The Higgins 78-foot motor torpedo boat MAS 444 began its history as a PT-94 in New Orleans, built for the lend-lease agreement with Russia and designated RPT-10. Laid down on 23 June 1942 and launched on 20 November 1942, she was intended for transfer to the Soviet Union, but due to the cancellation of spring convoys in 1943 because of U-boat threats, she was instead transferred to the United Kingdom, entering British service as HM MTB-424 in April 1943. In 1947, she was transferred to the Italian Navy, initially designated GIS 0024, underwent a refit between 1943 and 1953, redesignated GIS 844 on 1 April 1951, and finally as MAS 444 on 1 November 1952. Used as a training vessel from 1964, she was decommissioned in 1966, photographed unarmed in La Spezia harbour in 1970, and likely scrapped at an unknown later date.
Introduced in Update "Firebirds", MS 444 is somewhat similar to the PT-200 in the US tech tree, though with a few notable differences in armament. Overall, she is a very dangerous vessel for her BR, armed with an excellent 40 mm Bofors and three secondary 20 mm guns, which give her relatively impressive firepower for a motor torpedo boat at her BR, particularly making her deadly against aeroplanes or wooden boats. That said, MS 444, much like other Higgins boats, suffers from the fragility of her hull, making her easy to destroy even under lower calibre enemy guns.
Belt | Belt filling | Armor penetration (mm) at a distance: | |||||
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10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 2000 m | ||
AP-T/HEFI-T | 81 | 78 | 69 | 61 | 55 | 50 | |
AP-T/AP-T/AP-T/HEFI-T | 81 | 78 | 69 | 61 | 55 | 50 | |
HEFI-T/HEFI-T/HEFI-T/AP-T | 81 | 78 | 69 | 61 | 55 | 50 |
Belt | Belt filling | Armor penetration (mm) at a distance: | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 2000 m | ||
HEF-T/HEF-I/AP-T | 34 | 32 | 26 | 21 | 18 | 16 | |
AP-T/AP-T/AP-T/HEF-I | 34 | 32 | 26 | 21 | 18 | 16 | |
HEF-T/HEF-I/AP-T/HEF-I | 34 | 32 | 26 | 21 | 18 | 16 |
Seakeeping | |
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Unsinkability | |
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Firepower | ||
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