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Topic: Revell PT kits |
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TGConnelly
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Posted on: Oct 1, 2008 - 8:22am
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All ...
I just wanted all of you (or, at least those of you who are interested) to know that I've written something about the plastic kits produced by Revell of PT boats and it was just posted on www.ptboatworld.com.
I think you'll find it interesting.
Thank you,
Garth
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PeterTareBuilder
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Posted on: Oct 1, 2008 - 12:44pm
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Hi there Garth.
I just read your Revell PT boat models articles on your site and found them interesting as well as very informative.
Here is the link to Part 1 of 6 Parts Revel 1/72 scale PT-109 Tutorial you mentioned.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki86BZTq_90
I will say this about the Revell 1/72 scale PT-109 kits - they were/are much more accurate than the Lindberg 1/32 scale PT-109 kit.
Cheers from PeterTareBuilder
"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!" |
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TGConnelly
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Posted on: Oct 1, 2008 - 1:22pm
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Indeed they are. Glad you liked the piece.
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Drew Cook
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Posted on: Oct 2, 2008 - 2:53pm
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T Garth,
I enjoyed your Revell PT model article, too.
Although the Revell 1/72nd PT 109 80' Elco has always been the best kit of this boat around, there were always a couple of things about the kit that bugged me one way or the other -- something I wish they either did or didn't do.
As far as scribing, I wish Revell HAD scribed a waterline on the hull, to aid in the difficult task of painting a straight one!
I wish they had included a splash skirt on the port twin-.50 turret, the ports, vents, sidelights, and footsteps on the starboard side of the charthouse and port side of the dayroom, and the searchlight pintle arm on the port, outboard side of the cockpit -- those are the biggest "sins of omission," in my opinion, in what they left off the kit. Unless you're an excellent scratchbuilder (which I'm not), these difficult-to-realize details will go missing on a finished kit. The charthouse vents in the White Ensign Models photo-etched set are certainly better than nothing, but, like almost all of the White Ensign parts, they're too flat and one-dimensional.
The huge, overhanging...whatevers on the sides of the dayroom canopy above the ports can be minimized/sawn off, but, like the ports themselves, could have been done better, as well as that unexplained open area under the fairing at the starboard rear of the dayroom canopy.
Accurate twin-.50 mounts, instead of a single post, would have been nice, as well as a few more crewmen, since even the early boats carried crews of ten to twelve guys (although the JFK figure, wearing the fatigue cap shown in the famous photos of him on the 109, is great. Swap his arms for the helmsman's, and put him at the wheel). Opened torpedo tubes, with torpedo warheads showing, would have been nice, too, as well as the raised "star" pattern reinforcing ribs on the rears of the tube loading doors -- the White Ensign set, thankfully, has these, but from pictures I've seen of those parts on a finished model, they're out of scale (too big). Depth charges with cradles should have been included, even if they were "low-detail" types, like the ones on Revell's 1/72nd scale 70' Vosper kit, as well as the famous 37mm field piece and planks, added the day of the 109's last patrol.
Of course, these can all be added from different sources or scratch-built, but those are some of the things I always wished were present in the kit.
Even though it's 45 years old, this kit (until the Italeri 1/35th boat came out) has always been the best plastic 80' Elco PT model around.
A couple of the modelers that post here on the board have done some really good, advanced work on this venerable kit. Dave Waples , from the photos he posted of his progress on an accurate "PT 109" version of the kit, did a beautiful job, particularly on the cockpit. Maybe those guys can post some more photos of their progress, if they're further along...? |
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PeterTareBuilder
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Posted on: Oct 3, 2008 - 8:11am
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Hi there.
For an early war PT-103 Class Elco 80' boat the 1/72 scale Revell PT-109 kit is STILL the best kit around.
1/35 is a nice kit but it is a) a lot bigger than many would want, b) about 6 times the price of the 1/72 scale Revell kit and c) much more complicated and finely molded than many modellers can handle. It alco can not be built as PT-109.
I would lve to see Italeri come out with an early war configuration of an 80' Elco boat but will not hold my breath waiting for it.
Cheers from PeterTareBuilder
"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!" |
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Frank J Andruss Sr
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 Posted on: Oct 3, 2008 - 9:09am
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Peter Tare Builder
You certainly can take the 1/35th scale Italeri and back date it to represent any boat you wish. Many on this message board have done just that. I think they sell kits for the boat just for that purpose. Not being a builder myself ( I have mine made for the Exhibit) there is a fair amount of work to be done to acheive this goal. Ask the ones here who have done it................
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PeterTareBuilder
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Posted on: Oct 3, 2008 - 9:40am
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Hi Frank.
Yes, I belive there would be a great deal of work involved starting with the torpedo tubs and continuing with the modification and repositioning of t he .50 caliber gun tubs. I know the fwd gun tub on the PT-596 kit is further aft than on an early war PT-103 Class boat. You also need to fill in that cutout on it that Italeri has.
I really do not think I want to bother with all of the scratch-building and modiying of this kit that would be needed to backdate it to an early war boat.
It really would be nice if a good early war boat could be had in kit form.
I would love to be able to afford the plans so I could back date the Lindberg 1/32 scale kit of PT-109 to an early war Elco 78' PT boat. I would love to do one up as PT-59.
Cheers from PeterTareBuilder
"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!" |
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FRANK |
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Posted on: Oct 3, 2008 - 11:40am
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Hey there guys-
On the subject of PT boat plastic models, YES, I too have to agree with you that the Revell PT 109 is a nice kit but WHY the scribbed decking? I but this model many years ago as a gift to my then next door neighbor and PT boat veteran Henry BRUCE Hansbury. I made it into a diorama setting with a Japanese aircraft going down in flames to the waterline. Bruce thought it was the neatest thing since sliced bread!
I have also modeled an old antique VARNEY wooden PT boat kit about 20 years ago. That kit was a son-of-a-gun! It was strictly stand waaaaay off scale. It came out fine though!
Lastly, I have 3 PT boat models in my diorama fleet that were modified from the old Lindberg 109. I will state here and now that the Lindberg kit is a terrible rendition of the PT. I have the 169 in black and white zebra stripe camofladge, the 196 and the 176.
The 169 was the very first model PT I attempted! Working with my buddy Bruce Hansbury I wanted to replicate the boat the way Bruce remembered it. It was a lot of work- A LOT OF WORK. I went with H&R fittings for the armament, twin 50's and depth charge racks. A lot of rework on the cockpit and so on. I then decided what the heck, I'll go full tilt and make her radio controlled as well. The paint detail left me crossed eyed for weeks after that, but all in all it was well worth the effort. Any good modeler worth his salt will tell you- IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS!!!
My diorama of Tulagi base, Solomons Islands came soon afterwards! I was running my 169 with a fellow ship model club member who also has converted the Lindberg 109 to the 108 "Li'l Duck". We were going back and forth across the pond and my buddy says," We need something to practice our docking with?" Then the lightbulb went off with a blinding light!! I'll make a floating diorama!
Well, the first attempt was a disaster! I wanted to get the diorama finished ASAP for our next R/C regatta and YEAH, yeah, I know I used a dang hot melt glue gun to throw the thing together. We dropped the diorama in the lake on a hot humid Florida morning and the steam was already rising off the lake. By mid afternoon, I thought the sun was getting to me because I noticed one of the buildings leaning over. YEP, you guessed it! The entire diorama DELAMINATED before the end of the day! I balled everything together and threw it in the back of my van.
Three years later I met a past member of my ship model club and he said< "Hey Frank, what ever happened to your PT boat diorama???!!!"
THAT, gentlemen, was the shot in the arm! I decided to rebuild the entire diorama AGAIN from scratch, only this time I used waterproof epoxy resins for attaching everything! This lesson was a costly one, but has taught me a lesson! DON'T RUSH IT!!
My finished diorama is my treasure! It's my token memorial to those brave boys and guys who rode the wooden splinters in all their glory! I've been working on the second rendition of my Tulagi diorama for over 10 years now! I'm still tweaking it! LOVING every minute of it too! So take the time and ENJOY!
My diorama has been viewed by thousands over the years! It has won many local awards including BEST OF SHOW twice!!!
Several members of this message board have made thr trip to my home in Jacksonville to see it! I take it out wheneven and whereever I can- at the drop of a hat!
Thanks for letting me share this fellas!
Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/Friend RON -10 PT- 169 ' ZEBRA SNAFU'
HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!
YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY! |
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TGConnelly
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Posted on: Oct 3, 2008 - 12:08pm
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Frank,
I would love to see photos of your diorama. Please contact me offsite (PTConsultingNHR@aol.com) OK? Thanks. And, if you'd be willing to do a write up with photos, I'll have it posted for you.
Garth
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PeterTareBuilder
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Posted on: Oct 3, 2008 - 2:08pm
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To TG Connelly and other interested parties.
There are 10 images of Frank'sTulagi PT-Boats Diorama here:
http://www.boobyhatchnews.blogspot.com/
It just goes to show you what a difference a lot of time, extra plastic and decent references can do for even a dog of a kit like the Lindberg 1/32 scale PT-109.
I have just finished assembling the six 20mm ammo locker lids for my 1/32 scale Lindberg PT boat i am currently refurbishing. I have done *A LOT* more work and modifications than I had planned when I commenced this refurbishing. However the boat is starting to look real good.
Researching these early war 80' Elcos of the PT-103 Class of boats is very interesting though. For example, some images I have show the forward deck hatches opening towards the bow whilst others show those same hatches opening towards the stern. Some images show the dayroom hatch opening to the port side towards the mast whilst others show that hatch opening rearwards.
It is what makes life interesting. It also often leads one to model different boats or the same boat at different times. This is where the 1/72 scale size and price is a real blessing.
Despite the many shortcomings of the 1/32 scale Lindberg kit I have had a great deal of fun and satisfaction refurbishing my 20 years old radio controlled boat and I have really been enjoying building my current 1/32 scale Lindberg PT-109 kit even though I have modifyed or replaced nearly every thing on it with scratch built items.
Cheers from PeterTareBuilder
"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!" |
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