PT Boat Forum


Moderated by: Dick, Jeff D

The PT Boat Forum ª PT Boats of WWII ª  PT Boats - General

Next Page » | Page: 1 of 2

« Back to Topic Index Page 207 | Replies: 14 | Pages: [1] 2

 Author  Topic: RANGE OF A PT BOAT??
  FRANK

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of FRANK  Posted on: Nov 9, 2008 - 10:20am
Hello everyone-

I had my PT boat diorama out yesterday at my local YMCA here in Jacksonville, Florida in honor of Veterans Day and also in partisipation of a fund raising event tennis tournament in honor of Marine Corp. Joshua Watkins who once was a trainer at the Y. Josh gave his life for his country in Iraq.

I was approached by one visitor who asked me a PT boat related question that I could not answer.

What with the fuel tanks topped off at 3000 gallons of gas, what was the absolute range of a PT boat??

Thanks for your help guys!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/Friend RON-10 PT-169 " ZEBRA SNAFU "

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm | IP Logged

Frank J Andruss Sr

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Frank J Andruss Sr   Send Email To Frank J Andruss Sr Posted on: Nov 9, 2008 - 1:36pm
Ya Know Frank, so much depended on many different factors in fuel consumption. A prop out of balance, marine growth on the Hull, or an engine that was running hot, could all spell trouble in fuel consumption on a thirsty PT BOAT.

Normally the boats Patrol would last roughly 12 hours. Running at say 23 knots, the Packards would consume about 66 gallons per hour, per engine for a total of 200 gallons per hour. Fuel consuption really added up if the boat was running near top sped using 166 gallons per engine, for a whopping total of 500 gallons per hour. So, in a 12 hout patrol a boat might use up to 2,000 gallons or more. In any event, the boats had a range of about 259 miles. Remember, the boats while patrolling were not hitting top speed, but lugging along looking for trouble. Several times, the boats would race out to Sea, opening up the engines. Of course, not being there, I might be far off the pace here, so please, any motor macs, or Crewmen please set me straight..............


Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am | IP Logged

  FRANK

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of FRANK  Posted on: Nov 10, 2008 - 7:49am
Hiya Frank A.-

WOW!! Now ya know exactly why I didn't have the foggiest clue as to the fuel consumption for a PT. The fella who posed the question was currently in the Navy and rather than give him a wrong answer to this question I told him I didn't know.

On my diorama I have a scratch built dry dock. I know that the PT had to have the underside scraped down and copperoid painted to cut down on the sea growth which I knew would hinder the speed of the PT.

Yep, like you said there are way too many factors that would come into play with the range of the boat. What really staggers me is the rate of 500 gallons per hour! That's amazing! Thanks for your reply!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Friend/Modeler RON-10 PT-169 " ZEBRA SNAFU "

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm | IP Logged

29navy

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of 29navy  Posted on: Nov 10, 2008 - 8:43am
Here's what it says in the characteristics:

CRUISING RADIUS (see table in back of book):
Full load maximum speed, 41 knots, 259 miles;
Full load maximum sustained speed, 35 knots, 358 miles;
Full load one engine, 11 knots, 1,050 miles.

Of course this si as built. Other factors are involved.

Here's the link for the chart:

http://www.hnsa.org/doc/pt/doctrine/part6.htm#pg95

Charlie

Total Posts: 598 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm | IP Logged

  Pat Rogers

Advanced Member
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Pat Rogers  Posted on: Nov 10, 2008 - 9:58am
Ron 9, when stationed in Treasury Island, Bougainville area, Solomon Islands group, made many trips to New Ireland, which was part of the eastern half of the New Guinea group.

As I recall, we would leave Treasury Island around 2:00 or 3:00 PM, travel at a moderate speed and arrive on station around 6:00 or 7:00 PM. I would say that it wasn't quite dusk. We would patrol into the wee hours of the morning until dawn and generally see little or no action.

(I was the radioman on board so I would spend most of my time in the chart room, especially if we were in General Quarters, so what would I know.)

There was more than one occasion when we were returning to base and as we approached the open harbor at Treasury, we would be "coasting" so as to conserve fuel. I don't think that we had much left.

If and when we saw action or if we used excessive speed, we would adjust and leave earlier.

I don't know how far it is from Treasury to New Ireland but I do know that our boat would be gasping for fuel.

One reason for my saying this is because I once read a message from some "character" in Vietnam that all PT boats were strictly "Brown Water" Navy.

I don't think he saw PT boats in Vietnam and I don't think he knows "Brown Water" from salt water.

If we could have had him on some trips on PT boats in the South Pacific, we would have liked him on board some of those long trips. I would have been all for dropping him overboard halfway to our destination and telling him to swim ashore. He could enjoy the "Brown Water" all the way home.

Maybe someone could tell me how far it is from Treasury to the closest point on New Ireland.


Total Posts: 72 | Joined: Oct 10, 2006 - 3:21am | IP Logged

  FRANK

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of FRANK  Posted on: Nov 10, 2008 - 10:14am
Hiya Pat-

Yeah, I think that guy was reffering to a PBR and NOT a PT. There's a mighty big difference there. For one a PBR ( nick-named PIBBER) is a squant 40 feet OAL.

Thank you for your reply, Pat! Somebody needs to set that guy back on track!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/Friend RON-10 PT-169 " ZEBRA SNAFU "

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm | IP Logged

CJ Willis

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of CJ Willis  Posted on: Nov 10, 2008 - 1:27pm
We patroled area Fox out of Green Island It was between New Britian and New Ireland - from Rabaul south. It was 105 miles to the beginning of station and the patrol length was 40 miles beyond. We would leave base around 4:00 p.m. back to base about 9:00 a.m. This patrol would take a full load of fuel for our boat. Sometimes we would be coming in on the fumes.

C. J. Willis

Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm | IP Logged

  Jerry Gilmartin

TOP BOSS
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Jerry Gilmartin   Send Email To Jerry Gilmartin Posted on: Nov 10, 2008 - 1:28pm
Hey Pat,
I bet that brown water guy never heard of the trip made between Mios Woendi and Leyte Gulf that was made by what? about 50 PT Boats just before the invasion of Leyte! Wasn't that over 1000 miles? I know they had to convoy behind a tender but still that must have been quite the experience, and all in the deep blue water of the mighty Pacific Ocean!. Jerry

Jerry Gilmartin

Total Posts: 1469 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm | IP Logged

Nathaniel Smith

MASTER
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Nathaniel Smith   Send Email To Nathaniel Smith Posted on: Nov 10, 2008 - 4:53pm

New Ireland is about 320 km long (200 miles). This would make the distance from Treasury to New Ireland about 235 miles (204 nautical miles) and the round trip about 470 miles (or 408 nautical miles). That is a lot of blue water.



natsmith

Total Posts: 211 | Joined: Jan 19, 2008 - 6:55am | IP Logged

  Wayne Traxel

MASTER
  

    
Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Wayne Traxel   Send Email To Wayne Traxel Posted on: Nov 12, 2008 - 10:43am
The Sailor probably read that Thar new book on PT's that came out last month.

Wayne Traxel

Total Posts: 248 | Joined: Oct 11, 2006 - 5:40am | IP Logged

Next Page »

Pages: [1] 2


Lock Topic

 

Forum Legend

New Member

Reply to topic

More than 25 posts | Full Member

Reply to topic with quoted message

More than 50 posts | Advanced Member

Edit Message

More than 150 posts | MASTER

View profile

More than 300 posts | TOP BOSS

Email member