The photo above is of PT-617 at Battleship Cove in Fall River, MA. 617 is an ELCO boat 80′ long and about 20′ wide. It is the same class boat as the famous PT-109 that President Kennedy commanded. The model of the 109 is in the immediate foreground with the 617 behind. The model is about 12′ long and on a boat trailer, to give an idea of the sizes. These patrol torpedo boats were powered by marine versions of the Allison V12 aircraft engine and could go up to about 47 miles per hour.
I’ve always wanted to see one of these things in person, and that is very hard to do as there are only a tiny number left. The PT boats were considered “small boats”, but when you get up next to one it is anything but small! 80′ is nothing to sneeze at, so to speak.
The PT-617 is on safely preserved and on display in its own building. Another PT boat is wrapped and getting ready for a full restoration.
And, by the way, the “PT-73” of McHale’s Navy was actually a 72′ Vospar Motor Torpedo Boat, a British Design, that was “made up” to look like a PT boat. It was wrecked near Santa Barbara and had been used as a sport fishing boat after it was retired from the show.
Anyway, it was a big deal and a real treat to see and touch a proper PT boat.
NOTE: There was a PT-73 boat, a 78′ Higgins model, that saw action in the Aleutians. It ran aground and had to be destroyed so as not to fall into Japanese hands.