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 Author  Topic: What is it?
29navy

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of 29navy  Posted on: Feb 8, 2017 - 11:13am
OK, time for some photo analysis work from you all. This picture was donated to PT Boats HQ. To me it looks like the stern of an 80-foot Elco, 40mm on the left. The question from HQ is what is the dome thing just right of center. Now not a good quality photo but my guess is that it is a helmet, but it is an illusion that makes it looks so big as compared to the sailor. The horizontal bar is the support for the 40mm sights and you can see the ring sights. He actually appears to be on the opposite side of the barrel so he is further away than the 40mm sights. Also while it looks like he is holding onto the "helmet", it's really just something that aligns with his arm to make it look that way as he'd be too far away to actually hold it.

So look it over and give me your thoughts.

Thanks

 photo IMG_7050.jpg">

Charlie

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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: Feb 8, 2017 - 12:03pm
Might be a phone talker's helmet. Compared to the normal pot, they were quite large. Compare this one with the sight bar on the 3"/50 here.


Al Ross


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Will Day

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Will Day   Send Email To Will Day Posted on: Feb 8, 2017 - 3:40pm
...and what the hell is it resting/balancing on? The boat looks to be at speed.

Will

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29navy

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of 29navy  Posted on: Feb 8, 2017 - 3:55pm
It's the sight for the 40. See the rings fore and aft of the "helmet."

Charlie

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Will Day

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Will Day   Send Email To Will Day Posted on: Feb 8, 2017 - 4:01pm
Yeah, I see that. Just seems odd that the helmet can be balanced like that.

Will

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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: Feb 8, 2017 - 8:16pm
Agreed, MK ll Phone Talkers helmet.


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29navy

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of 29navy  Posted on: Feb 9, 2017 - 1:17pm
Thanks for the input, guys. Took me a bit of staring to get a good frame of reference before I could start analyzing it.

Charlie

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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: Feb 9, 2017 - 6:56pm
I'm going to play the skeptic. It looks much to large to be a phone talker's helmet. And what's the round pattern on the side of it?

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: Feb 9, 2017 - 7:27pm
I will take a couple of photos to show how this is possible on this Saturday when I go to the Boat. You can prop the helmet up on top of the 40mm gun sightbar so that is stays relatively stable as it leans against the front spider sight. You can even snap the chinstrap under the bar to hold it securely. I imagine they hung the helmet from the chinstrap and since it was swinging around underway, somebody flipped it to rest on top of the sightbar. Simple. I have done something similar when we got underway in the PT658. Also, I think the crewman is resting his hand or holding on to the stern flag pole, or the 40mm gun barrel prop/support bar. It just looks like he is holding the helmet due to the angle. Stay tuned for the photo.
Jerry

Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
Portland OR

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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: Feb 10, 2017 - 7:09am
Dave;
As Jerry says the helmet is balanced on the sight crossbar, the round object next to it is the front sight, the round object/shape on it is the back sight.
Take care,
TED


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