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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: Zebra colors
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=3498

An interesting question, which I do not have the answer. We know that the boats that were painted in those god awful stripes were pretty much white and black, and some even had some green thrown in for good measure. My question is, we always see the sides of the boat and her structures painted, but what about the deck? Trust me, I am not getting ready to do one of these projects, but just curious.......................

Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Feb 19, 2014 - 2:31pm
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am

There's a photo of PT-169 where you can see that the decks are what looks to be gray. no stripes.

Andy

Posted By: Andy Small | Posted on: Feb 19, 2014 - 4:33pm
Total Posts: 262 | Joined: Nov 20, 2013 - 9:04pm

I'll have to check that out, maybe Victor has something in his book. Thanks Andy...........

Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Feb 20, 2014 - 4:18pm
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am

Frank,
Please see page 38 and 39 0f my vol. 1 book.
Victor

Victor K Chun

Posted By: victorkchun | Posted on: Feb 28, 2014 - 7:25am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Frank;
I have alot of the RON 10 boats in and around Bayonne on my photobucket(pg 10). But as you know most don't show the deck. I sure would like to know if any color photos were ever taken, they sure took alot of Black and Whites. I remember when I went to PTHQ there were alot of photos in the files. If I remember correctly PT 170 had the most, followed by 169, 168, and 174 respectfully. I dont remember seeing one for 164, because I think I would have copied it, and for some reason I don't have one for PT 172 either. If anyone has photos of PT 164(not the blown up photo at Rendova) or PT 172 in zebra camo around Bayonne, Dec 1942-Jan 1943, please post them.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Feb 28, 2014 - 8:06am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Ted, I hear you, I do not have any photos in my files showing an over-head shot of the deck, and certainly no color photos of same. There must have been some model builders that built a Zebra boat on this site, what did they paint their decking................

Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Feb 28, 2014 - 3:19pm
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am

Frank;
I just know of Frank R and his PT 174.
Take care
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Mar 1, 2014 - 11:18am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

I do not think he visits here anymore...............

Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Mar 1, 2014 - 5:17pm
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am

Of the three or four models I have pictures of, none carry the zebra pattern onto the deck (of course they are only models).

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Mar 1, 2014 - 9:35pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

If you use a magnifying glass on first-generation photos taken at the plant of the first group of boats with the Adaptor pattern, you see that the decks are a solid color. Given the time perioid, this was probably Weatherdeck Blue (20-B).

An overhead view of the RON 10 boats on ATASCOSA (AO-66) shows solid decks on these boats, as well.

Al Ross

Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Mar 2, 2014 - 7:07am
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm

I know you guys don't like them but I think it would make an interesting model .what colors were the stripes.I still haven't decided what boat to do my higgens,
which boats were zebra stripe?

Posted By: Browndog | Posted on: Mar 2, 2014 - 11:13am
Total Posts: 46 | Joined: Nov 17, 2009 - 5:37pm

There was nothing on Adaptor in the Bureau of Ships PT camouflage folders at NARA II when I scanned them about 18 months ago, but there have been a few memos in the destroyer files on the system. A color design sheet for the pattern on a DD-692 Sumner class was included, and no deck pattern was shown.

This scheme was also painted on the French cruiser Gloire in 1944, so one thing that perhaps could be done as a side-quest to confirm an answer, would be to ask or find out if she had a deck pattern at this time.

I would agree with Al that 20-B Deck Blue is the most likely.

Tracy White
Researcher@Large

Posted By: Tracy White | Posted on: Mar 2, 2014 - 6:49pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Hey Browndog,
I posted photos of the following Higgins (not Higgens) 78 foot PT Boats onto the NAVSOURCE website showing them with zebra camo patterns. PT206, PT207, PT208 (all of RON15) and then PT306 of RON22. All of these boats were in the Med at the time, I think specifically at Bizerte, and then later in Italy/Sardinia. In fact the PT207 actually went by the name of "Zebra" for some time. Here is a link to NAVSOURCE [url]http://www.navsource.org [/url] Go to Patrol Vessels , then PT Boats, then find your boat number to see the photos.

Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
Portland OR

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Mar 2, 2014 - 8:14pm
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

Thanks Jerry
It looks like the decks were solid, also interesting the deckhouses and gun tubs were all different patterns

Posted By: Browndog | Posted on: Mar 3, 2014 - 12:07pm
Total Posts: 46 | Joined: Nov 17, 2009 - 5:37pm

I've posted the Zebra (Adaptor Scheme) video on my YouTube page and have linked it here below as well as two screen captures below the video:

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/Zebra-001.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/Zebra-002.jpg[/image]

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Mar 5, 2014 - 9:42am
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

Nice Dick, where did you ever find that film??
The boat is PT 139(notice the 77' Elco smoke screen set up), the one used for the scheme prototype. Frank Johnson's book has two photos of this boat on Pg 80(lower) and pg 81 (upper).
Thanks for sharing.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Mar 5, 2014 - 2:42pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Ted . . .

I believe its an outtake from the 1985 four hour VHS tape HQ sold way back in the 80's and 90's - long sold out.

If memory serves me, Victor Chun borrowed all the PT boat related film reels Boats Newberry had gotten from the national archives early on. Once received, Vic projected them and recorded them onto his VCR in VHS format. Boat's then had Vic's tapes duped off and sold them in the HQ's Ship Store until the supply had been exhausted.

Then around ten years ago, I took my old copies (25 years old then and quality fading fast) of the VHS tapes I purchased in 1990 and converted them to digital. I was going to have them converted for me, but at the time (ten years ago) the price was outrageous. I was able to jury-rig a cable form my VHS tape player and my Mac and capture the video to my computer. SInce then I have posted bits and pieces to the message board over the last eight years. Mainly the RON 9, Hudson River, and the Zebra footage once before this last post.

I plan, as and when time allows, to post the rest of the video captures, around 8-hours of miscellaneous footage, and varying quality, and I mean VARYING quality. The quality swings wildly mainly due to the technology available back 30 years ago when Vic first started the project, the ever aging (magnetic recording loss) VHS process, the quality of the original archived film reels and then the further adventures of my tape conversion to digital - that is a lot of abuse!

What is shown on the posted Zebra file is all that exists of the Zebra, not withstanding what might be buried in the National Archives.

Dick . . .

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Mar 7, 2014 - 2:07pm
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm