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 Author  Topic: PT-109 information
John V

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of John V  Posted on: Sep 4, 2011 - 7:46am
Hello----new to the site, nice place with lots of good information. I have the old Revell 1/72 PT-109 and plan on doing it OOB and if it comes out good maybe trying to do some customizing and scratch building to do it as it was on it's last mission. My father was a WWII vet and got me into modeling way back in the early 60's. I remember he had done an LST and the battleship Arizona, Odd I thought as he was with the USAAF building airstrips on Guam and Okinawa for the bombers on their way to Tokyo.He even said he "tried" flying a B-17, he was training in Nevada I think and the pilot put him in co-pilot seat and "gave him the controls". He kiddingly said he had the wings flapping! So much for my Dad's stories.I am guessing that PT 109 had no A frame behind the cockpit, it was painted tropical green, and before the August 2-3 mission it would have had the balsa float on the deck in front of the cockpit? Thanks for having a great site and hoping i can do this kit justice. I just finished the old Revell 1/249 USS Buckley and will post pictures asap.---tHANKS---John


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Gary Paulsen

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Gary Paulsen   Send Email To Gary Paulsen Posted on: Sep 4, 2011 - 9:18am
Welcome aboard John. You may want to check out Dave's build on an earlier post. Should give you some real insiration.
http://www.ptboats.org/cgi-local/sitenetbbs/netboardr.cgi?fid=102&cid=101&tid=1847&sc=20&pg=1&x=0
Gary


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TGConnelly

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Sep 4, 2011 - 12:33pm
Or, ... go to www.ptboatworld.com and look at the build by Fritz Koopman, ... it's pretty accurate in my view.

Garth


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David Waples

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of David Waples  Posted on: Sep 4, 2011 - 6:34pm
Welcome to the site John and thank you Gary for the reference to my model. It's great to see another person building this wonderful boat.

The evidence does indicate that the mast was removed at some point I was looking at a letter I received from Dick Keresey of PT-105 and he told me that a lot of skippers either removed the mast or folded it down out of the way. The pictures of 109 indicate it is gone and the photos indicate it was gone before JFK was her skipper. The photos of 109 don't show the balsa raft and it was definitely not there during her sinking or I'm sure they would have used it.

I'd like to direct you to the following site which has a wonderful history of the 109 boat.

http://pt-king.gdinc.com/index.html

Also check out this site which has wonderful drawings of 103 class PT's and will help you with any detail you wish to add to your boat.

http://www.pt103.com/

Finally you'll find Dr. Al Ross very helpful with all things PT Boat.

I hope you have fun with your build and if I can be of any help please let me know.
Dave


David Waples

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TGConnelly

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Sep 5, 2011 - 6:21am
Steve Sobieralski back-dated the big Italeri kit to the 109, that build (featured in the new BUILDING, DETAILING AND CONVERTING THE 1:35 SCALE ITALERI PT-596) could be a helpful reference for you, sir.

He depicted the boat with the mast folded down, rather than being removed. Personally, I feel that would be more accurate than having it totally removed.

Because, wasn't there a light on the top of the mast? Wouldn't the boats need that light to aid in navigation and to help in keeping formation?

But, what do I know? Apparently nothing.




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John V

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of John V  Posted on: Sep 5, 2011 - 6:21am
Thanks Gary, Garth and Dave. I will definitely check out those other sites for information. I have no clue about the balsa float or if or when it disappeared.
Another question is Kennedy's second boat. I heard it was a 77 foot Elco converted to a gunboat, removing the torpedo tubes and adding extra guns. i think there were three of these boats, PTs 59, 60, and 61. Is there a model kit for a possible 77 foot Elco boat? Thanks for all the help it is much appreciated.---John


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TGConnelly

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Sep 5, 2011 - 7:04am
Yes, he assumed command of the 59, just as it was being converted to, what I call a PTGB ... As a PTGB, the 59 had two 40mm Mk3 guns (fore and aft), retained the two twin .50s in the turrets, had her tubes removed and had three (to each side) single, shielded .50 where the tubes were located, and there is photographic evidence that she carried two twin (and shielded) .50s at frame 22.

Go to www.ptboatworld.com to see "in action" shots of her on a training run provided by B.G. Marshall.

Currently, there was only the now out-of-production 1:96 resin kit from Gulfstream of a 77 footer (first series) and there are a couple of resin 1:350 kits of the 77 footer from WHITE ENSIGN MODELS and a Russian company - that I forgot the name of.

Garth


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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: Sep 5, 2011 - 7:57am
Garth

Surprised at your post about using the mast light. Unless I miss my guess, I would say these were never lit up in the War Zone. My God, it would be like taking out an ad and telling the enemy where they were. In my many conversations with PT BOAT VETERANS over the years, not one can recall ever using a mast light in the War Zone. In fact, I recall several had mentioned they would tape over the switch for certain lights so as never to make a mistake in putting it on.

Skippers were very cautious about any light escaping from the boat, and would even tape a good portion of the illuminating dials, black out any windows, and black over the sky lights. You do bring up a good point about the mast being removed. I have seen several shots of the 103 class boats with the mast's in the stowed positions. Also, some boats had their mast's removed in photo's by the censor's, which could be mistaken for boats having the mast's removed. In 1998 PT-109 Crewmember, Gerard Zinser told me the boats mast was down. In my haste, I never really asked if he meant removed, or stowed. As far as the mast light, I never knew anyone in my conversations that put one on. This again does not in any way mean that it was never done during the War, but highly remote.......


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TGConnelly

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Sep 5, 2011 - 8:28am
Frank ...

What I mean, and what I meant, is - IF anyone would just LISTEN to me; is they would not have the light(s) on during the time that they were "on station" or in action; BUT in port or at their bases or while enroute to the patrol areas, ... to help avoid collisions in port and help the boats stay in formation while getting to the patrol areas ...

A most logical and thought-out assumption to make; as based on things my father told me about what they did in the Philippines on SC-699.

Understand now?

I'm not saying these things willy-nilly ...

As for the mast? In my OPINION ... folded down ...

Garth


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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: Sep 5, 2011 - 8:38am
Sorry Garth, that is not what you said in your previous post. Had you done so, I might have amended my comments. Not a mind reader here:


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