PT Boats

[General Mayhem]

We all know that the U.S. used PT boats inthe pacific. The German's ha E-boats. Were these similar purpose types of craft? What did they look like?
Did the British employ a version of these as well? Does ayone know of any studies that were done regarding the effectiveness of these boats? There's a certain glamour attached to the boats, but did the idea actually prove to be worth the cost? I'd read that in the case of the American PT boats the losses were quite high in relationship to the damage inflicted.

[Erich]

I am assuming that they were similar for function but the S-Booten also laid mines throughout the channel on the shores of England, in the Med and in the Baltic and Back Seas. there are comparisons of course to the arms of mg/cannon for both as well as the English MTB's. Must say the S-booten were an edge faster than the Allies and Soviet versions of Torpedo boats, and the KM S-boots were feared till the wars end. In fact through the many years it has been proven for the German Kriegsmarine arm that the U-boots and the S-booten arm were the only boats really worth their weight in gold.



and another from the 8th S-bootflottille serving on the Ost front in the Baltic

[Erich]

another shot for comparison purposes to other Allied small boats

[General Mayhem]

Originally Posted by Erich

another shot for comparison purposes to other Allied small boats

Thanks E,
Jolly good of you. These certainly appear to be more heavily armed and armored then the American versions which were made of wood, I believe and expeienced a lot of engine problems (probably not uncommon given conditions of us.)

[Erich]

you are very welcome, more coming ..........

[Owen]

I don't know anything about boats, sorry.
But if you go here.
IWM Collections Online: Search Photographs Archive

Search for MTB there are 77 lovely photos of them.

Here is one that is still afloat.
MTB 102



Lots of info here.
The Coastal Forces

Good website that, run by a WW2 Veteran of Royal Navy.

[Peter Clare]

A little more on the PT boat

PT Boats, Torpedo Boats

[von Poop]

Nice site on MGBs:
Motor Gun Boats of WW2 - a particular story of a brave man

There used to be a few MTBs scattered about the South coast and in use as houseboats, certainly one in Hayling & one in Southampton that I remember were there for a long while.
Some examples:
British Power Boat Co.page 2
Save The Western Ladies - Other Fairmile Craft.

Looks like some serve on as tourist boats too:
Canadian Coastal Forces

Kevin Wheatcroft recently bought this S-boot:
British Military Powerboat Trust.

Cheers,
Adam.

[NickFenton]

There were many others.

The high Speed Launches that patroled the channel picking up ditched pilots.

Air Sea Rescue And Marine Craft Section Club

I am researching HSL 108 from Goreleston that was captured during a failed airsea rescue attempt on 1st/2nd July 1941.

The launch was recovered and taken to Borkum and then Wilhelmshaven from which point, l believe that it was renamed 'Sengwarden' as part of 1./Sperrbecher Flottilla.

During the war, HSL was seen in a German magazine by one of the surviving launch crew in German colors being used to pick up survivors from the 'Lobster pot' survival buoys along the Dutch coast between Wilhelshaven and Flushing (Vlissingen).

If anyone can help, please let me know.

Regards,

Nick

[General Mayhem]

I could be mistaken about this but on american PT's weren't there two styles of deploying the torpedo? One was the familiar tube launcher and I thought that there was also a roll off rack version as well. The ones I'm familiar with had I believe twin Bofors and I think a 50 caliber machine gun for armament. The german and british versions seem to be more heavily armed and not as cheaply constructed. Does anyone know what the top speed for these boats was?