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Topic: Elco Launching Pass. |
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Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
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 Posted on: Mar 18, 2021 - 6:08am
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Here is an original photo and Launching pass that I have for PT-103. As you know this was Elco first assembled 80 footer. Standing in the helm with the skull cap on is Managing Constructor Irwin Chase. The officer looking away from the camera is Assistant Supervisor of Shipbuilding at Elco F.W. Rowe. The officer behind Chase with the sunglasses on is Lt. Robert Montgomery who would play Lt. John D. Bulkeley in the movie "They Were Expendable". Notice the gasoline barge in the upper right corner of the photo, something not seen much on photographs
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Jeff D
Moderator
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Posted on: Mar 18, 2021 - 7:15am
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Did we ever figure out what the flags meant? Last I remember, it was a puzzle.
It looks like they had a little party for the launch, Mr. Chase is holding a sandwich.
I never noticed the aft turret limiting stop brace going straight down to the top of the day cabin before.
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Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Mar 18, 2021 - 9:38am
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Jeff I do not think we ever did figure out what the signs mean, and proof is in the photo on the aft gun mount. Funny how you can see a photo so many times and not notice something like that. I do it all the time
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Jeff D
Moderator
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Posted on: Mar 19, 2021 - 6:01am
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Yep, I don't remember ever seeing Mr. Chase's lunch before either. I'd guess that the support rod was like a few other items seen in this photo, unique to the 103 at least for the 80' boats. Like the searchlight bracket, mast, and antenna mount. I have an image of PT 107 that shows the "normal" support which makes a right angle and bolts to the turret body.
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Drew Cook
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Mar 19, 2021 - 7:43am
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Great photo and pass, Frank. Thanks for posting them!
Didn't Montgomery tear up the port side of the 103 during this launch? I seem to remember a photo of the port forward tube knocked out of place and the hull scraped, attributed to Montgomery...
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Dick
Moderator
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Posted on: Mar 19, 2021 - 2:22pm
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Jeff . . .
Again your eagle eyes with laser like focus again amaze me. While you alerted us to the support rod, searchlight bracket, mast, and antenna mount, differences. You fail to comment on whether or not, Mr. Chase’s sandwich, was a Tuna-Fish on White, or better yet, Corned Beef on Rye with deli Mustard and Pickles . . .
' ' '' ''
Jeff, thanks for posting the overlooked items, that once note, are immediately apparent. Yeah I saw them, I did, I did.
Dick . . .
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Jeff D
Moderator
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Posted on: Mar 20, 2021 - 7:27am
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Once again I've done it Dick, it is baloney! Yep sure seems like a load of baloney to me!:
It doesn't seem to be sitting well with the gentleman seated on top of the aldis locker:
I wonder if this is after they went out and he's suffering a bit of seasickness...
Here's the shot of the damage Drew, nothing like banging up a brand new boat model to make your day:
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Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Mar 20, 2021 - 9:41am
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Jeff, I think this is a spam sandwich lol.........
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Dick
Moderator
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Posted on: Mar 20, 2021 - 1:19pm
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I don’t know Jeff. . . Mr. Chase appeared to be a fashionable man with stylish taste and impeccable grooming. So I’m thinking, even my own favorite standby “Baloney”, wouldn’t be found in his wheelhouse. As you can see, Mr. Chase always looked very dapper in his photographs - where in this photograph, he is wearing an official Sam Spade trench coat, with a World War I leather Flight Cap, complete with a Sandwich in hand - Clearly a man at ease and in charge . . . . a connoisseur of fine foods and living . . . not a baloney ragged tagged kid like myself, thinking baloney was a prime cut of beef and weenies were even a cut above that ! Well, thats what my Mom told me, hummm.
However . . . the balding gentleman behind him to our left, appears to be having quite an issue of holding down his sandwich by his looks. And the gentleman in the foreground, at the helm, seems to be struggling himself. Notice how he his holding tightly on to the side armor plating and trying desperately to guide his arm forward without, shall we say, upchucking. Can we say” ptomaine “.
What is really curious . . . is the officer standing on the port side here, with that s*it-eating grin on his face, as he looks back and gives a wink to the boat’s cook. See, he wanted to man the helm.
Frank . . . can’t be spam, heck that was for special occasions like Easter Sunday Dinner, we always had Ham, but it was spelt with an S & P instead of a H. Mom always did her best, raising four small children on her own. Heck, we always had baloney, weenies, spam, bulgar wheat, Bisquick, and powdered milk in the cupboard.
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Stearman
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Mar 20, 2021 - 8:08pm
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The photo of the bent torpedo tube was not caused by Montgomery, he got the other side! Here is the story of both sides, http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=1351 I like how Dick Keresey said about those early days of the 80 footers, " Almost all boat captains were called 'Crash' at one time or another. In the early days while learning how to operate PT boats, we were like novice wranglers trying to tame wild horses -- we all got thrown a couple of times."
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