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Higgins 78ft PT boat (v2)

Higgins 78ft PT boat (v2) kit (x1). 3D printed hull and detail parts included.

21,95 €

TTC

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Description

Higgins 78ft PT boat (v2) kit (x1). 3D printed hull and detail parts included.

Besides the Electric Launch Corporation (Elco), the other significant U.S. PT boat maker was Higgins Industries of New Orleans, Loujsiana. Owned by Andrew Jackson Higgins, a man convinced that his firm's talent, both in engineering and production, was second to none, Higgins Industries eschewed others' designs, instead creating their own.

The original Higgins PT design was a 70-foot boat designated PT-70. Although it faired well in the 'Plywood Derby' trials, the Navy determined that it wanted boats no less than 75-feet long, and no more than 82-feet long. Higgins engineers redesigned their boat, and subsequently the firm received an initial contract for 24 vessels.

Lacking the graceful lines of the Elco, the 78-foot Higgins boats were notably rugged, however. Higgins crews had a bit wetter ride than their counterparts aboard Bayonne built
vessels, but they had the tactical advantage of sailing a more maneuverable boat. Ultimately, only 209 of the 78-foot PTs were built by Higgins, in contrast to Elco's output of 326 of its 80-foot boats. Despite this initial numerical disadvantage, today more Higgins-built boats survive, although even they number fewer than a half dozen.

Although all the production Higgins boats can be regarded as belonging to the PT-71 class, notable design variations appeared during the course of the production run. As with the Elco, as the war wore on, the weight and armament of the Higgins boats continued to grow. Later model boars boasted dual eight-tube rocket launchers near the front of the vessel, and a Bofors gun on the stern.