The first mention of high speed motor boats for the US Navy was in 1916 when a Michigan boat designer offered to build in numbers for $20,000 each, a 55mph boat, that mounted one torpedo on the bow and two machine guns. Nothing ever came of this private offer but by 1922 the US Navy reconsidered using small internal combustion engine powered torpedo boats. As a result two types of WWI vintage British Royal Navy Coastal Motor Boats were obtained for testing, these were rejected following the tests. In 1939 the US Navy renewed it's interest by requesting competitive bids for several different types of motor torpedo boats. This led to eight types being submitted for testing. After rigorous trials, culminating in the 'Plywood Derby', two companies received contracts, these were Higgins Industries and the Electric Launch Company ( Elco ). Both companies used a planing hull design developed for racing boats,as opposed to a displacement hull, this leads to the boat running 'on' the water at speed as opposed to 'through' it, giving greater speed. The primary anti-shipping armament for PT boats was two or four Mark 8 torpedoes, launched from Mark 18 21" torpedo tubes. These were replaced in 1943 by four Mark 13 torpedoes on light weight 'roll off' launcher racks. PT boats were also well armed with numerous automatic weapons, common to all were two twin M2 .50cal machine guns. Another commonly mounted weapon was a 20mm Oerlikon cannon mounted on the stern. Later in the war, several more of these 20mm cannons would be added amidships and on the forward deck. Occasionally front line PT boats received 'ad-hoc' up fits at forward bases, if these proved successful they were incorporated onto all PT boats as original armament. One such field modification was made to PT-109, commanded by future President J.F.Kennedy, his crew 'aquired' a single shot Army M3 37mm anti-tank gun. Removing the wheels they lashed it onto the bow of PT-109, it was used effectively the following night but sadly PT-109 was was cut in two by a Japanese destroyer and lost. The 'punch' of the 37mm round was very desirable but crews looked for something with a better rate of fire than the single shot M3. The answer was found on Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, a number of wrecked P-39 Airacobra fighter planes were cannibalized for their 37mm Oldsmobile M4 automatic cannons. Having demonstrated it's value on a PT-boat the M4 and later M9 were factory fitted to new boats. The culmination of larger bore cannons resulted in the installation of the 40mm Bofors Gun on the aft deck, besides its intended anti-aircraft role this proved very effective for shore bombardment and engaging enemy surface vessels. In 1945 some PT boats were fitted with two eight-cell Mark50 rocket launchers, launching 5in spin stabilized Mark7 rockets. These 16 rockets plus 16 reloads gave the PT boat as much firepower as a destroyers 5" broadside. By wars end the PT boats had more firepower-per-ton than any other vessel in the US Navy. Well, I'm back, two weeks in Turkey (never enough) and I was greeted by Tryphons new US Navy gear. It fits and looks great, thanks Luis! WW2 PT Boat by BeyondVR now at RPublishing, another lovely model.