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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic: PT 190 Lindberg Model
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A nice fix of T. Garth Connelly's old Lindberg Kit, made to look like the Jack O Dimonds. This was done over by Stan Pienkowski. I thought you guys would like to see the photo's. Not bad for a Lindberg Model . . . . .

Frank


[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/PTBoat-190-01.jpg[/image]


[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/PTBoat0190-02.jpg[/image]


[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/PTBoat-190-03.jpg[/image]






Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Apr 17, 2009 - 8:48am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



Thanks for the post Frank.

A little history of that model.

Originally, the model was a Christmas gift in 1983 from my parents as a R/C boat and it took my father two years (from 1984) to build. They bought a condo on Cape Cod which had access to a 'communal' pool. In 1986, on one vacation, we took it up there and one night after dinner, we decided to give it a test drive and a shake-down cruise as it were.

My father lowered it into the pool and turned it on and then, activated the R/C gear. Something inside the hull snapped and the boat took off across the pool at full speed before my father could control it. It smashed bow on into the side of the cement pool - which we later (in 1998) learned cracked the plastic on the transom, causing the model to begin to slowly settle - before it fully sank, my father was able to snatch it out of the pool - knocking the two 20mm guns, the 37mm gun and a depth charge off. The guns were recovered but we never found the depth charge.

From 1986 until 1993, it sat on top of a tall bookcase (out of sight) in the bedroom of the condo - falling into disrepair and gathering dust. In 1993, I bought (myself) a house up there, just around the corner from the condo complex (as a write-off) and we moved everything from the condo into my house. The boat was banished to the basement.

In 1997, I met Stan and he quickly built me a PT (Revell) and an Airfix HMS BELFAST and rebuilt a Revell FLETCHER Destroyer for me. After I saw what he could do, I asked him to rebuild the Lindberg monster in 1998 - He did a good job on it too - using the HR Products guns that were salvaged from the wreck ... it's not perfect or exactly accurate - but it did save something my father built.

It's now displayed in a case in the living room of my Cape house - it is not used as a R/C boat ...

That lighter green is actually a little darker than it appears in these old shots taken with an old Kodak Instamatic camera dating from 1978 - taken in 1998.

Garth



Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Apr 17, 2009 - 9:25am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



To Frank & Garth-

That's a very neat model of the 190. Stan is something else! I'd sure love to meet that guy one of these days and just talk shop with him.

Garth- You must be very proud to have that old Lindberg model fixed up that your Dad built. She look reallllly good!

Frank- How about a whole lot more from Stan's collection posted here on the board. I'm sure as shootin' that a lot of us modeler's here would really get a kick out of seeing a lot more of his work. Oh yeah, my head is still reeling from the 196 and the aux. fuel tank on the stern!! Lovin' that!!!

Thanks for sharing guys!!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/Friend RON-10 PT-169 " ZEBRA SNAFU "

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

Posted By: FRANK | Posted on: Apr 17, 2009 - 11:23am
Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm



Frank,

If you'd go to my own site - you'll see:

my PT-191 built by Stan
my father's SC-699 (the SC he was on in WW2) built by Stan
my brother's SC-253 (one of the two SCs our grandfather was on)
my S-204 (S-100 Klasse Schnellboot) built by Stan

Garth



Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Apr 17, 2009 - 12:32pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



Garth;
Your Dad was lucky when he reached into the pool to retrieve the boat, in 1/32nd scale world that depth charge was probably set for 30 feet which means it would have gone off at an actual pool depth of around 9 3/4 "!!! You almost took your father out on your first mission!
Just kidding!!! Don't worry in 1973, I almost did the same thing flying one of those huge old Cox gas powered Dauntless SBD! If you remember it was one of those that you flew with the fishing line attached to the handle and you just spun around in one spot as the plane flew around you in a circle. Well after a week of that crap, I was ready for a "REAL" mission! She was loaded for bear with her Fake 500 lbs bomb. I put masking tape on the tail surfaces to keep them straight, filled her up, started her and let her fly! She took off of my patio which was pretty large, and almost clipped dear old Dad in the head as he was walking out the backdoor with a Schaefer beer in his hand. Dad lost his balance, the beer can became flak, and it was launched into the air. Somehow, my Evel Knievel, who was flying this crate somehow did evasive action at the right time and banked to starboard to give Action Jackson, in the back seat a clear shot at my Dad, who was now on his keyster on the back stoop. He had my Dad dead to rights, but he never fired! Evel flew towards my Dads 38' Mathews and on to his target which was an imaginary airfield somewhere across the great neck creek canal, behind my house in my nieghborhood in Lindenhurst NY, Unfortunatly, the enemy was building a development over there and Action Jackson were never seen again. this was their first mission flying together.
Take care,
TED



Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Apr 17, 2009 - 1:50pm
Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am



HA!


THAT's a funny story.

I had a P-51 (yellow and numbered 88) and a P-40 like your SBD. A friend tried to do a loop with my P-51, it crashed and smashed into a gazillion pieces and we could never get the P-40's engine to kick over ....

Someday, I'd love to get one of those R/C PT-109s you see on Ebay sometimes that are all ready to go. What I'd do is have it 'detailed' a little better than they appear to be and use it on a pond that's near my house at the Cape, ... and there's this big pond behind our beach there that'd be perfect for that.

Garth



Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Apr 17, 2009 - 2:33pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



Great Stories Guys:

I remember roughly 25 years ago, these guys had a model club set on the Connecticut River. It was a great place, with a small water access that lead out to the main River. These guys had everything from Racers to Tug Boats out there, and on any given Sunday you would see no less then 20 radio controlled craft on the water.

They kept a small Dingy on the shore for any boats that might stall out or become stricken on the water. One day, I took my Son for a look see, and this guy had a Beautiful Red Tug Boat getting ready for launch. As he made his way down the chanel to the main River, another guys boat became stricken. Out came the Dingy, and they began to paddle over to the boat. Well, before they could get there, this masterful Tug Boat Operator, got into position, circled the drifting boat, and managed to push the boat back to the Chanel. It was a great feat no doubt, except, while all on shore were so fixed watching this guy, no one noticed the dam Dingy had started to sink. After, the guy waved his arms, shouted some words I can't print here, they managed to rescue the rescue boat.

It was a classic day. Too bad this area became off limits to the club, and picnic tables were vandalized and burned by stupid kids. It was a great area. I never did get my Lindberg PT Boat into the water before the area became off limits.



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Apr 17, 2009 - 2:47pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



Frank,

Where was this?



Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Apr 17, 2009 - 3:11pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



The site was off of River Road in Agawam, just past the South End Bridge. They have now put a parking lot there for people, and made a small walking park, where you can walk on foot to that same area, once used by the Radio Control Club.



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Apr 17, 2009 - 3:24pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



Is that group still in existence?



Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Apr 17, 2009 - 3:41pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



Garth

I doubt it. That was many years ago, and I still can't think of the name of that Club. They had made a nice sign too that was on the property, welcoming those who came to the River's edge and the Club. I have been racking my brain to try and remember, but to no avail........



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Apr 17, 2009 - 5:44pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



Nice Frank and Garth, those big swimming pools sure get small quick eh? I have one in a box somewhere... a Lindberg PT not a pool.

My first R/C boat was a Dumas Atlas Van Lines hydro with a .45 engine, when I finally managed to get it started (leather shoelace wrapped around the flywheel) for the first time, I tossed it in the water minus the antenna... it sure ran good until it hit the bank way across the lake.

I used to be big into R/C racing, the funniest thing I saw was a hydro race where an outrigger buried itself into the side of a catamaran hull. The cat actually finished the heat with the hydro stuck into it. Of course it wasn't funny to the owners of the rigger or cat but us spectators sure got a kick out of it. I didn't think it was so funny when my Dumas Scarab with a Rossi .90 in it hit a turtle at full speed though, about 50mph, WHAM, and then onto the bank. The hull was mostly OK but the strut, prop, and rudder were pretzels.

I remember U-control! I remember flying the Cox jobs, and a buddy's balsa/silkspan .40 job he "borrowed" from his father. He let me be the first to fly it and I was totally unprepared for this speed demon. After about 10 laps just trying to avoid the ground I wandered dizzily far enough to hit the grocery bag of starting supplies, it veered straight at me, I hit the ground, the plane flew over me, reached the end of the circle and then straight into the ground. Instant re-kit only with more pieces. We got into bigtime trouble for that one.




Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Apr 18, 2009 - 4:16am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am



Funny stuff Jeff:

I bet we all have stories like those. Do you guys remember when you put together those RC Battleships, and Destroyers. They have guns that fire BB's and these guys go out and fight one another. I guess the hulls and the ships are made so you can repair them quickly. I saw that being done once in Westield Mass one afternoon (roughly 10 years ago). It was awesome, I mean these guys actually had American forces and Jap Forces fighting each other. Ships got into position and fired those BB's with a full broadside. These guys were good. I remember, one guy came a bit too close to shore, and a teed off Mud Hen swooped down and started to attack the Ship. He must have came too close to her nest. She was not at all amuzed. All on shore got a kick out of that.

Like my previous post about the Model Club, I thnk these guys disbanded as well. I used to get a Flyer now and then from their group to join and catch the action, but no more. The only thing I know that is running hot and heavy, are the Plane guys, who have an awesome built up field, not far from where I live (10 miles). These plane guys are really something, and I have seen some pretty large scale planes on the field. Everything from P-51 Fighters, to the awesome B-17. Some of them are really good at flying these planes too........



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Apr 18, 2009 - 4:35am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



Heh, I remember reading about those. My first thought was "Careful, you could put an eye out with those!". Here's some info/rules for battles:
[url]http://www.repairfaq.org/filipg/RC/F_Ship_Kombat.html[/url]

Was the mudhen the feature attraction at the post-battle BBQ?

I helped start our boat club, was one of the first at the lake with my Dumas Scarab with a low power sport .60 motor. People would stop to watch and gradually others came with boats until we had enough to form the Palm Beach R/C Boaters. It was great when we were able to buy a rescue boat and small outboard to go get dead boats. Before that it was try to snag them with a fishing pole or go swimming, not a good idea in Florida although we rarely saw gators in our lake. Eventually we got quite large and sponsored IMPBA sanctioned races.

When a bunch of us decided to start hitting the race circuit I stuck the Rossi .90 in my Dumas. My buddies joked it was a "Dumass" and not a racing boat with its deep-vee design. Most had boats with an almost flat bottom that ran like a bat out of heck on calm water. But get eight 15-20 pound boats in a heat and even on a windless day the water soon chopped up until the "real race boats" either started flipping or had to cut throttle. My "Dumass" just got faster and could carve the course at full throttle. It also added considerable to the chop. I took first almost every race which sure ticked off the "real race boat" owners.

A tip for any R/C race boaters reading this, instead of correcting prop torque with the rudder, bend the strut slightly until the boat runs straight with zero rudder angle. It doesn't take much. Not only will you go faster, it will also turn better and even make decent left turns. Another big speed boost was after I got rid of high/low spots in the bottom and sharpened the strakes, chines, and stern edges to dump the water off the hull cleanly.

Here's a shot of a competitor getting too close to my "Dumass":

[image]http://www.pt103.com/images/asst/rcboatblowoff.jpg[/image]




Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Apr 18, 2009 - 6:03am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am



Jeff

Doesn't look like you were caught. Thanks for the desription items on the Ships. That was what they had alright, and it was pretty neat to watch. When I was watching them, I said, "Brother if I had a few PT Boats here, I would sink these ships real fast". I guess even way back then, my heart was with the PT BOATS, still is, always will be.



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Apr 18, 2009 - 6:15am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



I think my P-51 was a Cox but I can't remember. The P-40 was a 'gift' from the son of a friend of my mother's who father was a P-51 pilot in WW2 who flew in the same squadron with Chuck Yeager and Bud Anderson, ... he even had 4 1/2 kills and had his own P-51-B "American Girl" ...

The P-40 was missing its canopy and the U-Control strings and handle ...

Wonder whatever happened to that thing .............



Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Apr 18, 2009 - 6:51am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



Great stories guys-

My first experience with a model PT was the old Lindberg 1/64th scale PT-109 ( Don't quote me on the exact scale) but I know for a fact that it wasn't the 1/32 scale R/C job.

Living then in Central New Jersey, there was a absolutely beautiful park in Edison called Roosevelt Park. It was a fresh water site and the kids loved it and there were always migrating ducks by the lake.

The Lindberg kit was pretty nice as I remember it but it was just a runabout version and was not R/C. I guess that it could have been with mini servos and the like. This kit had a small electric motor that ran off of 4 AA batteries and powered all three shafts via a rubber band set up. The OAL of the model was about 14inches.

I remember that I did a bang up job on the model and I took my kids and the wife to the lake for a launching. I remember my wife saying_"Put a string on the model so you can get it back!!!" A string- uhh No!

So Cap'n Frank puts said model of the 109 in the lake hoping to make it to the other side of the lake to retrive the boat model after her jaunt across the lake. Suddenly the wind kicked up and to my horror the little PT-109 started to drift closer to the center island smack dab in the center of the lake. The look on my wife's face said it all as the model came ashore on the island. The kids were crying and the wife is now P.O.ed at me to beat the band.

The following Monday I called the Parks Department to see if I could get the model back. I remember talking to one guy who was very excited about the model and he said he'd get back to me. He never did! I bet he still has the model!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/Friend RON-10 PT-169 " ZEBRA SNAFU "

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

Posted By: FRANK | Posted on: Apr 18, 2009 - 1:14pm
Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm



Great stories guys-

My first experience with a model PT was the old Lindberg 1/64th scale PT-109 ( Don't quote me on the exact scale) but I know for a fact that it wasn't the 1/32 scale R/C job.

Living then in Central New Jersey, there was a absolutely beautiful park in Edison called Roosevelt Park. It was a fresh water site and the kids loved it and there were always migrating ducks by the lake.

The Lindberg kit was pretty nice as I remember it but it was just a runabout version and was not R/C. I guess that it could have been with mini servos and the like. This kit had a small electric motor that ran off of 4 AA batteries and powered all three shafts via a rubber band set up. The OAL of the model was about 14inches.

I remember that I did a bang up job on the model and I took my kids and the wife to the lake for a launching. I remember my wife saying_"Put a string on the model so you can get it back!!!" A string- uhh No!

So Cap'n Frank puts said model of the 109 in the lake hoping to make it to the other side of the lake to retrive the boat model after her jaunt across the lake. Suddenly the wind kicked up and to my horror the little PT-109 started to drift closer to the center island smack dab in the center of the lake. The look on my wife's face said it all as the model came ashore on the island. The kids were crying and the wife is now P.O.ed at me to beat the band.

The following Monday I called the Parks Department to see if I could get the model back. I remember talking to one guy who was very excited about the model and he said he'd get back to me. He never did! I bet he still has the model!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/Friend RON-10 PT-169 " ZEBRA SNAFU "

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

Posted By: FRANK | Posted on: Apr 18, 2009 - 1:14pm
Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm



Bummer Frank, I'd guess he kept it too based on him never calling back.

As a kid I used to buy any kit with a motor that I could afford with my meager paper route profits.



Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Apr 18, 2009 - 1:59pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am



Hey Jeff-

Yeah man, I know exactly what you mean. When I was a kid in high school, I'd do odd jobs in the neighborhood for extra jingle money only to cash it all in at the local hobby shop on balsa and tissue model airplane jobs, free-flight and control line. I think I built every single balsa kit that Scientific Models produced.

I was also a sucker for those little electric motors as well. Heck I got a big pickle jar loaded with those little motors including a bunch of Lindberg 1/32 PT-109 kit motors. They are great motors but do not work well with those chinchy cheapo plastic gear train in the Lindberg kit. I knew a guy who had built his 1/32 scale PT-109 to the letter and had the gear train actually melt anf fuse together!

I'm into radio control now and my 1/32nd scale PT-169 runs like a champ! No more strings for me-NO SIR!!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/Friend RON-10 PT-169 " ZEBRA SNAFU "

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

Posted By: FRANK | Posted on: Apr 18, 2009 - 3:13pm
Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm



Mine just snapped ....................



Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Apr 18, 2009 - 4:25pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



Hey Jeff-

How far is Palm Beach from Jacksonville, buddy?? Do you have any scale boats, PT's and scale ships floating as well??

You wouldn't just happen to be a member of the WAVE BLASTERS R/C Model Boat Club, would ya?? I was just wondering?? I just sent them a bunch of photos from our clubs past regattas to add to their website.

Frank A.-

At our scale model boat pond at Amelia Island, Florida, we have the use of the lake off one of the glof greens. We have a lot of scale Navy ships in our club, the PIRATE'S FLAG ( the FLAG stands for Florida and Georgia, just in case you all were wondering) Model Boat Club of Fernandina Beach, FL. One guy has a 1/32 scale model of the USS Missouri. This sucker is built in two sections so that he can get it into his Mustang convertable. The bow and stern sections are joined via carriage bolts and wing nuts inside the hull. This model is about 10-11 feet long! The builder included firing black powder charges from the big guns. He operates this monster via a full house 7 channel system including an on board sound system as well. I run shotgun with my PT-169 along side. Very hard to tell from the real thing!!

At our last club regatta Ol' Ralph got carried away and put in a double round of black powder in one of the gun barrels. When he lit off the charge it blew the whole gun deck off the model! Needless to say, it got everybodies attention really fast!

Our club is sactioned by the SSMANA, the Scale Ship Modelers Association of North America. We carry some 2 million bucks worth of insurance in the event a bystander gets to close to a model and pokes an eye out on the mast or falls in the lake. It hasn't happened yet, God forbid!!

As for the models firing BB's!!! Our insurance strictly forbids any projectile being expelled from the model. Yes, I agree it sure looks like a heck of a lot of fun but not on our lake, no dice. Do we have fun otherwise, Hell YES!!!!

Thanks for letting me share, fellas!!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/Friend RON-10 PT-169 " ZEBRA SNAFU "



HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

Posted By: FRANK | Posted on: Apr 18, 2009 - 6:04pm
Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm



While we're on this subject...I built one of the Lindberg 1/64th scale PT 109's as a static kit for a project on U.S. Presidents during my first year or two in high school. I settled for the Lindberg kit because I couldn't find one of the Revell 1/72nd kits, which I preferred. I remember being a little disconcerted at the time by the Lindberg kit's later-model Elco engine room ventilator...

The nuns who taught at my school were from an order based in New Jersey, and they all had absolutely LOVED JFK.

They loved my Lindberg PT 109, too. I got an A+ for the project, and the model occupied a place of honor in one of the glass display cases in our school library for a couple of months.

I got the model back, but of course it was eventually destroyed by my little brothers, who regularly burgled their way into my room while I was otherwise occupied with an after-school job or sports practice and "played" with my painstakingly-built models until they broke.


Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Apr 19, 2009 - 4:47am
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am



Although as a youngster, I enjoyed building many plastic models, I was certainly not in the caliber of some of the guys on this board. I can remember as a 10 year old, running to Zayre Department Store and buying PT 109 in 1/72 scale (As if I knew what that meant back then), geting it home, and slapping it together. No paint, no scraping of the parts, just crude building. Brother that sat in my room for the logest time until Mom (the original Marie Barone) tried to dust it.

It hit the ground (no carpet in those days) and broke. Before Mom could retrive the boat, my dog Lassie grabbed it and high-tailed it into the Living Room, chomping it pretty good until Mom could grab it from her. Coming home from School, there sat my PT 109 crumpled on the Table, with Mom doing her best to explain ( I think she might have even had homemade cookies for this explaination). All was ok though, as when Dad heard the story, he flipped me another .50 cents, and I was in business again. I never did get another PT BOAT. Instead, I bought one of the B-17 Bombers from the Twelve O' Clock High TV Show. Funny, I had not thought about this until we started to talk about models on this message board.

Now, I don't know about you guys, but outside of PT BOATS, the B-17 would be my next choice for favorite thing. I just love that Plane. By the way, I used to go outside with my friends, and pretend they got hit by Flack. I would light one of the engines on fire. I must say it was pretty cool flying the model with one hand, and pretending she was going down. Mom caught me a few times, and I caught heck from her, then by Dad too. Great tmes for sure...............



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Apr 19, 2009 - 5:32am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



I'm about 30 miles S of West Palm Beach, in SE Fl Frank. As we say in the South, a fur piece down yonder. I'd love to see your display and check out your clubs lake action one day. I'd have to get a crowbar to pry my butt off this computer chair and save up some gas money for my 8mpg ride though... The Wave Blasters sure sounds familiar but I was active in the 80's so my memory is a little dim. Then one of life's sucker punches hit and I sold off my R/C fleet, all I have left is a few race boats, a Tamiya King Tiger, 2 cars, and a huge fiberglass DE hull/deck I won at a raffle. It ain't as big as that Missouri model, man I'd love to see that one!

We came close to using our insurance once, a runaway twin engine hydro went through the heavy safety netting and into the bleachers. Thank God it hit in an empty area. It was a large Open class rigger and could easily have killed someone.

I hope to make it there one day Frank!

Frank Sr, that burning plastic sure sticks well to skin don't it?



Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Apr 19, 2009 - 6:21am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am



Jeff D.

Your not kidding, I forgot to mention that one. And if I remember, when the plastic really got going, and started to drip, it made a cool noise. We also used to burn our Army men using a Wood Burning Tool. Goofy Kids I guess, but we wanted it to look real...........



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Apr 19, 2009 - 6:30am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



Oh my god, ... Zayre's ..... THAT brings back memories ..............

No Frank, MY mother is the model for Marie Barone. TRUST ME.



Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Apr 19, 2009 - 8:15am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



WOW, the memories you guys are are bringing to my mind.

Yeah, Frank A. I remember my room at the age of 10-13. I had every Jo-Han plastic car slam glued together on top of my dresser. Not one of them were ever painted. They were all white plastic with a few decals. At that time in my life and most young guys, I thought that the decals were the coolest thing. Remember the MOON EYES ???

My Dad bought me a Cox Bird Dog .049 controline line airplane model for my birthday when I was 13. That was it for the plastic car models from then on. I loved the noise of the motor and the smell of the fuel fumes. At that age what did we know of the toxic properties of that fuel mix. It lingered on our pants and clothes and skins for weeks, but like Alfred E. Neuman says- What Me Worry???!!!

I then starterd building balsa model airplanes then and couldn't wait to go flying. I think it was the spinning around really fast then having the plane and you yourself crashing to the ground in unison. We called it FUN! Pure and simple!

A couple of other guys in the neighborhood got the shot in the arm because we always had "junkers" that the new guys could learn on and if they crashed and burned-so what. I remember putting back the pieces of crashed balsa planes with straight pins and good ol' Amboid glue. That stuff was fantastic and very strong adhesive! I think they still make the stuff!

Just before winter would set in, all the guys in the neighborhood would bring out their "junkers" and there was always one kid who had saved his cherry bombs from the 4th of July. We would tape a fire cracker to the fuseladge, start the engine light the fuse and let her go. Usually the added weight of the cherry bomb made the plane fly erractic but we didn't care. Then BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!! The plane would go off in a gazillion pieces. We would salvadge what we could and save the motors and start building all winter long. When spring came knocking, the whole process started all over again!

When I in my early 20's I joined a local model airplane club, The Perth Amboy Model Airplane Club.I think they might still be around! This was the late '60's guys! I remember taking on the job of vice-president back then. This was strictly a control line model airplane club. Radio control was just out of our league and way too expensive for most of the guys. We designed our own wings and planes. Man that was fun! I guess this is where my modeling experiences grew from!

Thanks for stirring up the ol' stew pot of memories and letting me share mine!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/Friend RON-10 PT-169 " ZEBRA SNAFU "

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

Posted By: FRANK | Posted on: Apr 19, 2009 - 9:17am
Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm



Frank

I could go on for hours, but that would leave no room for you guys to type in your model memories. Speaking of cars, I remember going to Zayre Department Store (its the only place we had then, except for the 5 and dime) and buying the cool cars from The Munsters. Man, I thought that was awesome. I think my head hit the clouds when PT 73 came out from Mcale's Navy. I thought I was a big shot, because I spent all my allowence on purchasing two of them. I made one that had the decals of PT 73 on her hull, and the other had PT 37.

Ya know I remember getting those at the Zayre special for roughly $1.00 for both of them. Wish I had the foresight to buy 100 of the darn things. I could have cleaned up now at the prices they command for that Kit. Oh, and by the way I also had that awesome Submarine from Voyage to the bottom of the Sea, soooo cool. And like Frank said, no paint was ever applied to any of the models in those days. The decals were plenty of color for the models. Boy my mind is racing, I also bought the superman figure, spiderman, Thor, Thing, and Batman Car, among so many others too numerous to print here.

It was a great time in my young model building life, but something you always hold onto. By the way Garth, my Marie Barone, is not only named Marie, but is 100% Italian, and just as tough. Come on guys, keep the memories coming.



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Apr 19, 2009 - 1:56pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



Mine is Rita Marie andis also 100% Italian as well.



Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Apr 19, 2009 - 2:21pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



hell were almost related...............



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Apr 19, 2009 - 2:52pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



Yes Frank Sr! The sound the dripping plastic made! I forgot all about that, a sort of buzzing whistle that got higher pitched as it fell? I'm going to have to dig up a piece of sprue now or pinch some from a now rather decrepit Cutty Sark model I built as a teen.

I guess I was about 10 when I got a Cox powered open wheel Indy car that ran in a circle on a string. I couldn't get it going and Dad took it to the hobby shop where they had no problem. I must have tried a dozen times after that but no dice. Naturally I could get it running in the back yard but every time I'd go to a parking lot and stick a nail in the blacktop, nothing.

I built a lot of the balsa/tissue models too Frank Jr. They were affordable and fun to build. I took a Guillows Stuka to a local R/C field and asked if I could fly it when nobody was flying the big boys. Naturally they agreed and it flew well. The landing was a bit hard on it though. One of the guys was impressed, he said it was the only time he saw a rubber band powered scale (sort of) plane actually fly. Another I built was a beautifully lined Italian fighter, I forget the name, it might of been a Macchi? It was fairly large and made by a company I hadn't heard of before, relatively expensive and a very nice kit. After white tissuing, I tried spray dope for the first time, a forest green. It broke my heart to see the whole plane pretzel up as it dried, I must have sprayed way too heavy...



Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Apr 19, 2009 - 7:55pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am



Jeff D.

I love these old stories about our modeling endeavers, although off the beaten track concering PT BOATS. I used to love the old wind up metal toy boats too. I must have had 20 of the darn things in our Family pool. We used to talke some over to a place called Robison Park, where they had a small pond. Wind um up, and let um go. We spent more time chasing the darn things.

Us Kids were big into the old balsa planes. Buy them for .10 cents a piece. You are right, the rubber band planes, never really flew for beans. Ahh, those were the days..........



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Apr 20, 2009 - 4:24am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



I think we are Frank...........



Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Apr 20, 2009 - 7:53am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



Guys;
As Frank said this is off the subject, but I remember I was 11 or 12 before I spilt my first drop of blood for the modeling hobby. I had been building models for a few years and was doing fine, until Dad bought me Monograms 1/32nd scale Lee tank. I started reading Shep Paine's diorama leaflet included in the models box. Man when I saw that cool diorama of the tank in Tunisa, and the crew out digging up land mines, I had to try it. So I went to the garage, got Dads retractible carpet knife and I had to open that side door. So instead of heating the knife, I decided one day before school, to try and cut through the plastic, well I was going fine until I figured it would take all day to cut through so I pressed harder...yeah thats better...OOPS! I slipped with the knife and stabbed myself in the left index finger, all the way to the bone. Dad! No school today! as I ran to the bathroom, blood dripping everywhere. Well soon I was sitting in Dad's 1966 Rambler Ambassador station wagon on the way to Lakeside Hospital Emergency room. 4 stitches later and I got to stay home. You know the novicain the nurse shot into my finger hurt worse than the injury itself! In a few days I was back to work on the Lee tank and I got that door open the right way this time.
Yes, Frank the B-17 is my favorite too, I built 10 of them over the years, most I painted my own nose art and their all in boxes in my attic today. I have read almost everything printed about B17's. It was only later that I found out my Dad's brother in law at the time was a B17 pilot with the 388th BG and was shot down over Brux, Checkoslovakia on August 24, 1944. I hope one day you get the thrill I did. After we moved down to Virginia, I was in my 20's and I drove up with my Mom to Dover Air Force base. The Shoo Shoo Baby had just completed restoration, and they were going to fly the plane to Wright Patterson in Ohio. I found out take off was 10 am. Well when we got up there, there she sat just inside the hanger looking as new as she did in 1944. I soon found out that they had determined the winds were too strong to risk The Baby, so take off was posponed to the following day. I was bummed I had my camera, leather jacket, and my 50 mission crush in the car just for the occasion. Mom being Mom said well we drove up here for 2 1/2 hours why not take some photos in front of her, so I did. Then an old top turret gunner, who was a volunteer guide, strolled over to us and began to talk to us. The next thing I know he says, want to go inside? I said are you kidding? YEAH!! So we entered through the waist door and before long we were giving each other a tour as I was telling him, some stuff he had forgotten, like rates of fire for the .50 cal and other things. I really had to bite my tongue and let him talk, I was so excited I was about to up chuck every bit of B17 info I ever read. I took a deep breath and maintained my cool. He showed me the ball turret, Then I asked can we go up to the flight deck? We went through the radio room and the through the bomb bay. You have to walk through the top turret to get to the pilot and co-pilot seats, an eerie feeling came over me as if I had been here before, I sat in the left hand seat and took the wheel in my hands, it was great! I opened the pilots window put my 50 mission crush on and yelled to my Mom to snap a photo, then I turned to my guide and I said well now that thats over with, lets start this baby up and I reached for the #1 starter switch, my guide was stunned that I knew exactly were if was and his face went as white as a sheet! After telling him I was just kidding, he took me down into the nose, to check out the bombadier and navigators positions. Then I swung out the nose hatch like Gregory Peck in 12 o'clock high. A bunch of B17 veteran pilots were talking with my Mom by now and one said to her " Hey thats how we used to get out"! The Next morning Shoo Shoo Baby flew to Ohio, but I still have my photo!
Great time!! I really have to stop writing these books on the message board!
Take care,
TED



Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Apr 20, 2009 - 8:11am
Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am



Maybe we should have Dick move a bunch of this to a new thread, "O/T, Overgrown Boys And Their Toys". And I bet we could fill another up, "Injuries Sustained Whilst Modeling"... I got the web between two fingers with a razor blade once, the Dr complained what a pain it was to stitch up. And several scars from sticking Xacto knives into my thighs...

One of my best birthdays was when my aunt took me to a big department store and I got two models, a B-17 and a B-24. I didn't do them justice being only about 8yo but it's one of the few early events I remember from that age. I sure wish I could have taken a tour like you did though Ted.. maybe one day, I ain't dead yet.

They have some cool B-17 manual stuff at these sites:
[url]http://www.zenoswarbirdvideos.com/B17STUFF.html[/url]
[url]http://www.stelzriede.com/ms/html/mshwpmn1.htm[/url]

One site I found while researching the .50 cal. gun that has tons of WWII (mostly) aircraft related manuals, but is currently down, is:
[url]http://www.ww2aircraft.net/[/url]



Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Apr 20, 2009 - 8:58am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am



I remember when I was about 8 or so my Uncle Ben had given me a Christmas Present of the "Korean War Wings" model collection. There were four kits inside.

I begged my Dad to help me build my very first model airplane on a snowy Saturday after Christmas. I picked out the MIG and Dad and I carefully put the model together. Being an early '50's model there were only a dozen pieces or so to the model. The fact that my Dad and I worked on this model made it very special indeed.

We lived in an apartment building then and we has kerosen for our kitchen stove. After the model was completed, Dad placed the model on the ledge of the stove over the flat top burner to dry.

My Mom always had a canary all her life and we had one named Tweety. After a while I noticed a very strange odor whafting up from the top of the kerosean stove. The rising heat from the stove got beneath the wing of the little model MIG and toppled it onto the stove top. The model melted into a silvery gray mass of hot plastic. The smell was horrific!! As cold as it was Dad opened up the windows in the kitchen to air out the smell.


We then heard a plop from Tweety's cage as he went beak and belly up from his perch.

I remember taking a cab to the local Woolworth's that aftertnoon to subside Mom's crying over her now deceased canary. Dad bought Mom another Tweety # 2 to replace # 1.

Dad and I finished the other three models and this time put them on the window sill to dry. That was my first experience with model building.

Remember when Big Daddy Roth had the Revell models of Mother's Worry and the Rat Fink? Boy, did my Mom ever hate those things!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/Friend RON-10 PT-169 " ZEBRA SNAFU "

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

Posted By: FRANK | Posted on: Apr 20, 2009 - 1:59pm
Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm



I would love it if Revell would re-tool the Higgins kit and put better .50s in the 109 kit and in the Vosper kit, and also reissue the 190 kit with better Mark XIII torpedoes ...............



Posted By: TGConnelly | Posted on: Apr 20, 2009 - 2:57pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



Hi there.

TGConnely wrote: "I would love it if Revell would re-tool the Higgins kit and put better .50s in the 109 kit and in the Vosper kit, and also reissue the 190 kit with better Mark XIII torpedoes ..............."

And if they did retool the Higgins wouldn't it be fantastic if they panto-engraved new moulds in 1/72 scale?

Cheers from PeterTareBuilder

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

Posted By: PeterTareBuilder | Posted on: Apr 20, 2009 - 7:30pm
Total Posts: 494 | Joined: Jun 24, 2008 - 5:59pm