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Miami Shipbuilding, Miami FL

Most recent update: October 1, 2011.


Miami Shipbuilding Corporation was organized in 1939 as the successor to Fogal Boats.  The yard was on both sides of the Miami River, between SW 2nd and 3rd Avenues, and was the second largest wartime employer in Miami.  Its magnificent Art Moderne office building at 615 SW 2nd Ave acted the part of the police station on "Miami Vice" and is a protected building.  They developed the famous "Miamis", which were the crash boat (technically Air-Sea Rescue Boat, or ASR) of choice in WWII, and they built more than 500 of them.  After the war, they moved into recreational boats and hydrofoils but closed in the 1970s.  If anyone can add to the table below, please e-mail timcolton@aol.com.

Hull # Customer Type Type # Feet Delivery Disposition

Built by Fogal Boats

US Navy Torpedo Boat PT 1 59 Nov-41 Prototype, later C 6083, used for training at Melville RI
US Navy Torpedo Boat PT 2 59 Nov-41 Prototype, later C 6084, used as service launch at Newport RI

Built by Miami Shipbuilding

U.S. Air Force Crash Boats ASR   65 1941 to 1944 140+ boats
Royal Air Force Crash Boats     65   91 boats
Dutch Navy Crash Boats     65   ? boats
South African Air Force Crash Boats R 1 to 8 65 1941 8 boats
U.S.S.R. Patrol Craft RPC 1 to 50   Apr-43 50 boats
Australian Navy Crash Boats ASR 918-937 65 Aug-44 20 boats
South African Air Force Crash Boats R 9 to 20 65 1944 12 boats
Ex Crash Boat ASR   65 1941 Now Fireball
Ex Crash Boat ASR   65 1942 Now Barracuda
Ex Crash Boat ASR   65 1943 Now Canonero
Ex Crash Boat ASR   65 1943 Now Green Anchor
Ex Crash Boat ASR   65 1943 Now Devil Dog
194 Ex Crash Boat ASR   65 1943 Now Sky Vigil
Ex Crash Boat ASR   65 1943 Now The Hukilau
448 Ex Crash Boat ASR   65 1944 Now Explorer
469 US Coast Guard Ex Crash Boat C 36255 65 Jun-44 Now Filia
      40 1958 Now Romany