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Topic: SC-517 RADAR PHOTOGRAPHS |
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Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Feb 22, 2010 - 7:59am
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I have posted 4 photographs that were taken by my friend Alex Johnson. They show his PT-155 and the early radar that we need to duplicate for our Black Cat Project. Hope this helps those that might want to build a similar boat with the early SCR-517 Radar Mast. Thanks Alex.
Frank
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Alex Johnson
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Feb 22, 2010 - 11:40am
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You're welcome, Frank, thank you for posting the pictures. I was unable to find any drawings so used the photos in Frank Johnson and Victor Chun's books. The radar set had a similar dome shape to the SO radar, but of course considerably larger. The biggest difference shape-wise was the streamline teardrop tail behind. Apparently the whole thing consisted of a tubular framework around the parabolic covered with canvas. To replicate this on my model I cut the overall piece to shape out of balsa, attached strips of plastic half-round to simulate the segmented framework, and covered the whole thing with a stretchy piece of nylon to simulate the canvas covering.
I am delighted that you chose PT 155 for your PBY diorama, Frank and Stan. Can't wait to see it!
ALEX
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Nathaniel Smith
MASTER
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Posted on: Feb 22, 2010 - 1:18pm
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Beautiful modeling! Wow!
The photograph I have seen of the 155 shows the standard mast complete with the radar on a stand behind the mast. Both PT-155 and PT-152 seem to come from Elco this way.
They are Navy guys ... they would need a place to fly the flag. My dad still flies an American flag every day from a mast he built that looks like it belongs on a boat. I think I can see signs of a pennant on his boat (PT-154) in the image below.
Even the PT-149 has this mast configuration.
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Alex Johnson
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Feb 22, 2010 - 6:23pm
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Thanks, Nathaniel. You're right, all of the the RON 9 boats in the photograph taken aboard the transport ship carry the full Elco mast, including PT 152 and PT 155 with their early SCR 517 radar sets . The few pictures I was able to find of PT 155 with the set while in the Solomons indicates that the top half of the mast was removed. This is the identical configuration as PT 149, visible in a photo taken from the bow looking aft at the bridge and the radar set. Someone recently posted that picture on the Message Board and it is in Frank Johnson's book. Whether the upper portions were cut off on the boats was for operational reasons (interference with the radar set) or other reasons I do not know. The photo below was taken of the PT 155 crew at Lever Harbor and from the identities of the crew I know this was taken in or after September of 1943. The SCR 517 radar set in the background is visible and clearly the upper part of the original Elco mast is absent.
FYI: the crewman in the back row third on the left is "Boats" Newberry.
ALEX
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Drew Cook
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Feb 23, 2010 - 9:33am
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Great photos, guys, of the SCR-517A's and the recreation on Alex's model (good job on it, Alex).
There's a photo on page 99 of Frank D. Johnson's book ("United States PT-Boats of World War II In Action") of a bunch of 80' Elcos nosed into the shore at Tulagi, one of which has an SCR-517A up behind the Elco mast (Garth -- I can spot three other 80-footers with masts up!)
Other SCR-517A photos in Johnson's book are on pages 126, 127, and 128 (bottom).
A good top-view photo of PT 143's SCR-517A is on the bottom of page 21 of Victor Chun's "American PT Boats In World War II" book, and there's a good side-view drawing of a boat with the unit on pages 232-233 of the same book.
Hopefully, someone will come up with a photo of the unit without it's canvas cover in the future, so we can see what the bare ribs and scanner device actually looked like inside...
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TED WALTHER
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Feb 23, 2010 - 9:59am
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Nat;
Could that aft middle boat be 159? I think I can see a bracing bar for the SCR-517A unit in front of the port turret.
Thanks and take care,
TED
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Dick
Moderator
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Posted on: Feb 23, 2010 - 11:51am
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Reference for Ted's remarks:
Dick . . .
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SteveS156 |
New Member
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Posted on: Feb 23, 2010 - 11:51am
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Wow, nice scratch built model of the SC-517! How did you make the day room roof grab rails? They look equally impressive.
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TED WALTHER
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Feb 23, 2010 - 1:59pm
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Dick;
thanks for the enlargement, can you enhance the area of the 20mm pedestal on the next boat(port side of the possible 159). I think I can make out the last number, but I will hold my thought, until we can see better.
Nat;
If the middle boat is 159 your Dad's group would have had Hank Brantingham as OIC for the transit on White Plains. As 159 was his boat.
this would have ment Robert Kelly was with 157, 158, 160, 161, 162
the other boat in the photo of White Plains is either Steves Dad's 156 boat or Bud Liebenow's 157, I think Kelly liked riding Bud's boat most, so I can see him going with Kelly's group but ask Ham if Bud was with him on White Plains.
Take care,
TED
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Dick
Moderator
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Posted on: Feb 23, 2010 - 3:48pm
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Ted, I can't make out anything - there is not more I can do with image, I'm blowing out the pixels.
Dick . . . .
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