The Annapolis Yacht Yard in World War Two
Annapolis, MD
1912-1973
This page added 12-3-2022.
An American Auto Industry in World War Two Special Edition
The Annapolis Yacht Yard is far
from the center of the American Automobile Industry, centered in
Southeast Michigan during World War Two. So, how did the Annapolis
Yacht Yard become a company of interest to be added to this website?
Its major war-time products were 127 Vosper Motor Torpedo Boats, each
powered by three Packard M2500 marine engines built in Detroit, MI.
All Packard M2500 engines came with cranking motors and DC
generators built by the Delco-Remy Division of General Motors in
Anderson, IN. So, the Vosper built Motor Torpedo Boats have a
direct link to the American Auto Industry. Also, with a trip to
the Liberty Aviation Museum in April 2019, I had a good collection of
photos of the only known Vosper 71-foot Motor Torpedo Boats known to
still exist.
Very few Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB) or Patrol
Torpedo (PT) boats still exist. There is one Elco 80-foot PT boat,
four Higgins 78-foot PT boats, and two Annapolis Yacht Yard-built
71-foot MTBs still in existence. Both known Vosper boats are at
the Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton, OH. PT-728 is
undergoing a second rebuild after the boat failed its sea trials in
2016. PT-724 is sitting outside, awaiting the day that it will be
rebuilt. This page features many photos of PT-728 and PT-724.
The Annapolis Yacht Yard was one of many small
shipyards along the ocean coasts, the Great Lakes, and many inland
rivers that built thousands of small boats and ships for the
war effort. Each one, like the Annapolis Yacht Yard, built a small
number of the boats and ships. Together, small boat makers supplied the many small craft needed in a world
war, where the oceans were the main supply routes by which the
Allied forces retook occupied enemy territory.
The Annapolis Yacht Yard was an American
company produced British-designed Vosper MTBs used by both the United
Kingdom and Russia and built 110-foot American-designed subchasers used by both the U.S.
and the Free French navies.
Annapolis Yacht Yard World War Two Military Products:
The company built twelve 110-foot subchasers and 127 boats MTBs during
World War Two. The Annapolis Yacht Yard had $13,354,000 in major
contracts as shown in Table 6. Due to the vague descriptions of
several of the contracts, it is difficult to determine for three of the
contracts whether they were for subchasers or Motor Torpedo Boats.
There was one $610,000 contract for spare parts. Subtracting that
from $13,354,000 = $12,744,000. Dividing this by the total 139
boats the company produced during World War Two gives an average cost
per boat of $91,683.
Table 1: Annapolis Yacht
Yard-built 110-foot Subchasers. |
Boat number |
Date Completed |
Disposition |
SC-521 |
Apr 1942 |
Lost Oct 1945 in the Solomon Islands. |
SC-522 |
Apr 1942 |
To Free French CH-111. Scrapped 1951. |
SC-688 |
Nov 1942 |
Sold 1946. |
SC-689 |
Nov 1942 |
Sold 1946. |
SC-690 |
Dec 1942 |
To Free French CH-106. |
SC-691 |
Dec 1942 |
To Free French CH-132. Scrapped 1964. |
SC-1309 |
May 1943 |
To Sea Scouts in 1946. |
SC-1310 |
May 1943 |
Sold 1946. |
SC-1311 |
Jun 1943 |
Sold 1946. |
SC-1312 |
Jul 1943 |
Sold 1947. |
SC-1313 |
Jul 1943 |
Sold 1946. |
SC-1314 |
Aug 1943 |
Sold 1946. |
Total = 12 |
|
|
Table 2:
Annapolis Yacht Yard-built Vosper 73-foot Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB)
laid down as British Patrol Torpedo boats (BPT) that were
re-designated British MTBs.
The United Kingdom did not have the capacity to build all of the
Vosper MTBs it needed during World War Two, so it turned to the
United States with its vast manufacturing abilities. Small boat makers like the Annapolis Yacht Yard
supplied the boats to Great Britain.
|
BPT # |
Number built |
British MTB # |
Date Completed |
Disposition |
BPT-21 |
1 |
MTB-275 |
Mar
1943 |
To
India |
BPT-22-26 |
5 |
MTB-276-280 |
Nov
1942 |
To
India |
BPT-27-28 |
2 |
MTB-281-282 |
Dec 1942 |
To India |
BPT-49-52 |
4 |
MTB-283-286 |
Apr
1943 |
To
India 284, 285 sunk enroute during air attack. |
BPT-53 |
1 |
MTB-363 |
Sep
1943 |
To Russia as TK-221 in Feb 44 |
BPT-54 |
1 |
MTB-364 |
Sep
1943 |
To
Russia as TK-222 in Feb 44. Lost in Barents Sea in Oct 1944 |
BPT-55 |
1 |
MTB-365 |
Dec
1943 |
To
Russia as TK-223 Feb 44 |
BPT-56-60 |
5 |
MTB-366-370 |
Nov
1943 |
To
Russia as TK-224, 227, 228, 229, 230 244 |
BPT-61 |
1 |
MTB-371 |
Oct
1943 |
Scuttled November 1944 |
BPT-62 |
1 |
MTB-372 |
Sep
1943 |
Sunk
by enemy gunfire July 44 in the Adriatic Sea |
BPT-63 |
1 |
MTB-373 |
Oct
1943 |
Scrapped in Italy as GIS-0014 in 1949 or later |
BPT-64 |
1 |
MTB-374 |
Oct
1943 |
Scrapped in Italy as GIS-009 in 1949 or later? |
BPT-65 |
1 |
MTB-375 |
Nov
1943 |
Scrapped in Italy as GIS-009 in 1949 or later? |
BPT-66 |
1 |
MTB-376 |
Dec
1943 |
Two
combat engagements as 276. Scrapped in Italy as GIS-0010
in 1949. |
BPT-67 |
1 |
MTB-377 |
Dec
1943 |
Scrapped in Italy as GIS-0016 in 1949. |
BPT-68 |
1 |
MTB-378 |
Dec
1943 |
One
combat engagements as 276. Scrapped in Italy as GIS-0017
in 1949. |
Total delivered to United Kingdom |
28 |
|
|
|
Table 3:
Annapolis Yacht Yard-built Vosper 70-foot MTBs laid down with
American PT numbers were re-designated as Russian TK boat
numbers when delivered to Russia.
This group of boats was
specifically designated from the beginning to be sent to Russia
under Lend-Lease. The boats all had U.S. Navy PT boat
numbers that were then converted to Russian Boat Numbers. |
U.S. PT Boat Numbers |
Russia Boat Number |
Number Built |
Date Completed |
Disposition |
PT-400 to 401 |
TK-220, 221 |
2 |
Jan
1944 |
|
PT-402 to 405 |
TK-231-234 |
4 |
Jan
1944 |
|
PT-406 to 407 |
TK-243-244 |
2 |
Jan
1944 |
|
PT-408 to 414 |
TK-235-240 |
7 |
Jan
1944-Feb 1944 |
|
PT-415-416 |
TK-562-563 |
2 |
Mar
1944 |
|
PT-417 |
TK-547 |
1 |
Mar
1944 |
|
PT-418 |
TK-567 |
1 |
Mar
1944 |
|
PT-419 |
TK-548 |
1 |
Mar
1944 |
|
PT-420 |
TK-580 |
1 |
Apr
1944 |
|
PT-421 |
TK-570 |
1 |
Apr
1944 |
|
PT-422 |
TK-587 |
1 |
Apr
1944 |
|
PT-423 |
TK-568 |
1 |
Apr
1944 |
|
PT-424-426 |
TK-588-590 |
3 |
May
1944 |
|
PT-427 |
TK-597 |
1 |
May
1944 |
|
PT-428-429 |
TK-559-560 |
2 |
May
1944 |
|
Total Vosper 70-foot MTBs delivered to Russia |
|
30 |
|
|
Table 4: Annapolis Yacht Yard-built Vosper 71-foot MTBs
laid down with American PT numbers were re-designated as Russian TK
boat numbers when delivered to Russia.
This group of boats was
specifically designated from the beginning to be sent to Russia
under Lend-Lease. The boats all had U.S. Navy PT boat
numbers that were then converted to Russian Boat Numbers.
Some sources show these as 70-foot boats. However, the
engineering drawing for PT-723 shown below indicates that the
American ordered Vosper boats for Lend-Lease starting with
PT-661 were 71 feet and 1/2 inches in length. |
U.S. PT Boat Numbers |
Russia Boat Number |
Number Built |
Date Completed |
Disposition |
PT-661 |
TK-247 |
1 |
Oct
1944 |
|
PT-662-665 |
TK-265-268 |
4 |
Nov-Dec 1944 |
Knock
Down Kit (KDK) |
PT-666-671 |
TK-809-814 |
6 |
Dec 1944 |
KDK |
PT-672-675 |
TK-269-272 |
4 |
Dec
1944 |
KDK |
PT-676-692 |
TK-248-264 |
17 |
Dec
1944 to Mar 1945 |
|
Total Vosper 71-foot MTBs delivered to Russia |
|
32 |
|
|
Total Vosper 70-foot and 71-foot MTBs delivered to Russia |
|
62 |
|
Table 3 and Table 4 totals. |
Table 5:
Annapolis Yacht Yard-built Vosper 71-foot MTBs laid down with
American PT numbers.
The war ended before these boats could be delivered to
Russia. So, they were sold off. At least two of them
still exist today and they are at the Liberty Aviation Museum in
Port Clinton, OH as highlighted below. PT-694 was the PT
boat used in the McHale's Navy TV Show.
Some sources show these as 70-foot
boats. However, the engineering drawing for PT-723 shown
below indicates that the American ordered Vosper boats for
Lend-Lease starting with PT-661 were 71 feet and 1/2 inches in
length. |
U.S. PT Boat Numbers |
Number Built |
Date Completed |
Disposition |
PT-693 |
1 |
Mar
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration Aug 1946 and sold. |
PT-694 |
1 |
Apr
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration Aug 1946 and sold to Hughes Tool company
for a tender to H-4 Spruce Goose. Sold to Universal
Studios and used in TV show McHale's Navy. Sold to private
individual and destroyed in a 1992 storm in Santa Barbara, CA. |
PT-695 |
1 |
Apr
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration Aug 1946 and sold to private individual.
Scrapped 1990's |
PT-696-701 |
6 |
Apr-May 1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945.
Transferred to War Shipping Administration Aug 1946 and sold.
Unknown disposition. |
PT-703 |
1 |
May
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War Shipping
Administration June 1946 and sold. Various owner. Sank off
coast of Mexico in Gulf of Mexico in 1954. |
PT-704 |
1 |
May
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration Aug 1946 and sold. Various owners with
last one in Key West, Fl in 1974. Unknown disposition. |
PT-705 |
1 |
May
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration July 1946 and sold. Various
owners. Scrapped in 1988 in Brooklyn, NY. |
PT-706-707 |
2 |
Jun
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration June 1946 and sold. Unknown
disposition. |
PT-708 |
1 |
Jun
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration Aug 1946 and sold. Burned off
coast of Mexico 1972. |
PT-709 |
1 |
Jun
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration July 1946 and sold. Unknown
disposition. |
PT-710 |
1 |
Jul
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration Jun 1946 and sold. Unknown
disposition. |
PT-711 |
1 |
Jul
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to
War Shipping Administration July 1946 and sold. Various
owners up through 1989. Unknown final disposition.
|
PT-712 |
1 |
Jul
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to
War Shipping Administration Sep 1946 and sold. Various
owners up through 1986. Unknown final disposition.
|
PT-713 |
1 |
Jul
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration Nov 1946 and sold. Various owners
up through 1979. Unknown final disposition.
|
PT-714 |
1 |
Jul
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945, Transferred to War Shipping
Administration 1946 and sold. Unknown disposition. |
PT-715 |
1 |
Jul
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration August 1946. Transferred to Cuba
and re-numbered R-41 in August 1946. |
PT-716 |
1 |
Aug
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration July 1946. Transferred to Cuba and
re-numbered R-42 in July1946. |
PT-717-720 |
4 |
Aug
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration June 1947 and sold. Unknown final
disposition.
|
PT-721 |
1 |
Sept
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration June 1947 and sold. Unknown final
disposition.
|
PT-722 |
1 |
Sep
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration August 1947 and sold. Unknown final
disposition. |
PT-723 |
1 |
Sep
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration April 1948 and sold in 1950. Unknown
final disposition. |
PT-724 |
1 |
Sep 1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945.
Transferred to War Shipping Administration July 1947. In
1967 it was the yacht Endeavor II out of Bradenton, FL. In
2012 it was acquired by the Liberty Aviation Museum in Port
Clinton, OH. See author's photos. |
PT-725-727 |
3 |
Oct
1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 194. Transferred to War
Shipping Administration Jun and August 1947 and sold. Unknown
final disposition. |
PT-728 |
1 |
Oct 1945 |
Struck from naval Register Nov 1945.
Transferred to War Shipping Administration August 1947 and sold.
Sold with numerous private owners In 2012 it was acquired
by the Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton, OH. See
author's photos. |
PT-729-730 |
2 |
Oct
1945 |
Reclassified as a Small Boat in November 1945 and sold in 1947.
Unknown final disposition. |
Total |
37 |
|
|
Table 6 -
Annapolis Yacht
Yard's
Major World War Two Contracts
The information below
comes from the "Alphabetical Listing of Major War Supply
Contracts, June 1940 through September 1945." This was
published by the Civilian Production Administration, Industrial
Statistics Division. This table added 12-3-2022. |
Product - Customer |
Contract Number |
Contract Amount |
Contract Awarded
Date |
Completion
Date |
Submarine Chasers
- Navy |
NOS-83456 |
270,000 |
3-1941 |
5-1942 |
Vessels - Navy |
NOS-892041 |
985,000 |
7-1941 |
8-1942 |
Vessels - Navy |
NOS-94641 |
404,000 |
11-1941 |
4-1942 |
Patrol
Small - Navy |
OBS-528 |
544,000 |
2-1942 |
12-1942 |
Subchasers
- Navy |
OBS-290 |
780,000 |
7-1942 |
7-1943 |
Boats
Torpedo - Navy |
OBS-271 |
1,376,000 |
7-1942 |
7-1943 |
Boat Parts - Navy |
NXS-12962L |
610,000 |
9-1942 |
12-1943 |
Motor
Torpedo Boats - Navy |
OBS-986 |
2,388,000 |
3-1942 |
3-1944 |
Motor
Torpedo Boats - Navy |
OBS-1487 |
5,997,000 |
3-1944 |
10-1945 |
Total |
|
$13,354,000 |
|
|
The Vosper 71-foot Motor Torpedo Boat
PT-728 in 2015: In looking
at the disposition column in the Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 above, the only
verified existing Annapolis Yacht Yard-built Vosper MTBs are owned by
the Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton, OH. Both need a lot of
restoration work. From a deck and profile standpoint, PT-728 was
restored to resemble an 80-foot Elco. In my opinion, it is a
Vosper, and should be restored as such. But then, I'm not funding
the restoration either.
These two photos show PT-728 in June 2015
near the end of a long restoration. It was to undergo sea trials later
in the year, and then begin giving rides in 2016. Sometimes things
don't work out as planned or as desired. Due to shoddy workmanship
by the company contracted with the restoration, PT-728 failed its sea
trials. In fact, if the trials hadn't been terminated when they
were, the boat may have sunk. Author's photo.
Cosmetically PT-728 looks very nice on the
outside, but lurking underneath is sub-standard construction. The
2016 sea trials on Lake Erie were terminated early when it was noticed
by the crew that the bow was starting to disintegrate. Author's
photo.
Vosper 71-foot MTB Engineering Drawings:
Below are several photos of the top outline drawing of PT-723.
This was on one of the tables in the office next to the current
restoration. As of my visit, the restoration staff at the Museum
did not have a complete set of drawings. The photos below provide
key information normally not found on the 71-foot Vosper.
Note that the Vosper is identified as a
71-foot boat. Author's photo.
The materials list. Author's photo.
The side profile of the 71-foot PT-723 built
by the Annapolis Yacht Yard. Each boat came with a full set of
prints. Author's photo.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
This shows that PT-661 to PT-730 were
71-foot Vosper MTBs. Author's photo.
PT-728 Walk-Around photos: The following
group of photos is from a return visit I made to the Museum in April 2019. PT-728 is back in the boat house in the museum and is
being completely rebuilt. The museum has hired a boatwright wooden boat
experience to lead the project. Photos below show details on the
rebuild of the boat as of April 2019. For
those interested in PT boats and their construction, I recommend a trip
to the museum to personally view the work being done.
PT-728 fills one side of the boathouse and
the other half is filled with tools and lumber needed for the
restoration. Author's photo.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
All of the planking has been removed from
the original restoration. Author's photo.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
This and the next two photos show the fuel
tanks. The original Packard engines are being replaced by two MAN marine
diesel engines. The capacity of the new fuel tanks is unknown.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
This is the forward bulkhead of the engine
room. On my first visit in 2015, I was told the Coast Guard
stipulated, for safety reasons, that diesel engines would need to be used
instead of the original gasoline powered Packards.
This is because it is planned for PT-728 to give tourist rides on Lake
Erie during the summer months. This all made sense to me until I
took a ride on the Higgins-built PT-305 which has the gasoline powered Packards in it. Go figure. Author's photo.
This is the opening over the engine room for installing and removing the
engines. Author's photo.
One of the heavy pieces of wood for bracing
the engines in the engine room has the original serial number burned
into the wood. Author's photo.
The aft bulkhead of the engine room.
Author's photo.
This is the forward bulkhead of the
compartment behind the engine room. Author's photo.
The stern with the openings for the engine
exhausts. Author's photo.
Backing up in time to 2015, this and the
next photo show the propeller shafts and propellers under the plastic
sheeting. Author's photo.
Author's photo.
Also from 2015, this shows some of the port side MAN diesel, as photographed through the exhaust port. Author's
photo.
Author's photo.
Back to 2019 and the port side of the boat.
Author's photo.
There is an I-beam that runs underneath the
keel. Author's photo.
This shows more of the I-beam and all of the
jacks needed to make sure that this restoration of PT-728 is to print.
Author's photo.
PT-724 Walkaround: The photos
below show PT-728 in April 2019. There is a wooden framework over
the entire boat, intended to hold a protective tarp in place. The tarp blew
off during the winter of 2018-19, and had not yet been replaced.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
|