PT boat

PT boat, small, manueverable boat used by the U.S. Navy to torpedo enemy ships. Its full name is patrol torpedo boat. The PT boat was used to advantage during World War II but taken from the active list in 1959. PT boats were 77–80 ft (23–24 m) long. Powered by 3 supercharged gasoline engines, a PT boat could travel at 43 knots, or 49 mi (79 km) per hr. The near-flat hull, which allowed the PT boat to skim over smooth water, handicapped the boat in rough waves.

See also: Navy, United States.