The PT-200 is a subclass for the Higgins Patrol Torpedo (PT) boats that began with PT 71. A total of 199 of these 78 foot boats were built by the Andrew Jackson Higgins company of New Orleans. Unlike the Elco boats, the Higgins boats were not as sleek and as a result were about 1 knot slower, however, because of their more boxy design, they were able to turn in a tighter radius than the swoopy Elco PTs. Higgins boats were powered by the same three1,200hp Packard engines as the Elco boats though they each individually powered a shaft, unlike the Elcos that had a large gearbox to provide this. Both boats carried four torpedoes in similar tubes; two on each side.

Later builds of the Higgins boat from PT 197 until the end of the production run were retrofitted with the light weight torpedo racks that did away with the bulky tubes and the extra weight. Higgins PTs also had the chart house much further forward than that of the Elco boats and instead of having the exhaust and mufflers at the rear of the boat, these were faired into the sides. The PT-200 class carried twin 20mm and a single 40mm Bofors as armament in addition to the torpedoes. Some boat crews removed the forward 20mm and replaced it with the 37mm cannon as found on the P-39 Airacobra. Othere modifications were the addition of 8 tube rocket launchers on each side of the chart house. Several of the later production Higgins boats were transferred to the Soviet Union.

Though the Higgins boats were found in the Pacific, that was mostly an Elco theatre of operations. Higgins boats were predominately found in the Mediterranean theatre where they found a great deal of action. Where as the Elco boats spent much of their combat career barge busting, the Higgins boats were often called to task against the well armed F-lighters as well as various merchant vessels and the heavily armed Italian MAS boats.

The JAG kit is really quite simple and actually quite small. As you can see from the image above, you get a basic hull and all the other 'stuff' that fits onto the deck. The resin is quite well done with most of the parts on small resin blocks. These are the later type of Higgins boats with the light weight torpedo mounts in place of the older tubes. It also one that is rather heavily armed and comes with mast mounted search radar. You are given a short length of plastic rod for the mast, but I would replace this with a piece of brass or steel rod for more support.

In terms of instructions, well, you see it. There is just a two view with no painting information. The kit itself comes in a header bag which is quite adequate and though  couple of pieces came adrift from the resin block, nothing was damages. You will need a reference or two when building and painting the models. A good one is PT Boats in Action, which has a number of photos of Higgins boats. Unfortunately, most of the book is on Elco boats, but that is to be expected as they built most of the PTs used by the USN and got most of the press. It appears that the Higgins boats were all basically painted the same way in an overall medium grey with a red hull below the waterline. Not very inspiring, but there it is. I would think that this kit would be most useful for those doing dioramas as you can do a very nice one in a very small space with this kit! 

Review kit courtesy of me and my wallet!

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