| Author |
Topic: 20 MM Turret Mount |
|
 |
SteveS156 |
New Member
|
  
Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 9:13am
|
Ordered the Packet. Looks like great stuff and i am back in the 1/35 scale Italeri 80' PT boat kit backdate mode.One of the picturew I have of the 156 boat with the quad 540 shows a 20mm mount in the port turret.the plan drawings I recieved show a 20mm mount in the starboard turret. Does anyone know the configuration when the quad 50 was mounted?
SteveS156 |
Total Posts: | Joined:
Unregistered | IP
Logged
|
|
Alex Johnson
Advanced Member
|
Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 10:23am
|
Hi Steve-
All the pictures I've ever seen of RON 9 boats in the field (PTs 153-162) show them with the 20mm gun in the starboard (forward) turret. If you have any pictures showing the 20mm gun in the aft (port) turret, please share them. Also any photos of the Quad Fifty mount.
Thanks!
ALEX
|
Total Posts: 70 | Joined:
Mar 2, 2007 - 12:07pm | IP
Logged
|
|
Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
|
 Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 12:18pm
|
As Alex said, every photo I ever saw showed the 20mm Cannon in the forward mount. As this was an experiment, I do not think they changed the port side mount. I could be wrong though.The 20mm mount did not stay very long in the forward turret. Several years back, I spoke with Bud Liebenow ( Skipper of PT 157 ) and he said the 20mm forward did not find favor with the gunners mates and they went back to the standard forward mount of twin 50's. This was on his boat, so I am certainly not speaking for other boats in the Squadron........
|
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined:
Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am | IP
Logged
|
|
ducati650
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 12:58pm
|
I've seen a photo that had what looked like 20mm in both locations. I'll see if i can find it.
Ed
|
Total Posts: 450 | Joined:
Feb 19, 2007 - 10:01am | IP
Logged
|
|
SteveS156
New Member
|
Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 4:08pm
|
Alex, what is your e-mail address? I will scan what I have.
Steve
SteveS156 |
Total Posts: | Joined:
Unregistered | IP
Logged
|
|
ducati650
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 4:10pm
|
Al Ross' Allied Coastal Forces, Vol II has a photo of a boat with 20mm in both turrets. This is on page 146.
Page 220 has a photo of PT157 with the 20mm in the forward turret.
|
Total Posts: 450 | Joined:
Feb 19, 2007 - 10:01am | IP
Logged
|
|
Alex Johnson
Advanced Member
|
Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 5:22pm
|
The photo you are referring to shows PT 195 of RON 12 with Mark 12s in both turrets. The RON 9 boats (PTs 153-162) had the 20mm mount in the forward turret only, from all pictures I have ever seen, and they retained them through war's end. I did quite a bit of research on the RON 9 boats when I built my model PT 155 a few years back. Interesting looking mount!
ALEX
|
Total Posts: 70 | Joined:
Mar 2, 2007 - 12:07pm | IP
Logged
|
|
ducati650
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 5:39pm
|
Thanks Alex.
|
Total Posts: 450 | Joined:
Feb 19, 2007 - 10:01am | IP
Logged
|
|
Frank J Andruss Sr
TOP BOSS
|
Posted on: Jan 21, 2008 - 5:52pm
|
Interesting Alex:
Mr. Liebenow insisted they did not keep their forward 20MM mount on PT 157. It goes to show that time sometimes can fog the memory when these guys try and go back 60 plus years. Thanks for the data Alex. I would love to see some photo's on the site if anyone has any of the 20mm in the gun tub's.......
|
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined:
Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am | IP
Logged
|
|
Wayne Traxel
MASTER
|
Posted on: Jan 22, 2008 - 10:44am
|
In the late 80's I was corresponding with Mr. Liebenow via snail mail when building an RC model of PT-157, Aces "n" Eights. Bud mentioned that Ron 9 boats received the Mk-12 mount upon arrival at New Caledonia and that some boats relocated the twin 50's forward on the bow. He also mentioned that the Mk-12 was on the PT-157 when he left the boat in February 1944. It never occurred to me to ask how the mount stacked up. When displaying the 157 model at the 1993 Reunion in Milwaukee the Ron 9 guys I met said the mount was powerful, some thought it was difficult to handle. The gunner on this mount also removed the empty ammunition drum and hefted the fresh 65 lb magizine by himself. Bob Haskett of PT-155 said when being shot at you'd be surprised how strong you become. The Ron 12 guys I met said that the Mk-12 was tried before leaving the states and was not favored and the twin 50's were reinstalled. However by late 1944 to the end of the war, PT 195 had Mk-12 mounts in both turrets. Skipper Mike Sharkey of PT-168 had a Mk-12 mount installed on the aft turret in the spring of 1945.
Really need to look at the info written on back of some of these photos. Rex Anderson writes on the above photo.
Wayne Traxel |
Total Posts: 248 | Joined:
Oct 11, 2006 - 5:40am | IP
Logged
|
|
