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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: Photo - PT 156 or PT 155 ?
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=3249

Hi Guy's,
I hope I am posting a photo, forgive me Dick, I know you have made it as easy as possible. I'm just bad at this, I double clicked on it and all these numbers/letters/symbols came up. I am hoping that it will show up. Other wise I will have to go back and read the directions. I always do that last, if all else fails.
This photo came to me photo copied on a piece of paper, labeled the 156, I think it was Wayne that thought it might be the 155 and not the 156.
Thanks for anyone else who might have seen this photo and knows which boat it is.
Julie

Posted By: MN Gal | Posted on: Jul 7, 2013 - 12:30pm
Total Posts: 126 | Joined: Jan 4, 2012 - 7:57am

I don't think it's the 155. . .

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Jul 7, 2013 - 7:50pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

What weapon is mounted on the stern of the 156? Could it be my elusive Maxon quad .50 mount?

SteveS156

Posted By: SteveS156 | Posted on: Jul 8, 2013 - 6:37am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Hey Julie,
I found this one photo that may be PT156 and it looks similar to yours. If you look at the aft 50 cal gun tub it looks like they have a 20mm cannon mounted in both the forward and aft gun tubs. See it sticking up? Then compare it to PT155 just below. I would defer to Steve if he knows for sure that PT156 did not ever have a 20mm cannon mounted in the aft gun tub. Also Steve, the other photo of PT156 Julie posted looks like the 40mm is turned facing away from the photographer and we can only see the aft end of it, rather than a maxxon mount. But admittedly it is hard to tell for sure!

Possibly PT156 with 20mm in both gun tubs
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT658/PT156underwaybothturrets20mm-1.jpg[/image]

PT155 for comparison, note the aft gun tub has obvious twin 50 cals sticking up.
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT658/PT155underway1.jpg[/image]

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Jul 8, 2013 - 12:10pm
Total Posts: 1472 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

In that last picture it looks like they have bolted a 50 cal onto the bofors barrel, very weird

Posted By: Iowabrit | Posted on: Jul 8, 2013 - 12:41pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

In that last picture it looks like they have bolted a 50 cal onto the bofors barrel, very weird

Good spotting. Perhaps used for sighting/ranging fire? A lot of Israeli tanks had/have the same thing - a .50 cal. m.g. atop the main gun.

Cheers

"Give me a fast boat for we want to get out of harm's way too."

Posted By: PeterTareBuilder2 | Posted on: Jul 8, 2013 - 2:45pm
Total Posts: 204 | Joined: Dec 8, 2012 - 6:03pm

I dunno, guys. I'm not so sure that is a 20mm in the aft turret. Note on the back of this pic only refers specifically to the forward turret.

[URL=http://s183.photobucket.com/user/willday6/media/PT-156_zpsb6c9c4b6.jpg.html][image]http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x164/willday6/PT-156_zpsb6c9c4b6.jpg[/image][/URL]

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Jul 8, 2013 - 5:03pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

Hmmmmm, another imponderable. It could be, but maybe not. I wish the photos were clear.

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Jul 8, 2013 - 5:27pm
Total Posts: 1472 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Wayne%20Traxel/PT-155-underway-2.jpg[/image]

Received this photo of PT-155 in 2005 from Alex Johnson. Back in 2001 Alex was researching PT-155 and converting a 1/20th scale Dumas PT-109 kit for his 155 project. Alex talked to several 155 crew members and found that a M-4, 37 mm was fitted on the aft Mk-4 mount. The 37's trunions fit the cradle. The gun was eventually fitted to a Mk-10 mount and remained there until replaced by the 40 mm Bofors. This photo shows the the prominent 37 mm ammunition rack in the aft Mk-10 mount. In Julies photo you can make out the top of this ammunition rack and the rear of the guns breech. I have a very bad xerox of Julies photo from Alyce back in the early 90's and a slightly better quality xerox of same photo and both are labeled PT-155. As for the photos being mislabeled? Sure, Could be, it has happened. Jerry, like that PT-156 photo of your's I'm going to say the time period is early to mid 1945. Gone is the earlier bow 37 mm mount, replaced with a Mk-10 mount. The Starboard twin 50 is gone. The boat only carries torpedoes in the forward racks. The radar dome now is darker with a light colored horizontal stripe. Still believe that's a twin 50 in the aft turret. Sadly its hard to to tell what is on the stern of this picture but if it is early 1945 it would be a 40 mm. But I just can't say for sure. Thanks for posting it. That 50 cal on the 155's 40 mm reminds me of a 1993 story from Bob Haskett, former 155 crew member who told me about a 30 cal mounted on the bridge spray shield behind the Mk-12 20 mm mount. He said they would fire the 30 until its bullets hit something substantial, then the turret 20 would take over.

Wayne Traxel

Posted By: Wayne Traxel | Posted on: Jul 8, 2013 - 9:13pm
Total Posts: 248 | Joined: Oct 11, 2006 - 5:40am

Update on this photo that I posted that was written on to be the 156.
I called Alyce and she looked in her books under the 155 because I knew this photo was not in the 156 books. She found this same photo, two of them, in the 155 books and it is labeled the 155 from two different sources.
She admits that things can be marked wrong and or in the wrong book. But since they were two photo's from two different sources she felt strongly that the photo I had was the 155 not the 156. Wayne also feels strongly that it is the 155.
So bummer for me. But thanks to all who gave comments.
Jerry, would it be possible for me to get a higher resolution to the 156 photo that you posted?

Julie

Posted By: MN Gal | Posted on: Jul 12, 2013 - 6:30am
Total Posts: 126 | Joined: Jan 4, 2012 - 7:57am

Sorry Julie that is the best I have.

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Jul 15, 2013 - 12:46am
Total Posts: 1472 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

All;
Could Julie's 156 photo, actually be a 40mm with a cover over it and the barrel removed?
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Jul 15, 2013 - 6:40am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

@Ted: I guess it could be, although I don't ever remember seeing a boat with warload running without a 40mm barrel. Also can't see a depression rail (which I realize wasn't always there).

Also, what the hell is that "balloon" like object sticking up in the air just aft of the port turret?

...stranger and stranger...

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Jul 15, 2013 - 12:29pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

MY grandfather, Lt. John L McKay was on both the 155 and 156, does anyone have any info on him? Made it to the Pacific in early 1944.

Posted By: johnmckay | Posted on: Jul 21, 2013 - 11:06pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered