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torpedo boat

Also known as: PT boat, motor torpedo boat, patrol torpedo boat(Show More)

Quick Summary

A torpedo boat is a small, fast boat specifically designed to launch torpedoes. These vessels saw renewed interest in the 1930s and were built in significant numbers by navies like Germany, Italy, Britain, and the U.S. for use in World War II. German "S-boats" and U.S. "PT boats" were examples, capable of speeds up to 40 knots and armed with torpedoes and guns. The development of the torpedo itself, a self-propelled underwater missile, began with Robert Whitehead in the 1860s. Early torpedo boats and the torpedo weapon itself greatly influenced warship design from the late 19th century through World War I.1234

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