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» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic:
Knights of the Sea
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Knights of the Sea . . . . Available again
Please note in the latest [b]“All Hands”[/b] issue, the ship’s store is now selling a CD version of the limited-edition publication that was produced by headquarters back in the early 80’s and has been referenced many times on this message board. It is a CD that contains the book as a Acrobat Reader file "PDF" viewable and searchable on your computer - not TV.
Also available at the Ship’s Store are the two DVD’s containing the Elco and Higgins Blueprints.
Dick . . .
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/KNOFSEA.jpg[/image]
Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Oct 15, 2010 - 11:41am
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm
A GREAT addition to the bookstore!
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Oct 15, 2010 - 6:49pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
I have always wanted a copy this book! how much?
TED
Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Oct 15, 2010 - 7:08pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am
Hi Ted . . .
Contact Alyce at Headquarters for price/ordering
DIck . . .
Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Oct 15, 2010 - 9:29pm
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm
Pretty cool...
My wrists get sore if I hold and flip through "Knights of the Sea." That sucker is heavy!
Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Oct 16, 2010 - 2:54am
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am
Dick, is this your project you have been doing for some time, I think?
If it is, the group might not know that you bouogh a book from a used store and paid pretty much fo the book then you must cutup the book so you could get it to fit the scaner machine. If this the one, you spent a lot of time making it. I’m going to order one soon. If this what i think it was, thanks to you Dick, we can now get one.
Posted By: Black Ops | Posted on: Oct 16, 2010 - 8:45am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Yes Bob, it is
Many, many years ago I was fortunate to find and purchase a used copy of this book online at a used bookstore. Because of its rareness and cost, it has been on my mind for those same many years to recreate it so it could be converted and duplicated as a digital file. Because of its physical size (9.5” x 12.5” x 1.3”), number of pages (over 500 pages) and many color plates it would be prohibitively expense to reprint and distribute today. The only cost effective alternative to make this book available again, was to publish it on a CD as a “PDF”, Adobe Acrobat Reader file, viewable on a computer.
When I first contemplated this project I had it priced by a specialty company that had specialized equipment that could scan hard casement bound books like this one, but this one also complicated the scanning process because the photographs were printed as “bleeds”, where the images prints to the page edge. Also the text had very, very tight margins and gutters, which also printed close to the page edges. These all complicated the scanning process and after receiving a price of many thousands of dollars for scanning only, I decided to pass on vending it out. Instead I decided I would cut up my book and trim down each and every page as close to the edge as I could, making it possible to fit my oversize page scanner. I then proceeded to scan the 500-plus pages at a super high resolution. After words, I manipulate each page scan as required (removing shadows, spots, enhancing the images, and straightening the page) and re-assembled the files into a digital book file. I then OCR’ed it to make it searchable in Adobe Acrobat Reader. The .PDF File can be searched in Acrobat Reader by searching for “Word” or “Phrase”, it will then find each occurrence of the same and open to that page.
As time passes and the vets sadly leave us the organization gets smaller. To keep generating funds to keep the two boats and the library a viable organization, I thought this might make a nice revenue source for supporting those items. After receiving a couple of emails today “using the message board for my personal gain” - Let me assure any skeptics, I not making or earning any money on this project, all the work and expenditures including the end result “The Knights of the Sea” PDF CD” was given to headquarters at no cost, with no strings; they will sell in the Ship’s Store. This also holds true for the ECLO drawings DVD and the Higgins Drawing DVD, and the ELCO Cut-away Poster now being sold at Headquarters’ Ship’s Store.
PS: As Drew mentioned the original book was big and heavy, as stated above the book was 9.5” x 12.5”, 500-plus pages, and weighted about 7.5 pounds.
Dick . . .
Some photos below:
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/KofTS-02.jpg[/image]
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/KofTS-03.jpg[/image]
Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Oct 16, 2010 - 10:06pm
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm
Let me say that PT BOATS INC., and it's members should be very grateful to Dick for his constant and never ending work. Each organization has it's hard working members that go above and beyond to see to it that progress is made and task's get done. I would say that Dick certainly fits that bill. I find him to be very receptive and generous in helping others. Over the years, he has never once turned me down in any request that I have put before him. He is a true friend, not only to myself, but to many on this board. The work he performs for practically no pay is unheard of, not to mention the countless hours he devotes to some of the projects he performs. All I can say is "Thanks Dick, you are a true blessing to this organization........................
Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Oct 17, 2010 - 2:19am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am
Outstanding Dick, what a ton of work that must have been. And I'm sure you regretted cutting up your rare copy so others would have a chance to read it.
It's upsetting to hear you were accused of "using this board for profit". Again. But then I thought that maybe they didn't know you donated 100% of your effort and expense to HQ. So if you don't get an apology from them, I'd bet money they have other axes to grind and are nobody you'd want to know personally. Then block their e-mail address's, you don't need pointless crap from petty people showing up in your inbox.
Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Oct 17, 2010 - 4:04am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am
AMEN to all of the above. Anyone who loves the boats and is at all knowledgeable about this organization knows how outstanding Dick's contributions have been and continue to be...
Thanks again Dick, from all of the True Beleivers...
Will
Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Oct 17, 2010 - 10:57am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm
A salute to Dick and yet another extraordinary accomplishment!!
Posted By: TheBridge | Posted on: Oct 17, 2010 - 5:28pm
Total Posts: 318 | Joined: Nov 22, 2009 - 3:04pm
DICK SEEMS LIKE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO US ARE NEVER ENDING AND MOST ASSURADLY WELCOME.YOU ARE THE CATYLYST TO KEEPING US ONGOING.MY PERSONAL THANKS TO YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR US. EARL
earl richmond
Posted By: EARL RICHMOND | Posted on: Oct 18, 2010 - 6:12am
Total Posts: 319 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 1:50pm
I don't think I can say anything more than what was already said, but I wanted to add to the pile another round of thanks and gratitude. I'll bet the critics wouldn't have the guts to post here - because it's hard to fight the truth: Dick and his talent has only helped PT Boats and its mission!
Dick - I'll be ordering one so I don't add any more fingerprints to my copy. Plus, the text search function makes it a must-buy for reference work!
Grandson of James J Stanton
RON 15 PT 209 and RON 23 PT 243
Check out: www.pistolpackinmama.net
Posted By: newsnerd99 | Posted on: Oct 18, 2010 - 9:38am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Dick,
Let me add my name to the list of people that prais you for the great
works you did on the subject of PT boat. You are the greatest.
Victor Chun
Victor K Chun
Posted By: victorkchun | Posted on: Oct 18, 2010 - 10:35am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered
Thanks for the hard work. When will it be listed on the Ship Store link so I can purchase one?
Posted By: Mark Culp | Posted on: Oct 19, 2010 - 12:40pm
Total Posts: 135 | Joined: Oct 15, 2006 - 2:56pm
Thanks all for the kind words – it might be hard to live up to some of them. Well, maybe most of them.
I’ve just finished updating the Ship’s Store on this website and the talked about items can be found there and/or by calling Headquarters directly:
[b]PT Boats. Inc. P.O. Box 38070, Germantown, TN, 38183
Tel: (901) 755-8440 , Fax: (901) 751-0522[/b]
As to the “Knights of the Sea” book on CD the Ship’s Store link is:
[url]http://www.ptboats.org/08-0-05store-01-books.html[/url]
If there is still any interest in the Microfilm on DVD’s the Ship’s Store link is:
[url]http://www.ptboats.org/08-0-05store-02-VIDEOS.html[/url]
All the best, and thanks again,
Dick . . . . .
Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Oct 21, 2010 - 5:44pm
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm
Dick:
I cannot let this pass without offering my appreciation for all that you do for the MTB community at large and, of course, your most recent contribution, as well. Frank said it better than I can so I'll simply ditto his comments. I'll be buying a few copies of the CD for myself, a few friends, and my five adult children. Their grandfather is among the heroes (all-inclusive) referenced there.
Very best regards to you, Sir.
Allan (2nd Gen PT-113, Ron 5, 2, Div 17, Ron 8)
Posted By: Allan | Posted on: Oct 21, 2010 - 8:47pm
Total Posts: 161 | Joined: Sep 18, 2007 - 7:07pm
Does anyone on the board live close to Cleveland Oh that has a scanner for their computer. I have found some of my dads pictures from Milne Bay Base 4 & 6 and would like to share them. First, let me say that none of the pictures seem to me to be "extra special" or something that prob has not been seen before, but I would still like to share them. Please email me if you would be willing to help but these on the message board. Thanks. Scott
Posted By: Scott Swiger | Posted on: Oct 30, 2010 - 7:49am
Total Posts: 26 | Joined: Jan 10, 2010 - 1:18pm