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NavSource Online:
Motor Torpedo Boat Photo Archive

HMC S-09
ex-HMC V-264

V-264 call sign:
Charlie - George - Yoke - Baker

ex-HM MTB-258
ex-PT-9

PT-9 served the Navies of the United States and Canada

70' Scott Paine Experimental Motor Torpedo Boat:

Laid down by the British Power Boat Co., Ltd., Hythe, Hampshire, England

Acquired by the Navy 24 July 1940, placed in service and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron ONE (MTBRon 1) for evaluations

MTBRon 1, under the command of Lt. Earl S. Caldwell, USN, was the first squadron commissioned, and originally was made up of experimental boats

Transferred 8 November 1940 to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron TWO (MTBRon 2) under the command of now Lt. Comdr. Caldwell

MTBRon 2 tested the first 70' Elco boats in Florida and Caribbean waters in the winter of 1940/41

Transferred to the Royal Navy 11 April 1941 and reclassified HM MTB-258

Transfer to the Royal Navy canceled, subsequently transferred to Canada 23 September 1942 and reclassified V-264 where she served in the Halifax and Gaspe area as a harbor defense force vessel

Reclassified S-09

Reassigned in March 1943 to Quebec for blackout patrols on the Saint Lawrence River

Reassigned in 1944 to Toronto, Ontario as a range control and safety vessel

Returned to U.S. custody 1 February 1945

Sold for scrap 5 September 1946

Naval Vessel Register of 1 January 1949 lists transfer to the War Shipping Administration in October 1946.

Specifications:

Displacement 55 t.

Length 70'

Beam 20'

Draft 5'

Speed 41 kts.

Armament: Four 18" torpedos and two twin .30 cal. Browning machine guns

Torpedoes removed prior to transfer. Machine guns retained and eight depth charges added by Royal Canadian Navy

Propulsion: Three 1,500shp Packard V12 M2500 gasoline engines, three shafts

Reengined with two 550hp Kermath V-12 gasoline engines.

Click on thumbnail for full size image	Size	Image Description	Source
PT-9
	158k	The Navy's first PT boat, the Scott-Paine PT 9, is unloaded from SS President Roosevelt in New York, September 5, 1939 ELCO Naval Division, Electric Boat Co. photo from "At Close Quarters PT Boats in the United States Navy" by Captain Robert J. Bulkley, Jr., USNR (Retired)	Robert Hurst
	141k	c. 1939 Undergoing test runs off of New York	Bill Gonyo
	18k
	60k
	115k	PT-3 and PT-9 during test runs
	128k	PT-3 and PT-9 during test runs From the collection of Robert C. Houston	Bob Houston
	36k	Note the extreme similarity between this boat and the 70' Electric Boat Co., Elco Works, PT boats. The most notable differences are the short pilothouse and small turret domes Elco photo from "Allied Coastal Forces of World War II: Vosper MTBs and U.S. Elcos" by John Lamber and Al Ross	Robert Hurst
	82k	Seen here are the 18" torpedo tubes on PT-9. The torque rods and training gear are clearly shown. The ten 70'-PTs mounted nearly identical tubes U.S. Navy photo from "Allied Coastal Forces of World War II: Vosper MTBs and U.S. Elcos" by John Lamber and Al Ross
	58k	Seen here are the original Dewandre turret dome on PT-9. Note the relatively small size and the .30 cal. Browning guns U.S. Navy photo from "Allied Coastal Forces of World War II: Vosper MTBs and U.S. Elcos" by John Lamber and Al Ross
	94k	LCDR Earl S. Caldwell Photo from argentaImages	Bill Gonyo
	115k	c. 1940 LT James D. Ball (left) and LCDR Earl S. Caldwell (right) Life magazine photo	Jerry Gilmartin, MMC, USN, Ret.
	121k	c. 1940 LCDR Earl S. Caldwell (in cockpit) Life magazine photo	Jerry Gilmartin, MMC, USN, Ret.
	395k	19 June 1940 PT-9 with the Under Secretary of the Navy embarked U.S. Navy photo	Jim Kurrasch, Battleship Iowa, Pacific Battleship Center
	50k	Advertisement stamp	Tommy Trampp Photo added 17 March 2020
	133k	PT-9 with the Under Secretary of the Navy embarked Photo caption: New 'Mosquito Boat' ready for action. Washington, D.C., June 19, [1940]. The PT-9, first of the American Motor Torpedo Boats to be delivered to the U.S. Navy under the President's $15,000,000 experimental small craft program had a preview showing for the press today. The 'Mosquito Boat' and eight other ones will be based at the Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, Va., where they will undergo service tests under various sea conditions to determine their capabilities and limitations. This is the same type of boat that the government is in the process of releasing to the British Navy. Chairman David L. Walsh of the Senate Naval Affairs Committee expressed indignation over the Navy's action in this respect in view of the fact that this government is trying to build up its own sea power Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress	Bill Gonyo
	125k	19 June 1940 Photo caption: The PT-9, first of the new 'Mosquito Boats' to be delivered to the U.S. Navy under the President's $15,000,000 experimental small craft program had a preview for the press today. This is the same type of boat that the government is in process of releasing to the British Navy, causing great unrest and indignation in Capitol circles. Eight other boats will be based at the naval operating base, Norfolk, Va., to undergo severe seagoing tests. The squadron will be known as the Mosquito Fleet and the insignia which was designed by Walt Disney consists of a mosquito riding on the top of a high speed torpedo. Shown in the picture is Lieutenant Earl S. Caldwell, USN, Commander of the squadron Library of Congress photo	Bill Gonyo
	210k	The British built, experimental PT-9 underway in mid-1940 during trials, after being placed in service and assigned to MTBRon 1 for evaluations Life Magazine Archives - Thomas McAvoy Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest	Mike Green
	201k	Port side closeup of PT-9 underway in mid-1940 during trials Life Magazine Archives - Thomas McAvoy Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest
	192k	Port bow overhead view of PT-9 underway in 1940 during trials. PT-9, built in Hampshire, England, was an Experimental Motor Torpedo Boat and assigned to MTBRon 1 for evaluations, later being assigned to MTBRon 2 Life Magazine Archives - Thomas McAvoy Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest
	224k	PT-12, PT-13, PT-14, PT-15, PT-19 and PT-9 underway at speed in late 1940-early 1941, assigned to MTBRon 2 Life Magazine Archives - Thomas McAvoy Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest
	225k	PT-9, PT-11 and PT-12 underway in New York Harbor, circa late 1940. Statue of Liberty is in the background Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 44950
	155k	c. 1941 Bendix Aviation Corporation advertisement	Tommy Trampp
	99k	Seventy-foot Elcos of MTBRon 2 at the Washington Navy Yard in January 1941. PT-9 is against the pier in the second row inboard and can be distinguished by its smaller turret domes and low pilothouse Naval History and Heritage Command photo from "Allied Coastal Forces of World War II: Vosper MTBs and U.S. Elcos" by John Lamber and Al Ross	Robert Hurst
	230k	PT-3, PT-12, PT-10 and PT-9 probably in the New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, NY	Keith Brayer
HMC S-09
	61k	Photo from The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910-1981 by Ken Macpherson & John Burgess	Joe Radigan