C-378 completed its tests around the Armistice, after years of delayed development. At about 25 tons fully loaded, it reached 37 knots and averaged roughly 34.5 knots in a winter storm with 12-14-foot seas. The end of the war removed the immediate incentive to develop the torpedo-boat role, and boats instead served as rescue craft and seaplane tenders. In 1922, the US Navy bought British 45- and 55-foot coastal motor boats for testing. The larger boat remained in use until 1930.
Notable Point · 18:17-20:37
C-378: a fast sea sled delivered as the war ended
C-378 demonstrated speed in rough water, but the Armistice interrupted American torpedo-boat development and shifted surviving craft into support duties.