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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: Which way did the hatch open?
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I noticed on several models that the hatch right in front of the chart house on an 80' Elco seems to open away from the chart house or forward. In my Dad's cres photo, however, it looks like it opens toward the chart house...a crewman has his foot on it. Your thoughts?
Jeff Sherry

Posted By: Jeff Sherry | Posted on: Aug 29, 2009 - 6:45pm
Total Posts: 84 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:04pm

Most of the froward hatches I have seen all opened towards the charthouse, resting on the charthoyse itself. You are correct in that some opened the opposite way (I have seen them) in other photos. Elco may have experimented with the hatches opening both ways, or possible they changed the way they opened on later models. Good question though.

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Aug 30, 2009 - 4:22am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

In referencing the line drawings in the excellent Lambert/Ross book ALLIED COASTAL FORCES V II, it would appear that early models beginning with the 103 series had the hatch swinging forward, while on later series (i.e. PT 565) the hatch swung aft.

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Aug 30, 2009 - 6:56am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY THE HATCH SWUNG OPEN WITH THE TOP OF IT TOWARDS THE CHART ROOM ON THE 108 BOAT. THE GALLEY WAS DIRECTLY BELOW IT.FACING THE CHART ROOM THE LADDER WAS DESCENDING DOWN INTO THE GALL;EY ON THE RIGHT SIDE GOING ODOWN.FROM TOPSIDE.THERTE WAS A SMALL "READY"RED LIGHT INSIDE ON THE BULKHEAD JUST BELOW THE HATCH,THIS WAS USED WHEN AT NIGHT YOU CLIMBED DOWN THE LADDER AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE SEEN FROM THE ENEMY..CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG.

earl richmond

Posted By: EARL RICHMOND | Posted on: Aug 30, 2009 - 9:35am
Total Posts: 319 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 1:50pm

According to several early plans, the hatch looks like it originally opened forward. But like Earl remembers, they could be swapped around. My guess is either for better closing access or to act as ventilation scoops when partly opened and cruising...

On the website [url]http://pt-king.gdinc.com/[/url], the 108 fresh from the factory has them opening forward. The same with PT 117 and 132 in the book U.S. PT Boats In WW II. But images from [url]http://pt127.org/[/url] show the hatches on the 127 and 146 opening towards the chart house.

Just another detail to drive modelers crazy. Here's a section from the ELCO deck arrangement plan for PT boats 103-196 and 314-367:

[image]http://www.pt103.com/images/ptpics/BureauOfShipsDeckArrangementPlan496544DeckHatch.jpg[/image]

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Aug 31, 2009 - 3:50am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

All,

I would presume that wind, at speed was an issue witht he hatch opening away from the charthouse. Image the boat traveling at forty knots, coming up that ladder and attempting to open that hatch into the wind. It is one of those things that engineers just do not think about that forces a design change.

Bill

Bill Smallshaw

Posted By: smallwi | Posted on: Aug 31, 2009 - 8:10am
Total Posts: 134 | Joined: Jun 21, 2007 - 3:02pm

There might also be an issue with shipping water that influenced thinking...

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Aug 31, 2009 - 12:28pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

It is a little detail which is difficult to remember with certainty, but I believe that we kept the two forward hatches closed when underway. The ladder down from the cockpit was always available.

Posted By: QM | Posted on: Aug 31, 2009 - 6:54pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Good Morning Gentlemen and Ladies.

The bow hatch opened away from the charthouse. While under way the hatch was secured. With a bow hatch, there were two ways to enter/exit the crews quarters. One through the chart room and of course the bow hatch.

Now I am talking about Ron 22 Higgins boats used in the Med. Ron 22 was returned from the war in Europe to be refitted and deployed to the Pacific.

The retofit bothered the crews as the bow hatch was removed to accomadate a 37 MM canon. That meant only one way in and out of the crews quarters and it meant no ventilation.

The question was, " How many wars can a sailor get through?" Well the A-Bomb preemted the answer, the war ended and . I was one of those sailors in Times Square celebrating .

Upon discharge, I went home to my home town Cambridge, Mass. My first stop was my church where I lit three candles. One to thank God for the past. One to thank God for the present, and one to Thank God for my future.

If tomorrow never comes, I lived it all.

Again, I thank God.

Arthur Frongello, QM 3c PT 320 Ron 22

Posted By: Arthur Frongello | Posted on: Sep 1, 2009 - 7:19am
Total Posts: 33 | Joined: Nov 7, 2006 - 4:49am

That should be PT 302.

Posted By: Arthur Frongello | Posted on: Sep 1, 2009 - 5:52pm
Total Posts: 33 | Joined: Nov 7, 2006 - 4:49am

Hooray for Arthur! Higgins Boats forever! After all they are the most important ones! Arthur you should have been an Admiral! Yowza Yowza Yowza!
Jerry PT658

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Sep 1, 2009 - 7:20pm
Total Posts: 1472 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

From looking at the factory drawings for the various groups, the original design through 563 had both hatches opening forward. From 565 on, the hatch just forward of the charthouse was reverse, although the forward hatch still opened forward.

As Jeff noted, they could easily have been changed around by crew for whatever reasons. Looking at the illustration in the parts manual, the lower portion was simply atteched to the blocking with wood screws and probably bedding compound. As the ladder was on the side of the hatches, access wouldn't have been altered whichever way the hatch opened.

Al Ross

Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Sep 4, 2009 - 3:06pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm