When were PT Boats *that* important?

[Destraex]

I disagree.... swarms of torpedo boats with 2-4 torps each.... it only takes 3-4 torps to kill a capital warship.

How about - how many battleships were taken out by carrier aircraft alone.... same weaponry different playform... smaller size.

In the med especially I think the manchester is a good example of potential for the torpedo boat to pull one out of the bag.


Submarines/torpedoe bombers etc do have a distinct advantage as a strike platform. The PT boat is just as exciting for me though. Its like a race car with torpedos strapped to it. And the best part about it is that its often sent off on its own with the small crew... its a great platform for individualist tight knit crews.

[John Kettler]

Destraex,

Looks as though you've been delving through the goodies I dug up for you and are beginning to understand what I was trying to convey. Watched any of the videos yet? Couldn't believe how tiny the M.A.S. boats were, yet it was a brace of them that sank H.M.S. Manchester!

Regards,

John Kettler

[Destraex]

actually I have not had time to read any of it yet sorry.

I did read a comic called PTboat or some such when i was a kid. Prolly have it somewhere still. The captain in that went everywhere. From chinese waters to europe in flames.

And an australian tv series called patrol boat..

[Beastttt]

I tend to think of this kind of combat as squad level battles
the stories are out there they are just not as spoken of as much compared to when you get to fleet level stuff
and the battle wagons just have better press coverage

[John Kettler]

Beastttt,

A PT or similar vessel is the smallest fighting command a skipper can have that is truly designed to go into harm's way, as opposed to, say, a seagoing tug. Such a boat is all teeth, with no real staying power and is critically dependent on either a tender or shore base for logistics. And it is on such a boat that a skipper may make an indelible impression in very short order, either good or bad, for there is nowhere to hide and who you are is there for all to see. In naval terms, a PT boat is basically a fighter plane, albeit one with a large crew and heavy firepower, and the tactics of ambush, slashing attacks, high maneuverability and speed management in combat all have fighter combat parallels.

If you look at the awards and citations in that book I mentioned earlier in the thread, you'll find that PT skippers and crews got a lot of decorations, and the same was true for the Germans and the British.

Regards,

John Kettler