Submarine chasers were used for destroying German U-boats that were stationed off the coast of the United States (some 67 German U-boats were sunk). In the Pacific Theatre, submarine chasers were used for amphibious landings, courier and escort duty.
SC-497-class submarine chasers were a class of 438 submarine chasers, 98 tons with a length of 110 ft 10 in (34 m) and a speed of 18 knots. 142 were part of the Lend-Lease program with 78 sent to the Soviet Union, 50 to France and 3 to Norway. The three Norwegian examples served with distinction on the Shetland bus service, running agents, refugees and weapons past the German blockade between occupied Norway and Britain.
Contains:
2x resin & metal US Coastal Cutter Subchaser
Ship card
Wake marker
Built by several different manufacturers in different designs the landing craft mechanized (LCM) bore the brunt of transport duties in some of the most famous landings in history.
The LCM (3) Higgins is perhaps the most famous, at a length of 50 feet (15 m), it had the capacity to carry one 30-ton tank (e.g. M4 Sherman), 60 troops, or 60,000 lb (27,000 kg) of cargo.
On December 7th, 1941, the US Navy could only boast 3 squadrons of motor torpedo boats, or PT boats (patrol torpedo) as they were named. PT squadron 1 was based on Pearl Harbor and the 12 boats opened fire on the incoming Japanese bombers, claiming 2 planes downed for sure and others damaged. Squadron 2 was based in Manila Bay of the Philippines and had a similar introduction to their war, shooting down a few attackers and learning that fast boats were a tricky target for bombers. Squadron 3 was in New York working up and would later see great service in Guadalcanal.
The PT boats fought all over the globe, from Pearl Harbor to the Philippines, the Adriatic and Mediterranean and also in the English Channel. They achieved many successes, particularly in the last two years of the Pacific War they accounted for many stalking float planes and many hundreds of barges which were the lifeblood of the overextended Japanese army. This barge hunting was a gruelling business and needed a certain ruthlessness on the behalf of the American crews, Japanese soldiers and sailors being loath to surrender, hence a grizzly end to many a barge crew.
£2.75
