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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic:
PT 70 mystey
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Here's a bit of a mystery. PT 70 is listed as not being placed in service as a PT. Friedman shows her completed on 6/30/41 and reclassified as YP107 on 9/24/41. Yet, here we have a photo of her flying a RON2 burgee and fitted with ELCO MK18 tubes. Another photo taken at the same time shows that while the forward turrets were armed, the aft turret was still empty.
[IMaGe]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i204/alross2/pt70.jpg[/IMaGe]
Al Ross
Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Nov 14, 2010 - 1:33pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm
Very good question! . I have seen her listed as MTP Ron 2(ii). Not sure what the ii means; and “Higgins Dream Boat“. Is it possible she could have been a modified configuration / prototype? Bottom line; I don’t have a clue. Hope someone has the answer.
Posted By: Mark Culp | Posted on: Nov 14, 2010 - 5:37pm
Total Posts: 135 | Joined: Oct 15, 2006 - 2:56pm
Per navsource.org PT 69 and 70 were both prototypes, both had 4 V-12 M-2500 Packard engines and ran on 2 propellers. Both reclassified as district patrol craft Sept. 24, 1941. Armament listed as 2 twin Browning M2 50 mm machine guns and 4 18 in. torpedos.
Gary
Posted By: Gary Paulsen | Posted on: Nov 15, 2010 - 4:29am
Total Posts: 249 | Joined: Feb 14, 2009 - 6:31am
PT 69 was a Huckins boat.
Al Ross
Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Nov 15, 2010 - 4:53am
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm
Double checked and you're right Al. Will change the posting. Thanks,
Gary
Posted By: Gary Paulsen | Posted on: Nov 15, 2010 - 6:28am
Total Posts: 249 | Joined: Feb 14, 2009 - 6:31am
Hi Al,
Just in case you have not made the connection yet, on the Louisiana Digital Library Higgins Drawings listing, all of the Blueprints for PT70 can be seen if you you do a keyword search using "76' MTB" Or shorten the search to just - 76' -. One of the drawings, called "Inboard Profile and Arrangement", clearly shows 3 engines, for powering 3 screws. I am pretty sure the PT70 was a 76 foot boat correct? The time line on the drawings seem to match as well. Jerry
Jerry Gilmartin
Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Nov 15, 2010 - 12:32pm
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm
Hi Jerry,
Thanks. I have the PT 70 drawings from LDL. The engine comments are Gary Paulson's. NAVSOURCE screwed up big time on those two entries. No idea where they got their info, but I'll send them an email and suggest some changes....
The 70' boats for the RNN (OJR 1 to 6, H7 & H8) did have four engines driving two shafts, but they were Kermath Sea Raiders.
[IMaGe]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i204/alross2/ojr4m.jpg[/IMaGe]
[IMaGe]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i204/alross2/6344-4x.jpg[/IMaGe]
Apparently, they were quite unreliable and were replaced by two 4M2500s (one per shaft) on the two surviving boats (H7, H8).
Al Ross
Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Nov 15, 2010 - 2:17pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm