HIGGINS BOATS

RANGER · Post by **RANGER** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 10:46 pm

Not a WWII truck, but sure haulet their share of them.
Need manuals for the landing craft.
Higgins is a fascinating study, they not only made landing craft in the open streets, they produced a version of the PT Boat, ELCO was the other manufacturer.
Higgins made remarkable watercraft after WWII.
I have a 17' Higgins Runabout with an inboard Chrysler 6 that has been in one family since it was new in 1948. It is based on the hull design of the WWII Higgins PT Boat.
It has only about 3 months use in its 60 years and is in original as new museum condition resting on its original shipping cradle and has been stored in a heated shop for 60 years. Hopefully it will be purchased by a museum. It speaks well for the WWII Higgins era, and only increases my thirst for Higgins history.
It is like finding the WWII MB or CCKW new in a warehouse.

doc_coffin · Post by **doc_coffin** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 10:05 am

Ranger,

There's a very nice hardbound book about Higgins titled "Andrew Jackson Higgins and the Boats that won World War II", by Jerry Strahan, published by the Louisiana State University Press. the ISBN is: 0-8071-1903-2 (alk. paper).

By the way, there were 3 PT boat Manufacturers during WWII, the Huckins Yacht Works of Jacksonville Florida being the third.
They built a very low profile PT-95 class 78-foot boat with a planing hull in 2 series; PT-95 to PT-104, and PT-255 to PT-264. These boats served with Ron 4, Ron 14, and Ron 26 in Hawaii and the Panama Sea Frontier (Canal Zone). None appear to have survived past 1949, so they are not very well documented.

Mark Coffin

RANGER · Post by **RANGER** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 1:34 pm

Thank you. I will look for a copy. I used to work with Henry Martell years ago, he was an Engineman on PT boats, and my friend Ed Mcleod operated Landing Craft. Another friend Joseph DeRoche was awarded the Bronze Star for his volunteer mission in which he fired a Howitzer from a Landing Craft at a Japanese troopship.

brian · Post by **brian** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 5:39 pm

LST 325 has two opperational boats.
http://www.lstmemorial.org/

and the D-day museum has one thay built from scratch.
thay used to have pics on a web site but its been a while.
both of them will probably have manuals.

if not theres always the navy history institute,

BB

RANGER · Post by **RANGER** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 6:59 pm

There is a great book about Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3 Commanded bt Lt John Bulkelley, "THEY WERE EXPENDABLE'.I last read it around 1952. Lt Bulkelly rescued General MacArthur from Corregidor in 1942 with his PT Boat.
What is interesting, is that 30 some years later, Bulkelley, now an Admiral was incharge of inspection and acceptance of Navy ships, and used to personally inspect the Destroyers at Bath Iron works here in Maine. The Navy got their moneys' worth with Admiral Bulkelley in charge.

Ugg · Post by **Ugg** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 2:07 am

Hi RANGER:

They also made a movie of that name with the Duke. He didn't play the lead though. From what I understand, after the McArthur rescue, Bulkelly went back stateside to take over training for all future PT Boat Capt's. Also, after the war, most if not ALL PT Boats were destroyed. Burnt em we did.

Later

brian · Post by **brian** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 5:42 am

I'v been an on and off member of P.T. boats inc.
since the early 80's,
perty interesting where thay'v found boats over the years.
P.T. one. survived the war, but some idiot with too much money got
hold of it, and gutted it for a yaught. sometime in the mid 80's

I tried to make a skelliton model of a 80" elco once. but it turned into a chinese jigsaw puzzle. real quick. and I never could get decent plans
of the engine room.

and what I wouldent give for some digitized plans in 3-d.
BB

Lang · Post by **Lang** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 7:53 am

I have an operators manual for Higgins "Eureka" 36' Landing Motor Boats

Dec 1941

Large format obviously produced by Higgins (Typed pages, coloured drawings of fuel elect system, shiny photos of factory etc) not a TM which probably came later.

Has all the information on Hall-Scott gasoline, GM Diesel and Superior Diesel engines. Lots of diagrams laying out landing procedures in different types of surf etc. plus spares lists etc.

Interesting 3 page foldout cartoon in the centre showing how NOT to land a boat. We tend to think that our fathers only swore under pressure. Every character, falling over the side, getting ropes caught etc has full-on swearing in the little voice bubbles!

Lang

Robbo · Post by **Robbo** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 3:45 am

For approx 50 photographs of the Higgins Industries factory and WW2 products go to:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsaquery.html

search keywords "Higgins boat" or "Higgins Industries"

sgtpeter · Post by **sgtpeter** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:10 am

Hey Robbo -

I ran the same search you did and got 907 results!!! Admittedly not all of them are LCVPs, but lots of good stuff none the less.

Ranger - I agree with you, I have always had a fondness for LCVPs and PT boats although I'm strictly a land lubber. While digging a fox hole in the ocean is easier, the dirt based fox hole is safer

A couple years ago I found a Detriot 671 manual for really cheap with the hope of someday having the time, space and money for an LCVP. An LCVP and MB would be the ultimate pleasure craft. And with the ring mounts, no need to worry about pirates

abn deuce · Post by **abn deuce** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 10:14 am

Since I just stumbled onto this thread I have a Great dvd for you to check out and I m sure you will enjoy called "Devil Boat" the saga of pt 658 ....it traces the story of a group of very dedicaded former pt crew men to purchase a former pt boat and rebuild her , they almost lost her as she was almost completed quite a story both of the people restoring her and the community support. its by tmg timeless media group #65333 1 hr 6 min. bw and color has historic footage isbn #0-7411-1083-0

Steve Greenberg · Post by **Steve Greenberg** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 7:47 am

Hello,
The PT 658 is in Portland, Oregon. I have been on board the boat. It is very impressive! Sounds good too! Here are a few photos from last summer. That is my DUKW between the PT boat and LCI 713.
Steve

abn deuce · Post by **abn deuce** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 5:12 pm

A wonderful set of photo's Thank You for sharing them . Looks like the Pt's doing great . a number of additions have been made since the Video was released , Thats good news ,They make a nice group of vessels and you got a chance to show your DUKW a float a rare event !!