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 Author  Topic: PT-109 information
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 8, 2011 - 1:54am
This was the point I was trying to make in my previous point. Take into consideration the items that were disgarded on a PT BOAT when she was in the Combat Zone. When the boat came directly from the builders ( Elco, Higgins, Huckins) I am sure items such as the stantions were taken out. Life Rafts were always being moved, and other things not being used. Check List's were on each boat, saying use this and use that, but we all know that things changed once in the Combat Zone. Hence, the Lights on the boats. It didn't take long to realize that turning on lights in a combat rich enviroment would spell death to any boat within reach of Japanese Ships, or Shore Batteries.

My comment also made mention that I am sure in some capacity the lights were used, but I felt never in a Combat Zone. As C.J. has said, once the boats moved up the line, an area would be pretty void of enemy activity, thus maybe, the lights might have been used in some capacity for in close formations. Even though Allen has provided us a document, this does not mean the Skippers of the boats followed those orders. In my post I never found one PT Boat Crewmember that ever used any running lights on the boats. This might be a good question to use in the next ALL HANDS, maybe we might find a PT Boater that could recall using running lights anywhere in the Combat Zone..............


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Allan

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Allan   Send Email To Allan Posted on: Sep 8, 2011 - 4:12am
Hey Guys:

Frank made an excellent point and some others are splitting fine hairs. The order given was indeed to assist sixteen boats to move collectively from Tulagi to Treasury. Was it a combat area- of course it was. Was it heavy day-to-day fighting? Not at all. The document was very specific: itmade six points and even established the speed at which they would travel- 1600 rpm's. The simple conclusion? The boats were in more danger from crashing into each other than they were from enemy activity, hence the lights.

I don't think the document changes anything. The boats clearly would not use any lighting while patrolling or during attacks, since stealth was their only ally. But while moving in enemy waters for other purposes they clearly did---- at least this one time..

And there is no way that the boat CO's did not follow Mr. Faulkner's orders. Among these sixteen boats Mr. Faulkner assigned four division commanders with each responsible for three boats and one with four. He then ran as the task force commander with his own three-boat division and the division commanders under him. Each div comdr then was to maintain limited radio contact with him as they moved within "Vee" pattern for each div. Everything was spelled out in detail.

I think the best information to be taken from this is that the lights were ordered to be used, which clearly shows to me that it was an unusual undertaking- one that required calling out in detail and covering with an order to do so. Based upon that simple fact then, it would seem that under all other circumstances, no lighting was used for any boat movements whatsoever. That's what I take away from this.

This has been fun. What's next?

Allan


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TED WALTHER

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of TED WALTHER   Send Email To TED WALTHER Posted on: Sep 8, 2011 - 8:25am
Well Allan and Frank, Thank you I am sure glad this came to an end. I was going to dodge this one, but here is my two sense: Since I started doing this sort of stuff 40 years after the originals, I can say this from my own observations:
1. When stealth is paramount....No Lights.
2. During combat patrols.....No Lights. Regardless of sea state.
3. If there is any degree of celestial illumnation, your eyes acclimate and you don't really need lights.
4. As Allen has stated this was a MOVE EX performed by RON 37 and LCDR Faulkners orders were specific.
My work is done here.....Now on to other things!
Take care,
TED


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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 10, 2011 - 11:12am
Lower hull painted red. Sorry for the crappy pictures but dark green plastic is miserable to photograph.---John




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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 11, 2011 - 9:02am
Thanks for sharing your work John.

David Waples

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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: Oct 29, 2011 - 12:36pm
Masked off bottom hull and painted upper hull and deck. The only choice I had was Model Master dark green in the spray can.---John




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TED WALTHER

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of TED WALTHER   Send Email To TED WALTHER Posted on: Oct 29, 2011 - 4:20pm
John;
Are you doing PT 109? (YES, I diud it again!!), anyway, John remove all life raft fixtures with a xacto knife. You painted too soon. if you want more conversions, write here.
TED


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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: Oct 30, 2011 - 6:30am
OK, but I am not doing the 109 on it's last mission with the cannon minus the wheels tied down to the fore deck.Any help on it in it's pre last mission configuration would be very much appreciated.---John


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jerrad strehle

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Nov 2, 2011 - 5:27pm
garth

was the sc-699a army air corp boat? its been some time but maybe a refresher is in line.


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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: Nov 19, 2011 - 5:11pm
More work done. I got tired of the stand flopping around so I super glued it to the hull.I added the rear torpedo tubes, Orlikon gun and guard, smoke generator and a few other small bits.---John




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