors of submarines
Submarines were first invented in the 1800s. Inventors like Robert Fulton were interested in using the sea to transport people. Fulton studied art in England and France, but he turned to shipbuilding later in life. He realized that shipbuilding required serious engineering knowledge. Consequently, he moved to France to study engineering.
The Russian navy was interested in building submarines for their wartime capabilities, and several projects were submitted during the Crimean War. During this time, patriotic enthusiasm helped stimulate creative initiative. In 1855, the naval mechanical engineer N.N. Spiridonov presented his project to the Russian naval ministry. His design included a 60-man crew, an underwater jet, and piston pumps. The air was supplied to the pneumatic motors via a hose from a surface escort ship. However, the project was deemed ineffective and too difficult to implement.
Submarines were first built with one or two engines. In 1846, S.K. Dzhevetsky of Russia attempted to design a submarine that could sail at six knots without refueling. In 1898, another submarine, the «Plonger», used a compressed air engine to propel the vessel. The problem with this design was that submarines left bubbles on the surface. Ultimately, submarines were improved by the invention of the internal combustion engine and the electric motor. John Holland of America put two motors on his submarine. He also made it possible to recharge the batteries.
The concept of a submarine was first introduced in 1578 by William Bourne. He wrote a document in 1578 called «Inventions or devices necessary for all generals.» He used Archimedes’ law to prove that submersible ships could be submerged. This invention made it possible for a captain to remain underwater for several hours.
Despite the early success of the Nautilus, its inventors were initially disinclined to use it for military purposes. The French Navy refused to grant the crew of the submarine military ranks. The navy, however, did not approve of the project, and the inventor was demoted to a lower rank, and subsequently exiled to Astrakhan.
