PT 305 - U.S.S. Sudden Jerk
Shots of PT 305. This vessel was restored by the WWII Museum in New Orleans. It took 10 years to restore this vessel. It is now housed just east of the New Orleans Lakefront Airport. Rides are available but a little pricey at $300.00 to $350.00 for 45 minutes. The 78' series of these vessels were built by Higgins Industries in New Orleans during WWII.
Length - 78'
Beam - 20' 8"
Draft - 5' 3"
Top Speed 41 Knots - Powered by 3 - 1,500 HP Packard Engines
Cost in 1943 - $123,950.00
Hope you enjoy.
Don
I would pay $350 for a ride if I could be the bow gunner.
I think it would be worth it if you got full access.
Is this the same design as PT 109?
dmc
Loc: Montgomery, AL
Nice images Don. That's not a bad price to pay for listening to the V-12 Packards for 45 minutes !!
Thanks for sharing...
Don
repleo wrote:
Is this the same design as PT 109?
PT-109 was an 80', made by ELCO in New Jersey.
PAR4DCR wrote:
Shots of PT 305. This vessel was restored by the WWII Museum in New Orleans. It took 10 years to restore this vessel. It is now housed just east of the New Orleans Lakefront Airport. Rides are available but a little pricey at $300.00 to $350.00 for 45 minutes. The 78' series of these vessels were built by Higgins Industries in New Orleans during WWII.
Length - 78'
Beam - 20' 8"
Draft - 5' 3"
Top Speed 41 Knots - Powered by 3 - 1,500 HP Packard Engines
Cost in 1943 - $123,950.00
Hope you enjoy.
Don
Shots of PT 305. This vessel was restored by the W... (
show quote)
Can't imagine what it would cost today to build?
Thanks for posting.
Nice shots. Interesting. Looks like they did a fine job in restoring it.
Fascinating and most interesting series of photographs.
Thank you for posting.
Erv
Loc: Medina Ohio
Very nice shot. I got to ride on one back in the day. Wish I could remember which one it was. My stroke really beat me down as far as remembering things.
It would take the Navy 3 years to write up the specifications and get them approved. Then another 2 years to let the contract, review and approve bids. Perhaps another year for contractors to build and test prototypes. Then another year for DOD to have a head to head competition to determine which company would be awarded the contract.
Add in another year to review the complaint/s filed by companies who did not get awarded the contract. A year later a compromise would be made awarding a joint contract with design factors from both companies used in the final construction. At launch, the joint constructed PT-boat lists to one side and sinks. Two more years later, and at three times the original cost figures, a new and revised design is built and launched. Please note: Only a bit of "tongue in cheek" present in this description!
What an undertaking to restore one of these boats to the condition it's in today! My memories of a PT go back to when I was in the Coast Guard stationed in Cape May, NJ in 1966. There was a PINK Pt emblazoned with PT-109 operating out of Wildwood (I believe) as a tourist attraction. It would roar up and down just offshore during the summer months, quite a sight to see and hear!
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