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ť Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: Color footage of Ron 9 boats at Rendova - ?
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=1761

Back in February here on the board, Alex Johnson and Ted Walther mentioned some color film footage of some Ron 9 PTs shot at Lumbari (Rendova) taken in June '43. Alex was going to try to post some stills from that footage on the board, and Ted mentioned the footage was on a video tape that PT Boats, Inc. sold.

Guys, do you know the name or title of that tape PT Boats, Inc. sells, and if its been converted to DVD yet (or ever)? Obviously, I'd much rather have it on DVD, which has a much better repeated-play & shelf life.

Since color photos/film footage of the boats during the Solomons campaign is as rare as hen's teeth, I'd sure love to see that stuff...

Thanks,

Drew

Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Apr 14, 2010 - 8:03am
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am

PT BOATS AND BASES, WW II
TAPE NO. ONE - FILM TRANSFER
110 MINUTES 9/26/89

THIS IS ON THE LABEL THAT IS ON THE TAPE.
TAKE CARE,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Apr 14, 2010 - 2:28pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Thanks, Ted!

Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Apr 14, 2010 - 2:40pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am

Where does one get a copy of that film?

Thanks

Posted By: colleen | Posted on: Apr 14, 2010 - 5:54pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

PTHQ IN GERMANTOWN, TN
TAKE CARE,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Apr 15, 2010 - 4:44am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

I am not sure if Headquarters has those tapes on a CD yet, but if not, I do sell 6 CD's on my MOSQUITO FLEET EXHIBIT WEB SITE .http://mosquito-fleet.gdinc.com/
Just go onto my site and click on support us. Of course if PT BOATS INC has what you are looking for, then by all means purchase from them..............

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Apr 15, 2010 - 6:37am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

There use to be two video tapes (NO DVD) - they consisted of many cuts of PT boat related video (I believe originating from the national archives). It was just raw footage, no sound, and quality varied widely, very widely. The video tapes were transfers from actual war era film footage, and transferred to VHS back in the late 1980's. Included with each tape, (1-1/2 to 2-hour VHS-video format) was a piece of paper with a very, very brief description or better yet just a statement about a few video cuts of raw footage included on the tape.

The inventory of tapes have run-out, hence it was removed from the Ship's Store a couple of years ago and no longer available. Some more adventurous members have converted them to DVD's. I see, Frank Andruss (posted above) was one.

Some time back (maybe 6 or 7 years ago), I transferred my purchased copies (1994) to DVD as a project I was (self) creating for PT Boats Inc. (Headquarters). I added a sound track from Public Domain radio programs and news flashes to liven up the tape, which I though was very boring without sound. The sound track includes the typical 1940's big band radio broadcasts, with war time news flashes insert as if program interruptions, then back to the music. Some of the sound is from the U.S Army produce "Command Performances" that Celebes like Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, so on, and so on would volunteer and host, with movie and recording stars would guest on. Actually nice programs. These audio clips were download from the great "Public Domain" source, archive.org. Then I edited the sound clips, inserted the news flashes, then added completed sound tracks to the two video DVD's - I should probably finish up the project ! ! ! ! but as usual, making a living keeps getting in the way of the PT fun.

In a few days I will see if I can find and isolate the Ron 9 video portion and see If I can reduce it to fit YouTUbe's requirements and post it their along with "Giant Killers", "Devil Boats" and "PT's on the Hudson". Don't hold me to a couple of days though, I'll get to it just as soon as time allows. When uploaded, I'll post the link.

Dick . . .

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Apr 15, 2010 - 10:41am
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

Dick;
That sounds VERY cool! 1940's big bands and radio broadcasts, that is exactly what the tapes needed, some sort of sound, along with the music, maybe someday a little Packard audio from Jerry and PT 658 and generic weapons sounds, could be added too. I am glad to hear you made the attempt.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Apr 15, 2010 - 3:00pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Yeah, Ted . . .

It is kind of cool, of course I'm no master at this, but say on DVD #1 (Tape #1) The video starts and the music fades in with announcer saying "Its Gene Krupa live from the Copacaban" (or something to that effect) then during the broadcast an announcer cuts in " We interrupt this broadcast for a news bulletin
from Hong Kong, Come in Hong Kong - Hello, hello - The Japanese have just . . . . ." as the new cast ends it fades out with the announcer saying " We return you to our studios for normal broadcast in progress" he fades out ands the music fades back in. This continues on both DVD's in a basic timeline with the dates of various live broadcast and dates of war news flash in order. News comes in about every seven to ten minutes.

Of course I could be day dreaming right know, I haven't seen the DVD for several years now - and I'm not getting any younger. Just maybe I'll find sometime to finish it up. Because it really liven's up the viewing of many hours of mundane video tape. Don't take me wrong the raw films are very interesting. It just if anyone saw you sitting in front of your large screen TV watching it with NO sound, they would surely thing you're a perfect candidate for a straight jacket or a hot date.

Dick . . .

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Apr 15, 2010 - 4:56pm
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

Dick;
I have been accused of both the straight jacket and a hot date! Hell my wife was a blind date in Panama! 5 kids and 2 grandkids later and 19 years later, we are still together!
If you do update it don't forget to add "Black Magic", I have read JFK played that record for hours at Tulagi. The Glenn Miller recording was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 1523. It charted in 1943, spending 14 weeks on the Billboard magazine charts, peaking at position #1.
take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Apr 15, 2010 - 6:21pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

JFK was also supposedly fond of "Blue Skies," reportedly playing a record of it over and over while at Searlesville...

Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Apr 15, 2010 - 7:51pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am

Drew;
Probably because "someone" deep sixed the Black Magic record.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Apr 16, 2010 - 7:21am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Hah, funny Ted. That sort of replaying sure gets old quick... it reminds me of long ago when staying at a buddy's father's house on a road trip. After about a week his stepmother kept playing "On The Road Again". It was probably all the beer drinking his father happily joined us in.

That sounds great Mixmaster Dick! Archive.org is another option and it looks like they would allow you to upload higher quality. From their FAQ:

[blue]We prefer that you submit the highest quality format that you have available, and then we will attempt to create smaller file sizes and formats automatically with our deriver program. MPEG2 files are the easiest file type for us to deal with. We recommend that you do not attempt to do any special encoding of your files - the more settings you mess around with, the less likely our deriver code will be able to process the file.[/blue]

I look forward to seeing your project.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Apr 17, 2010 - 11:56pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am