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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: Another New Idea.
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I know you all think that I keep coming up with new ways to keep Stan Pienkowski busy, but this time, IT WAS ALL STAN. As you may know, Stan has been working on a Diorama for me that shows PT-108/LCVP making a transfer of wounded Marines. This is 1:35 scale and should be another Stan masterpiece when completed. Things have been a bit slow, as Stan has taken off the summer and slowed down on the model building.

I was on the phone with him talking about a HIGGINS PT BOAT on a rail car, when he really got my attention with "Hey why don't we do PT-109 crashing into that floating tool shed". Can you believe this was coming from Stan? I just had to put it on the list of models to be built, but we agreed to build PT-61 in honor of Ken Prescott first. As a side note here, Stan will be building a pretty tough diorama and pretty big, showing a section of MTBSTC for a customer. I think he begins that one in the fall. What do you guys think of Stan's suggestion? If any of you ask me about the color of PT-109, I will hop and plane and find you, lol.............

Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Aug 6, 2014 - 5:07am
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am

Hey Frank,
I wonder was the "PT109 running into the floating shed" based upon an actual event or was it just something they threw into the movie? I always thought it was the latter. It still would be a neat diorama. I bet David W. would know!
Jerry

Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
Portland OR

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Aug 6, 2014 - 6:37am
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

Frank;
Supposedly this occurred at Lumbari Island. In a map drawn by Hank Brantingham he located a pier which was built, I suppose by Seabees. if you go on google earth it was on the southeastern part(on the side facing Bau Island) of the island where the small indentation is.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Aug 6, 2014 - 6:56am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Thanks Guys, according to Maurice Kowal who was on the boat, this in fact did happen. When I was invited to Kowal's home in Dennis a few years back, I asked him about this incident, and he told me "Yep the Skipper hit the tool dock and everyone went flying". We called him "Crash' after that ordeal.

Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Aug 7, 2014 - 8:06am
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am

The 109 crashing into the fuel dock/tool shed incident occurred in the Russell Islands, not at Rendova, and is discussed in detail in Robert J. Donovan's book "PT 109 - John F. Kennedy in World War II."

The movie "PT 109" had the boat ramming the fuel dock tool shed upon its arrival at Rendova while ferrying the blustery, ficticious "Commander Ritchie."

Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Aug 8, 2014 - 6:41pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am

Drew I always thought that was so funny, that prior to the boat hitting the dock in the movie PT-109, that Commander Ritchie is sitting in the crews quarters having a cup of coffee, yet right after the crash he exits the boat at the,stern , hitting his head on the 20mm barrel. Man, he would have had to be the fastest and most nimble guy in the US NAVY to pull that off. Just as a side note here, in the beginning of the movie, the guy getting a hair-cut is PT-109 Crewmen Gerard Zinser.

Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Aug 20, 2014 - 8:12am
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am

Frank;
Of course he flew through the boat that fast! As mentioned in the movie "Commander Ritchie, you will meet him, Sweet soul, He is a very semimetal man as far as the boats are concerned".[:-laughing-:]
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Aug 20, 2014 - 9:29am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Frank, I hadn't known Zinser appeared in the film. I'll have to look for him the next time I run it.

Yeah, "Commander Ritchie's" movement from the forward crew's quarters through the boat to emerge from the lazarette hatch is one of the goofy things (which mostly involve the ficticious "Commander Ritchie" and "Yeoman Rogers" characters) in the movie.

I even posted a blurb about "Commander Ritchie's" uneccessary journey on the film's IMDB goofs page.

Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Aug 20, 2014 - 1:03pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am

Frank,
I think Stan has a great idea there. What I've learned from the IPMS competitions is that a diorama first and foremost needs to tell a story. Modeling the 109 crushing a work barge has lots of potential. I may do that one myself in 1/35 scale!
Dave

David Waples

Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: Aug 24, 2014 - 10:30pm
Total Posts: 1679 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm

Hey Dave you should also model Commander Ritchie coming up out of the hatch and bumping his head on the 20mm barrel in your diorama. That would be great!

Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
Portland OR

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Aug 25, 2014 - 3:07am
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

Keep it real Jerry! :-)

David Waples

Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: Aug 25, 2014 - 5:14am
Total Posts: 1679 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm

We shall see, right now Stan is busy and may begin down-sizing, I am afraid my model source may be drying up.

Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Aug 25, 2014 - 5:28am
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am

Frank;
You need to keep better track of your head craftsman, I thought you had him secured in the Garage or basement????[:-laughing-:]
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Aug 25, 2014 - 6:54am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Ted, too funny. I did have him there for a while, but the Wife said either Stan goes or her, I had to think about it, Hmmm PT BOATS or the WIFE. Both are right up there in my life, well I just had to let Stan head on back to Connecticut................

Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Aug 25, 2014 - 7:12am
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am