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 Author  Topic: ELCO vs HIGGINS
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: Jan 10, 2007 - 3:42pm
One would tend to prefer the Elco PT Boat because frankly it was all we ever saw as young kids growing up. As a 10 year old in 1967, all I ever saw in the stores was the Elco PT 109 model. I never even knew another PT Boat existed until I was old enough to do my own research. The two movies produced that dealt with PT Boats showed the Elco design. PT 109 in its wonderful attempt to copy the 80 footer, and of course the 1945 splender They Were Expendable.

The second movie used real 80 footers and I must say, seeing them dance across the water tends to stick in ones mind. There is nothing like the sound of the Elco as she is going thru her start up wine, with the mufflers popping, and that gurrgling sound above the water line. Her keen and sleek lines leave one breathless and one look at her and you are instantly in love. One must agree that before all the weapons were stuffed on her decks, she looked like a racing grey hound, a corvette getting ready for the big race. . I am sure we have all seen the Elco 103 class with her twin 50's proudly pointing upward and her long torpedo tubes just waiting for the chance to launch an all out attack. No 37MM up front, no 20MM as well. In the back no large 40MM, and no Radar Mast. She was a thing of beauty.

One PT Crewmen once said to me that the Higgins was the box we used to ship over our Elco. It proves just how loyal one can be when it came to his boat. In all fairness to the Higgins, it just was not in the public eye as was the Elco. I own over 275 original ads all dealing with the PT Boats, and I think I have maybe 6 or 7 dealing with the Higgins PT Boats, the rest all Elco.

There is no doubt that the Higgins Hellcat might have been one of the best boats built, but of course it was not put into production. I had heard the speed and turning power were unmatched. The end result here. It seems for those of us who never set foot aboard a PT Boat, we prefer the sleek look and design of the Elco. This above all other things is the number one reason most of us have one, two, maybe three Elco models in our collections.


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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: Jan 10, 2007 - 4:15pm
What's weird is that some of the boats used in THEY WERE EXPENDABLE were built by Huckins. I understand the workmanship on the Huckins was incredible, more along the lines of a yacht than a warship. Of course, they were built in limited numbers and never saw combat.

Will

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C Marin Faure

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of C Marin Faure   Send Email To C Marin Faure Posted on: Jan 10, 2007 - 5:41pm
Frank---

You are clearly far more knowledgeable about the PT paraphanalia that's been produced over the years than I am. I've built two Revell PT-109 models, one as a kid (that model is long gone) and one in the early 90s as part of my gathering PT information for my current project. (However I numbered it 117 to go with a series of photos of that boat that I have.)

I've also built a model of a WWII Vosper PT, and I know there are models out there of E-boats.

Has anyone ever produced a model (plastic Revell-type, not custom-made) of a Higgins PT?


C. Marin Faure
Sammamish, Washington

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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: Jan 10, 2007 - 10:04pm
Early around 1960's Revelle produced a couple of Higgins PT Boat Kits, which you can sometimes find on EBAY. I think there may even be one produced in the 50's as well. Mostly everything that was done represented the Elco PT Boat. There are larger kits out there that you can make statec display or RC. I have one of the John Haynes Higgins models in 1/24th scale and it is a beauty. The Hull is fiberglass and the parts are just remarkable. A bit expensive, but you can make her into any boat you wish. He also carries the Elco boat. I am sure there are more guys on the message board that can direct you as to whats out there for Higgins models, although I don't think you will find many. Garth Connelly is very versed on the subject. You can contact him by checking this weeks posts.


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TGarth Connelly

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Jan 12, 2007 - 9:52am
Frank,

Welp, now. There you go again sir. Taking my name in vain again. Shame on you, now stop it.

OK. Onto business, as for Higgins kits, other than that darned Revell kit that goes back to the 50s, John R. Haynes's big scale kit, the MOSQUITO HOBBIES kits, which are big kits, I am not aware of any of the Higgins PT other than the JAG 1:350 resin kit (which I'm not sure is produced anymore) and the PT DOCKYARD's war-gaming scale models...

Although .....................................

Garth

You've got a question, I've got an answer.

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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: Jan 13, 2007 - 6:26am
Garth:

I would never take your name in vain, you know that. Now, get out that reference book because I am sure more questions will follow.


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TGarth Connelly

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Jan 15, 2007 - 6:31am
That's all I know at this time .......

You've got a question, I've got an answer.

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