The PT Boat Forum
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi

ť Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi?cid=101&fct=showf

ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi?fct=gotoforum&cid=101&fid=102

ť Topic: (almost) OT: color footage of 1944 Schnellboote
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=1636

PT boats operating in the Med and English channel might very well have encountered Schnellboote like the ones shown in this amazing 1944 color footage

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yosme-SzeGY&feature=youtube_gdata[/url]

which I had to share with kindred spirits here.

I saw it in the "Torpedo Boat Alert" box at Nimble Books (bottom right)

[url]http://www.nimblebooks.com/aom/shop.php?c=TB&x=Torpedo_Boats[/url]

which provides an "as-it-happens" link to every mention of "torpedo boats" detected by Google. Not to toot my horn too much, but this is a useful resource.

Posted By: wfzimmerman | Posted on: Feb 2, 2010 - 12:33pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Cool video. It lead me to this one and at about 2;50 there is a German boat that looks like it has a lot of features of the early Elcos.
The MG turret is obviously different but the rest is kind of close to my untrained eye. Take a peak. What are we looking at?

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CDMyd_JTVY[/url]

Posted By: ducati650 | Posted on: Feb 3, 2010 - 4:27am
Total Posts: 450 | Joined: Feb 19, 2007 - 10:01am

The video shows the Royal Navy MTB 314. I remember not long ago reading a little about it in the Al Ross/John Lambert book "Allied Coastal Forces" Volume II (I might ad an excellent, excellent book). It was apparently old PT-56 or 54 or 55. before it was configured for a series of 77' boats sold to the RN. MTB-314 was captured and operated by the Germans after a failed North African operation. Really cool to see it in the video. That single center turret was a Vickers gun turret.

Al Ross might be able to elaborate on the item.

Dick . . .

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Feb 3, 2010 - 11:47am
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

Dick hit it on the head. Ex-PT56, ex-BPT8. Assigned to the 15th MTB Flotrilla, she was captured by the Germans at Tobruk, renumbered RA10, and assiged to the 6th Raumboot Flotilla. Eventually, she was sunk by the RAF.

The drawings for this configuration are in ACF V2 and on Dick's DVD.

Al Ross

Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Feb 3, 2010 - 2:29pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm

Seemed real strange seeing an Elco boat in German hands. Now, until this was mentioned here, I was not aware that any of our PT BOATS were ever captured. I do not recall reading this anywhere. What is the story behind the capture of this boat..............

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 4, 2010 - 4:18am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Frank;
Here is the story of MTB 314.
The British launched a Commando raid on the harbor at Tobruk on Sept 14, 1942, at the time the RN 10th and 15th MTB Flotilla was based in Alexandria, 14/9/42 Operation Agreement
Commando raid on Tobruk. Force C - MTB 260, MTB 261, MTB 262, MTB 265, MTB 266, MTB 267, MTB 268, MTB 307, MTB 308, MTB 310, MTB 311, MTB 312, MTB 313, MTB 314 and MTB 315 each with 10 troops embarked. ML 349, ML 352 and ML 353 carry demolition teams.
Turning into the objective, Cdr Blackburn orders the force to increase speed to 24kts and the force becomes split. An LRDG(Long Range Desert Group) unit ordered to use signals to guide the force in is delayed. As a result only MTB 261 and MTB 314 are able to enter Mersa es Sciausc cove and disembark troops
MTB 314 grounds on rocks and can not be taken off. MTB 261 rescues the crew of MTB 314. Demolition charges are set but fail to explode and MTB 314 is salvaged by German forces and taken up as RA 10 (6th Raumboot Flotilla.
Returning to Alexandria, MTB 308 is damaged by fighters and then attacked by a Ju 88 bomber which is damaged by anti aircraft fire and crashes into MTB 308 sinking her. There are no survivors
MTB 310 is dive bombed and hit in the bow. The crew abandon ship in an assault boat and head for the coast. When German forces recover them near the coast a week later only three, including the First Lieutenant, are still alive and suffering from thirst, sunburn and dehydration
MTB 312 is strafed by Italian Macchi fighters and set on fire. Survivors are picked up by MTB 266. By coincidence TLt I A Quarrie was rescued two years previously by TLt Richard Routledge Smith when sunk in MTB 106. MTB 266 is near missed by dive bombers and damaged by splinters but returns to Alexandria. It is interesting to note here, that all the MTB's used in the raid were ELCO's (70' Elcos belonged to the 10th MTB Flotilla, and the 77' Elcos belonged to the 15th MTB flotilla). As Al stated as RA 10 assigned to the 6th Raumboot Flotilla . She was sunk by RAF planes off La Goulette on April 30, 1943.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Feb 4, 2010 - 5:35am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

TED

Thanks for the heads up on this interesting but little known story. Knowing that the 70 Foot Elco's were transfered to the British, it is interesting to know that they took part in this Raid.. I wonder why when the charge failed they did not blast the boat with guns. I guess they needed to get out of there in a hurry..........

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 4, 2010 - 6:14am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Here is a link to a Swedish version of the MTB. It would be interesting to know the story behind the design of these boats. Looks a lot like an American PT.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHC9ssv0-W0&feature=related[/url]

Don Millman
Oriental, NC

Posted By: Don Millman | Posted on: Feb 4, 2010 - 6:15am
Total Posts: 35 | Joined: Jan 28, 2009 - 8:29am

Don: P56 was built in 1957. It reminds me a little bit of the NASTY class PTFs used by the USN in Vietnam, although they were from Norway and the 56 boat is Swedish.

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Feb 4, 2010 - 7:44am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

Don, Thanks for sharing this Video. Awesome boats. They do look a lot like the NASTY CLASS, and listening to the audio, it sure sounds like the were powered by PACKARDS. I WANT ONE....................

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 4, 2010 - 8:36am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

WOW...what an amazing sound. Have never heard anything quite like it. There is a 50' Hacker design Stephens built mahogany boat at Tahoe that Bill Harrah had rebuilt in the late 70's. Had Jack Cochran re engine it with 2 Allison Aircraft engines from a P-38. Used PT trannys. The droning throbing sound comming from those engines makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Thanks for posting those vids.

steve

Posted By: sparky51 | Posted on: Feb 4, 2010 - 11:43am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

I would post pix of the Thunderbird but dont know to upload them.

steve

Posted By: sparky51 | Posted on: Feb 4, 2010 - 11:57am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Here's an inboard profile of T-56

[IMaGe]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i204/alross2/t56.jpg[/IMaGe]

Power was three 1500 shp Isotta Frascini 184 engines and the hull was 1.5 to 2.5mm steel.

This and other material I have on the Swedish boats came from CDR Curt Borganstam, who designed the post-WWII boats. We corresponded quite a bit several decades ago.

Al Ross

Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Feb 4, 2010 - 1:53pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm

What is the length of the 56 Al? Googled 'Sweedish motortorpedo boat 26' and clicked on each boat. Great pix of a few buzz jobs and some eng room stuff while running. Awsome sound. I'd post them but dont know how.

steve

Posted By: sparky51 | Posted on: Feb 4, 2010 - 2:00pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

What is the length of the 56 Al?

23m x 5.7m

Al

Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Feb 4, 2010 - 2:04pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm

Thanks for the background on the captured boat. I thought it looked familiar!

Posted By: ducati650 | Posted on: Feb 5, 2010 - 3:38am
Total Posts: 450 | Joined: Feb 19, 2007 - 10:01am

Al
Was their design taken from the PT BOATS of WWII. Did any of the American PT BOATS end up in Swedish hands after the war, thus were somewhat copied.........

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Feb 5, 2010 - 4:35am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am