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

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 Author  Topic: Missing Life Raft
Roy Forbes

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Roy Forbes  Posted on: Dec 7, 2012 - 3:16pm
I'm no expert on the 109 but I'm wondering why this kit did not include a life raft. There are several indications on the box and book that one should have been there. Does anyone know if there was one aboard the 109. If not, why would that happen?


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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: Dec 7, 2012 - 4:47pm
Roy we know that it certainly was removed before the sinking of the boat. The 109 did have her life raft coming out of Elco, and it may have been on the boat before Kennedy took over. It was removed, and although they had a dingy, it was never on the boat itself. I think one should have been included in the kit, for those who may have wanted to build her fresh from the factory. I would have liked to have one included, and Italeri may mold one for future release, not 100% sure though. Dave Waples would know the answer to that.


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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: Dec 7, 2012 - 7:27pm
It's my understanding that Italeri does plan to create some additional parts which would include the life raft. I'm not sure if it will appear as a kit of upgrade parts or would be included in another boat release. Time will tell what Italeri's marketing department decides to do. That's about the best I can do for you now.

Don't put any stock in the box art.

Dave

David Waples

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Gunner Mike

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Dec 7, 2012 - 10:54pm
Would the life raft for a 103 series boat be the same as the one on Italeri's 596 boat? If so I guess it would be easy to make a resin copy.

BTW thanks to all of you who helped in getting this model accurately produced and to all of you who have posted information. Your passion for this subject is appreciated.

I have the kit and I plan to begin the build shortly. I just received Royal Models Accessories kit. It is very nice even the pelican. As many of us said, aftermarket SWP figures by Italeri sure would be nice.

This site and PT-103 site are the first ones I turn to when I get home.

Mike Witous

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Temecula Valley Model Club
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http://www.meetup.com/TemValModClub/

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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: Dec 8, 2012 - 5:54am
Hi Mike,
Definitely different than the 596 and later Elco boats in general. I'm hoping some of our guys can come up with a good photo or drawing. Here's a couple that somebody shared earlier and that will give you a feel for what it looked like. As you can see it is narrower and more rounded on the ends than the 596 kit. Also the cross section is more round. I find glimpses of them here and there. When I exchanged letters with Mr. Keresey of PT-105 he indicated that theirs, if it was on the boat at all, was usually thrown on top of the day cabin, or chart house. You rarely see them on the foredeck as they rolled out of the factory but as the photo below shows at least this one landed on the foredeck that particular day.





David Waples

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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: Dec 8, 2012 - 6:07am
Mike,
I did some hunting around. If you google "Carley Floats" you'll find all kinds of information on these life rafts. All different shapes and sizes.

I'm wondering if anyone can tell us how they were outfitted. I know the one that Jerry has on his boat is outfitted and he may have some history about it for us.

Dave

David Waples

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  Jerry Gilmartin

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Jerry Gilmartin   Send Email To Jerry Gilmartin Posted on: Dec 8, 2012 - 11:46pm
Hi David,
I stocked up our Liferaft with the stuff that Frank Andruss recommended we have in the raft when I asked his advice a few years back. We have just recently added the desalter kit (yellow) and also not shown a brand new solar still kit. Possibly not normally issued but still a cool addition! Here is a photo taken last May. Jerry

PT658 life raft taken last May 2012


Similar Life raft showing floating wood lattice floor



Jerry Gilmartin

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PeterTareBuilder2

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Dec 9, 2012 - 12:24am
Jerry.

Thank you for all of the most excellent and wonderful images you share with us.

I remember a thread from a while back that was discussing the rafts. In that thread it was mentioned that the rafts did NOT have the expanding netting inside them.

I've been thinking that it wouldn't be hard to gleam the dimensions of the PT-103 Class balsaraft from images of that reft stowed on some of those early PT boats. There is an image of PT-105 (I believe at the factory but outside it and with I think PT-109 next to it on the port side) that shows the raft on the starboard foredeck of 105 and just forward of the torpedo tube. That tube or the deck hatch can be used to glean the dimensions of the raft from. There's another image of PT-157 with the raft and the crew on the foredeck at Rendova in July 1943 that could be used too.

I think the raft could be carved from balsa would and then covered with a thin layer of tissue and that it wouldn't be that hard to build.

Cheers



"Give me a fast boat for we want to get out of harm's way too."

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Jeff D

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Jeff D   Send Email To Jeff D Posted on: Dec 9, 2012 - 4:22am
I couldn't find a drawing for PTs 103-114 but an Elco drawing for PTs 115-186 & 314-367 shows the chocks as having a 5 1/4" radius, canvas padding would make the life raft about a 5" radius.

I scaled the drawing and came up with the life raft being about 84" x 41" on the outside.

The 2 side chocks were 28" apart. The forward chock was offset from the boats centerline 1 1/2" to starboard, the aft chock was offset 1 1/2" to port.

The deck arrangement drawing for PTs 103-196 & 314-367 shows the life raft located between frames 11 and 17.

As an aside, the drawing for PTs 565-624 shows the life raft, with a squarish cross section, stowed inside the overturned dingy.



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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: Dec 9, 2012 - 4:29am
Peter, these seem to be tightly wrapped with canvas or something similar. Another way to approach it would be to get some blank decal sheets and cut into long thin strips. First paint or seal your balsa (or whatever material you decide to use). Then carefully wrap the piece with decals strips to simulate the wrapping. You want to avoid kinks and unwanted folds. You'll notice that there are thicker strips evenly distributed around the boat. Use something thicker to simulate that.

Jerry, I'm assuming that the thicker strips secure the rope and framework for the drop down portion of the boat. Is that correct?

Dave

David Waples

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