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 Author  Topic: Questions re 20mm Ammo Boxes & Mufflers On PT-103
PeterTareBuilder

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of PeterTareBuilder  Posted on: Aug 15, 2008 - 2:48am
Hi there.

I noticed that there are two 20mm ammo boxes on the aft deck of PT-103 aft of the four depth charges where the aft torpedo tubes were. Were the two 20mm ammo boxes normally located between the aftermost engine room vents still there? I do not think they are but I want to be positive. Were those two 20mm ammo boxes relocated to the side?

Here is a photo showing four of the 20mm ammo boxes.


BTW, were there dividers inside these boxes to hold the 20mm ammo magazines?

If not, how were the magazines stored?

How many magazines were there per box?

On this same image of PT-103 it appears to me as if there are not any mufflers on the boat. It looks to me as though the exhausts come straight out of the stern. Looking at the image do you agree that there are not any mufflers on this boat or am I just not seeing them?

Thanks from PeterTareBuilder

"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!"

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PeterTareBuilder

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of PeterTareBuilder  Posted on: Aug 15, 2008 - 2:51am
Hi there.

For some reason the image did not come through with the post. I'll try this.

[IMG]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PeterTareBuilder/PT_103Aft-20mmAmmoBoxes.jpg[/IMG]

Cheers from PeterTareBuilder

"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!"

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PeterTareBuilder

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of PeterTareBuilder  Posted on: Aug 15, 2008 - 2:54am
Hi.

I don;t know why the image did not appear in my first post because I did change the link from:

[IMG]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PeterTareBuilder/PT_103Aft-20mmAmmoBoxes.jpg[/IMG]

to


just like it said to in the instructions.

Cheers from PeterTareBuilder

"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!"

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PeterTareBuilder

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of PeterTareBuilder  Posted on: Aug 15, 2008 - 3:03am
Hi there.

One more attempt to post that image.



"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!"

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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: Aug 15, 2008 - 5:08am
The mufflers have not been installed on the boat when this picture was taken. The 103 boat was the first of the Elco 80 footers and many shots of her were taken in various stages. You must remember that many boats had different locations for their ammo boxes on deck. No 2 PT BOATS were the same. You had differnt weapons as some had 20mm guns in various locations on the bow, or 50 calibers on pipes, some had mortars, and even still some had 30 calibers that were put in several locations.

You must try and pick which boat you want to model and then go from there. The early 103 class boats had the 20mm on the stern before the 40mm took is place. Not all boats had the 4 torpedo tubes, some had depth charges in place of the aft torpedo tubes. The canisters for the 20mm held 60 rouns each, and the ammo lockers ( I was told ) held up to 10 canisters insode, with room for 3 more on the top for quick access. There were also ammo lockers to the inside of the aft
vents on some boats.............


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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: Aug 15, 2008 - 6:04pm
Most Early RON 5 boats did not have aft torpedo tubes while in the states(ref: RON 5 manuever photos of 20 July 1942 off New Jersey Coast), however, in the 20 August 1942 photos of 107,108, 109 and 110 stowed on board the Joseph Stanton at Norfolk Va, all the boats have 4 tubes again. So does 103 and 105 which was loaded on another ship at the same time. When 109 arrived out at Tulagi in November 1942, her after tubes were again removed(Ref: 1 December 1942 photo of PT 109 with LT. Rollin "Westy" Westholm as CO, after having picked up 86 survivors of the Northampton). I have been told that there was some shortage of torpedo tubes out at Tulagi( for example: PT 60 only had two, when she arrived, PT 59 only had two(as per 1 Feb 1943 photo, agorund near I-1). PT 48 has torpedo tube removal in her log book a few times) In the photo you asked about 103 has 6 20mm boxes( two port, two stbd, and two above engineroom).
Take care,
TED


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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: Aug 16, 2008 - 6:04am
The 20mm lockers I've seen only held 3 or four magazines if I remember correct (I think it was three). They were designed with brackets to hold the magazines. And I've seen pictures of them with brackets on the lid to hold the ready magazines.




Charlie

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PeterTareBuilder

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of PeterTareBuilder  Posted on: Aug 16, 2008 - 7:44am
Hi and thanks to all of you.

I kind of thought that the lockers held three 20mm magazines in a row. I based that on my experiment laying 1/32 scale Lindberg 20mm magazines on an ammo locker. Also that is what the Italeri kit has.

Does any one know where I can see an image of the inside of a 20mm ammo locker?

Were the magazines held horizontaly or verticaly? I think it would have been horizontaly because of the handles on the magazine.

Cheers and thanks again from PeterTareBuilder

"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!"

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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: Aug 16, 2008 - 11:00am
I based my comments on speaking with Wallace McNeish, first class gunners mate on PT 374. He stated that the ammo lockers for the 20MM held 3 on the bottom and three on top, with a clip that could hold three more on the top of the ammo locker, which makes nine. He chose to put 5 in the box for eaiser access if needed. The three on the top were certainly grabbed first. Like I said each drum contained 60 rounds,and I doubt very much they used all of the ammo drums. Even if they did have 6 to a box, that's 360 rounds of 20MM shells, a tremendous amount to be fired. I would love to hear from some of those gunners mates on the boats as to what they used, and how much they carried. Wallace had always told me that he carried much more ammo, because he did not want to ever run out...........


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