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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic: MTB 22.5 inch A.W. Torpedo Tube MK I
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Hi All,

While down at Huckins Yacht last month, I located their copy of a Feb 43 BuOrd plan of the MK I, 22.5 inch A.W. Torpedo Tube, which was designed to fire the Mk 13. While never installed on a Huckins PT, I understand these were mounted on a few boats before the switch to the roll-off racks?

I know Jerry mentioned these a while back and something about photos.

Cheers,
Andy

Posted By: Andy Small | Posted on: Feb 8, 2017 - 8:02am
Total Posts: 262 | Joined: Nov 20, 2013 - 9:04pm

Great find! Thanks for sharing. I've been looking for official drawings for this tube for some time. Higgins drawings indicate it was to be fitted to PT295-301. Here's a shot of 297 with them fitted:
[IMage]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i204/alross2/HIGGINS/PT297.jpg[/IMaGe]

Al

Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Feb 8, 2017 - 9:21am
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm

Those look like shortened versions of the tubes on the Elcos and Huckins PTs in "They Were Expendable."

Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Feb 8, 2017 - 3:21pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am

What about the Mk19 Mod 4 tubes that were fitted to the late Elcos that went to the Soviets? Were those designed for the MkXIII fish?

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Feb 8, 2017 - 3:48pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

Will, great question, especially since it caused me to dig a little deeper into research. After looking at the ELCO and Higgins drawings for the US and Soviet boats, I discovered that the MK19 MOD 4 tube fitted to the Soviet ELCOs and most of the Soviet Higgins is about four feet longer than the MK19 Mod 0 and Mod 1. This makes sense, as the 533mm Type 53 Soviet torpedo was about 3 feet longer than the US MK8.

Based on the Higgins drawings, RPT1-12 had the shorter MK19 Mod 0 or Mod 1 tubes, while the rest had the longer Mod 4 tubes.

Al

Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Feb 8, 2017 - 5:03pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm

Thanks, Al. On the subject, anyone have a theory as to what model tubes were used on the 139 & 141 boats during THEY WERE EXPENDABLE?

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Feb 8, 2017 - 6:59pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

Based on the photos in BEHIND THE SCENES, they were crude fakes, essentially a long skinny tube on top of a longer, fatter tube.

Al

Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Feb 8, 2017 - 7:27pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm

They were prop tubes on stationary wood supports. On the 101 and 102 boats, that still had the old tubes, so they added the fake air tubes on top to match.

From PT98

From PT102

Posted By: Andy Small | Posted on: Feb 8, 2017 - 7:46pm
Total Posts: 262 | Joined: Nov 20, 2013 - 9:04pm

Well, they had to have had some kind of real tubes to launch those Mark XIII fish in the battle scenes, right?

Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Feb 9, 2017 - 7:13am
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am

Drew,

I stand corrected! I just replayed portions of the movie and there sits the 22.5 inch tubes on the forward spots of the Elco playing PT41! So one boat of the six could fire the Mk13s.

Posted By: Andy Small | Posted on: Feb 9, 2017 - 8:16am
Total Posts: 262 | Joined: Nov 20, 2013 - 9:04pm

As I remember, there is also at least one long-shot of a tube launch...

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Feb 9, 2017 - 1:25pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

If I recall correctly, there are scenes in which torpedoes from all four tubes are seen being launched one after the other, with the boat(s) at speed during one or more of the battle sequences.

Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Feb 9, 2017 - 1:57pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am

Drew;
You are correct.Here is "PT 41" (aka: John Iles PT 141 RON 4) with 4 of these tubes.
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Ted%20Walther/They%20were%20expendable%20cavite%20scene.jpg[/image]

Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Feb 9, 2017 - 6:54pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/07%20PT-141.jpg[/image]

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Feb 10, 2017 - 4:21pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

Hi everybody, I just noticed something odd: on Andy Small's post there is a picture of a MK 13 being fired (probably from PT141) ad there is quite a step visible between deck planking and gunwhale guard covering board.
According to drawings this step shuold be 1/16"- the covering board being 3/4" and deck planking 11/16", On Andy's picture it appears much thicker[:-confused2-:] I know this issue has been disussed earlier, but since I'm planking the deck of my model I'd like to know the opinion of the experts....[:-cheers-:]
Greetings

Daniele Kläy

Posted By: Daniele Klay | Posted on: Feb 10, 2017 - 11:17pm
Total Posts: 126 | Joined: Jun 23, 2015 - 12:43pm

I think you're OK with just the 1/16 step Daniele.

Russ Pullano on PT 195:

[image]http://www.pt103.com/images/ptpics/PT_195_Russ_Pullano_On_Depth_Charge.jpg[/image]

PT 149:

[url]http://www.pt103.com/images/ptpics/PT_149_Starboard_Turret_Torpedo.jpg[/url]

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Feb 11, 2017 - 4:08pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

JD to the rescue again!!!! Thanks[:-cheers-:]
P.S. significant progress in the build; will make an update on the forum soon.

Daniele Kläy

Posted By: Daniele Klay | Posted on: Feb 12, 2017 - 3:39am
Total Posts: 126 | Joined: Jun 23, 2015 - 12:43pm

Daniele,

I think you might be seeing the boat's toe rail which looks almost black in this photo. It kind of makes it look like a step up to the guard. Them's my thoughts.

Andy

Posted By: Andy Small | Posted on: Feb 12, 2017 - 11:53am
Total Posts: 262 | Joined: Nov 20, 2013 - 9:04pm

I'm really looking forward to seeing your update Daniele!

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Feb 13, 2017 - 4:51am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am