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  FRANK

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of FRANK  Posted on: Jan 10, 2011 - 12:43pm
Hey Frankie A.

If you need the plans for the Huckins PT, I have the plan. This plan comes direct from Huckins Yachts here in Jacksonville Florida. When the times comes, I'll send them to you buddy!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/ Friend PT-169 " ZEBRA SNAFU " Base Tulagi

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

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Frank J Andruss Sr

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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: Jan 10, 2011 - 5:37pm
Frank
Thanks very much my friend. I would love to do a huckins boat. They got very little respect during WWII as so few were made. All you need do is check out the forward in my book "Building the PT Boats" to see what was said about these boats by Lt. Les Gamble. Many thought the Huckins boat was by far the best riding boat and actually got good grades during sea trials. Heck don't wait just send the plans my friend............


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alross2

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of alross2   Send Email To alross2 Posted on: Jan 10, 2011 - 7:16pm
Quote:

Hey Frankie A.

If you need the plans for the Huckins PT, I have the plan. This plan comes direct from Huckins Yachts here in Jacksonville Florida. !



Frank,

Are these the drawings for the 18 boats actually built by Huckins or the set for the proposed experimental boat (not PT 69) with the real low cockpit?

Al Ross


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Dick

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Dick   Send Email To Dick Posted on: Jan 10, 2011 - 11:34pm

Frank . . .

Did I hear Huckins plans, did, did, did I hear Huckins plans - - my question is the same as Al's, as I wipe the drool from my mouth. I'm hoping they're different.

Dick . . .




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  FRANK

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of FRANK  Posted on: Jan 11, 2011 - 5:34am
Hey Al and Dick-

This one sheet plan is actually from the old Huckin's original plan that a very good friend of mine wrangled with cindy Purcell, Frank Huckin's granddaughter. Cindy and her husband currently own Huckin's Yachts.

About three years ago, my ship model club took a tour of the Huckin's Yacht yard located on the Ortega River in Jacksonville Florida. I arranged the tour. Cindy first brought us all to the old archive's room where all of the original P^T boat plans are kept. Cindy pulled out one drawer and my jaw hit the floor. There on the original velium paper where the plans for the Higgin's PT boat. I was chomping at the bit! I asked her face to face if they were available and he told me straight up with ne chaser, they were not.

Just how my buddy got a hold of these plans is a mystery to me, BUT, he actually sat down at his drafting table and made a copy on velium paper line for line. He even went so far as to duplicate Frank Huckin's signature on the plan. He showed me the re-drawn plans and I had to wipe the drool from my mouth. He told me to rest assured as he would make me a copy. He is currently building a 1/32 scale model from these plans and the model is looking fantastic. By the way the one sheet plan is drawn in 1/32 scale as well.

That's about all I can tell you guys right now! Al and Dick e-mail me off line please!

My e-mail is-

shipkit@bellsouth.net

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/friend RON-10 PT-169 " ZEBRA SNAFU " Base Tulagi

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

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of FRANK  Posted on: Jan 11, 2011 - 5:58am
Hey guys-

I have the Huckin's plan laided out on my desk right here in front of me. I'll try to explain exactly what this plan is to all of you.

This one sheet plan says it is for MOTOR TORPEDO 82 MASTER DIAGRAM 3/8 inch scale June 30, 1941

Figure 1 shows the DECK arrangement
Figure 2 shows the CABIN arrangement
Figure 3 shows the port side cut away for lockers, berths engine rooms and top deck torpedo tubes and so on.

At the bottom left of the plan it says LENGTH 82.0

At the bottom lower right under CONFIDENTIAL PRINTS it reads-

FPH 2 June 30 1941
USN ADM. J.W. WILCOX Jr. 1 July 7, 1941
USN BU SHIPS W.H.LEARY 1 JULY 7, 1941

I'm guessing these plans are the "REAL DEAL"!!!

I'll try to find the phone number to my friend who re-drew these beautiful plans and ask him again "just how the heck " he would up with the plans. I'll keep everyone posted! HANG ON!!!!!!!

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

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

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

Dick

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Dick   Send Email To Dick Posted on: Jan 11, 2011 - 2:21pm

Hi Frank . . .

Thanks for the very detailed description, I was curious if you had a digital camera that would allow you to make a couple of real quick photos (nothing detailed) just for the heck of it a couple of long distant shots.

The 82-foot note would lend me to believe that it is not the war series 78-foot boats actually built but maybe again a design concept like others they made.

I know their protective nature, I've experienced it first hand. Frank Andruss was kind enough to setup an introduction for me to Cindy Purcell, while working on his first book. Even with that, including three phone calls and four emails (over a six week period), all of which were never returned. I was however, able to talk with her private secretary each time, and was told she saw the emails and was aware of my phone calls, however time and schedule didn't make individual-to-individual contact available. The emails were very specific on my intent and included samples of other PT Boat cutaway drawing. They met with silence. Even with my assurance and agreement to sign Non-Disclosure agreements and contracts (as I do quit often in my day to day business), I just wasn't getting anywhere. I even offered to make a custom version of the cutaway poster with their logo and any and all info they wish to put on it. This would be free to them to print and use as promotional pieces as they so desired - no strings, no cost, no conditions, this also garnered no response. I do plan to make another attempt early this summer, and hope something will come about. I though I would precede the contact with a mail delivered package of five or six posters of the various boats I've done, so she can see what pictorial history is missing "The Huckins PT's".

I do have a couple of poor quality prints I bought from Headquarters in the late 90's. However a couple of years ago I was intended to buy the only other four drawings they had on file. However, Alyce informed me she could no longer sell the drawings because they had received a Cease and Diesis Order from Huckins not to sell the drawings. This was even though Headquarters had got them from BUShips Archives. It was decided, it was best not make waves and just stop selling the blueprints.

I'll get with you by email later, got run for right know.

Thanks,
Dick . . .



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  FRANK

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of FRANK  Posted on: Jan 11, 2011 - 3:21pm
To Frankie A., Dick & Dr. Ross-

I will try to get these plans copied at Kinko's and get them to you. Dick I need your home address, please!!

While I was logged onto the R/C Projects website, I found a very interesting thread posted by a member. This person stated that Huckin's will be selling their plans to the general public. As it turns out this gentleman also lives in Jacksonville Florida as well. Scuttlebutt???!! Perhaps, but it's worth a phone call to Huckin's Yachts. Again!! Again!!! And again!!!

As Dick has already stated, Huckins is "VERY" set in their ways! I have yet to get a reply from my buddy who gave me the Huckin's plan set in question. Perhaps he can shed some light on just how he got a set when it's damn near impossible for anybody else to get a set. Stay tuned!!!

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

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

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of FRANK  Posted on: Jan 11, 2011 - 3:53pm
Hello everybody-

I need to made a very important correction. I stated that when Cindy Purcell pulled out the drawer in the Huckins archive room that there were Higgin's plans in the draw. WHAT I MEANT WERE HUCKIN'S PLANS! Whewww, glad I caught that!

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

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

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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: Jan 11, 2011 - 5:19pm
If Stan doesn't kill me, I will most likely have him start a scratch built HUCKINS BOAT after he completes PT-10. I have not seen many of these boats being built by anyone, so I guess it would be fitting to have one for my Exhibit. A very interesting design, one that might have been just as popular as the Elco or Higgins boats, if Huckins Yacht Yard were as large as the others. Only 18 of these boats were built, but can you imagine if 200-300 were built. I think the design of the boat compared to the Elco or the Higgins is one of the reasons not many modelers out there have jumped at the chance to build one. She was certainly not a very pretty boat, but again from what I have heard, she was an incredible riding boat, that did not pound the teeth out of her crew.

I would be very happy and proud to add one of these boats to my Exhibit, as she was one of three that was chosen by the NAVY DEPARMENT for
assembly. We may have had a different story if Huckins were able to mass produce their boats as fast as the others. Lt. Les Gamble, who I was friends with up until his death, swore by these boats and was the Comdr. of Ron 26 for just about two years. I remember one phone conversation a few years back, when I asked him to do the foreword for my book. We talked about the Huckins boats, and he told me, he had the chance to ride the Elco and Higgins boats. He pretty much felt that the Huckins was the best riding boat no doubt. "They rode over the waves he said" and did not plow through them, jarring your teeth like the others. "Surprisingly manuverable as well, although certainly not very pretty". That design must have been something special as Huckins Yacht Corp is still in business, and their yachts and other boats still take on that same hull design, which is one of the reasons Huckins and Cindy Purcell are very cautious about any plans or designs they own.........


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