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: PT 307 WHAT IS THIS?????
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=2200

I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS ITEM BEFORE!
IS THIS A FRESH AIR VENT USED TO COOL THE CABIN WHEN RADIOS AND RADAR UNIT WAS IN USE?? WAS IT FIELD DEVELOPED??
I HAVE NOT SEEN THIS ON OTHER RON 22 BOATS.

PT 307 NOV1944

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Ted%20Walther/PT307.jpg[/image]

take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: May 20, 2011 - 11:20am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

It looks like a high efficiency 1-50 mod of the 2-60 air conditioning system common on automobiles back then.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: May 20, 2011 - 2:12pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Jeff
Not really, I thought the AC unit on autos was a tubular afare that hung on the window, about 4-5 inches in diameter and 21/2-3 feet long. Was there another model?
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: May 20, 2011 - 4:44pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

I may be wrong, but wasn't that just the evaporator unit for the 2-60 Ted?

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: May 20, 2011 - 5:32pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Ted, this was on the 305 also. I cant find any drawings for this. It was certainly feild installed as it is not in earlier photos. Also the little grill just forward of the scoop was added as well as the mushroom ventilator on top of the cabin

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT%20305/ventoncabin.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT%20305/50portlookingaftbmp.jpg[/image]

I dont have any pics from this time of the starboard side. If you look at the pic of the 307, it looks like the starboard window is solid. Was this vent just installed on the port side?

Bob

Posted By: Bob | Posted on: May 21, 2011 - 5:54am
Total Posts: 181 | Joined: Jun 8, 2010 - 6:21pm

Bob,

Thanks for the pictures, check out the SO radar dish, no fiberglass dome! I do not think I have ever seen a photo of the dish before.

Bill

Bill Smallshaw

Posted By: smallwi | Posted on: May 21, 2011 - 9:34am
Total Posts: 134 | Joined: Jun 21, 2007 - 3:02pm

Sorry Ted, I missed the black arrow pointing at the vent. I thought you were kidding and was referring to the missing chart house front as a fresh air vent... Doh.

Was the damage caused by rough seas?

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: May 21, 2011 - 11:37am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT 'OLDER THAN DIRT', THE AUTOMOTIVE COOLING TECHNIQUE. CODE: 1-50 AND 2-60, REFERS TO HOW MANY WINDOWS ARE DOWN AND AT WHAT SPEED. THE CANISTER TYPE COOLERS, USUALLY MOUNTED ABOVE THE DRIVERSIDE WINDOW WAS AN EVAPORATIVE DEVICE. POPULAR IN DESERT CLIMATES, THEY WOULD TEND TO GIVE YOU 'BRAIN FREEZE'.
NOW BACK TO THE BOAT STUFF! IT JUST LOOKS LIKE A RAM AIR/ VENTILATOR AIMED AT THE BACKSIDE OF HOT, VACUUME TUBE DRIVEN ELECTRONICS IN THE CHART ROOM. BEST GUESS.

Steve Tuhy

Posted By: Steve Tuhy | Posted on: May 22, 2011 - 6:39am
Total Posts: 114 | Joined: Oct 17, 2006 - 5:41am

Found these pics with the same vent. The 306 and the 308

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT%20305/PT306tiedupalongsideasupportship.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT%20305/PT308844STTropezFrance.jpg[/image]

Bob

Posted By: Bob | Posted on: May 22, 2011 - 11:17am
Total Posts: 181 | Joined: Jun 8, 2010 - 6:21pm

And here it is on the 309

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT%20305/PT309RON22ANDBOATS.jpg[/image]

Bob

Posted By: Bob | Posted on: May 22, 2011 - 11:22am
Total Posts: 181 | Joined: Jun 8, 2010 - 6:21pm

And the 313. It must have been on all Ron 22 boats at some point. The radar unit sat on that side and the chart table on the other.

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT%20305/PT313.jpg[/image]

Bob

Posted By: Bob | Posted on: May 22, 2011 - 11:29am
Total Posts: 181 | Joined: Jun 8, 2010 - 6:21pm

Hi Bob,
I found these drawings and pics that may help explain. The SOA Radar was roght there, so maybe RON22 fashioned these air scoops to cool it off. I looked in LDL and there is not really anything else that offers any clue as to what it was. Jerry PT658 Portland OR

PT461 charthouse shows radar:

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/pt461charthouse.jpg[/image]

LDL drawing shows location of other electrical equip in that area of charthouse

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/SOALocationblueprint.jpg[/image]

Dick Washichek's drawing showing different locations on different series of Higgins boats for the radar etc.

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/DicksPT450classcharthouselayout.jpg[/image]

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: May 22, 2011 - 8:38pm
Total Posts: 1472 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

Bob and Jerry;
I too noticed it on 308, I am now sure this is a RON 22 "invention".
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: May 23, 2011 - 4:59am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

A little off subject but interesting.

Bob,

Thanks for the pictures, check out the SO radar dish, no fiberglass dome! I do not think I have ever seen a photo of the dish before.

Bill

Bill Smallshaw

To add to Bill's comment about the photo showing the shape of the SO Radar without its dome. A While back the group had been discussing the early SO Radar and Jim Stanton had taken this photo at HQ's Museum in Battleship Cove (I believe he was leaning over from one of the boats and snapped this photo of several boat components laying on the ground behind the boat). This photo shows what I had always thought the radar antenna/dish looked like. Here is the photo from an earlier post and it's message link:

[image]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e362/newsnerd99/0608154.jpg[/image]

[url]http://www.ptboats.org/cgi-local/sitenetbbs/netboardr.cgi?fid=102&cid=101&tid=855&sc=20&pg=1&x=0[/url]

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: May 23, 2011 - 9:23am
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

Hi Dick!
Thanks for reposting that radar dish picture. I wonder if they are merely different radar models. eg. :SO, SOA or SO-3. Perhaps (and I am guessing) the one on the PT305 is an SO dish, the one in the above photo is an SOA dish and then the SO-3 has the late war football shaped motor that is not in a dome. Maybe somebody who is more knowledgeable (Like TED!) or who worked at Raytheon Corp could answer this apparent difference between dishes.
Jerry PT658 Portland OR

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: May 23, 2011 - 1:30pm
Total Posts: 1472 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

Here is a picture from a sailor on the 305. It was labeled "being taken off the tanker". So I would assume it is just getting to the Med. It doesnt have the portholes yet, so it definately wasnt being loaded onto the tanker. It has the vent already installed. The earlier photos in New Orleans, with the cammo paint scheme do not have the vent. So it must have been done in New Orleans or Miami.
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT%20305/takenoffthetanker.jpg[/image]

Bob

Posted By: Bob | Posted on: May 23, 2011 - 2:32pm
Total Posts: 181 | Joined: Jun 8, 2010 - 6:21pm

You're right Jerry, I completely forgot about the SOA

Dick . . .

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: May 23, 2011 - 6:26pm
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

The CATALOG OF ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT [url]http://www.hnsa.org/doc/ecat/cat-1015.htm[/url] indicates the reflector for SO, SOa, and SO13 is the same - 24 inch full parabola.

Al Ross

Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: May 23, 2011 - 7:02pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm

Jerry;
There you go, Al had the answer. Thanks for the complement, but I really don't feel "more" knowledgable. That is why I love this board, If I don't have an answer one of my brothers here will.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: May 24, 2011 - 7:17am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Hi Ted,
Yeah I get tired of telling Al how awesome he is...Al you never cease to amaze me where do you find this stuff? ..Jerry

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: May 24, 2011 - 10:43am
Total Posts: 1472 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm