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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
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ť Topic: Location of control panel of PT 596
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=487

Dear Sirs,
I wonder if the relocation of the control panel was one of the characteristics of the late Elco 80 footers. I have some close-ups of what I think must be rather late types but here the panels are in their usual position. Could it be that our Italian friends made a mistake? If not, I also wonder why the panel was relocated. Thanking you in advance.

Kind regards,

Arjan Wiskerke

Posted By: Arjan Wiskerke | Posted on: Oct 13, 2007 - 12:56am
Total Posts: 162 | Joined: Dec 22, 2018 - 12:04pm

What I forgot to add in the above is that the relocation also involves the position of the throttles. The original position is: throttles on the left of the panel, the "new" position is:throttles on the right side of the panel. (for right-handed people this latter position might make throttle-control easier?) The Italeri kit includes a walkaround booklet which contains a close-up of this"new position" of PT 617 at the PT Boat Museum. I do not wish to provoke howls of outrage (this might well be a 100 percent authentic exhibit for all I know) but years of modelling experience have taught me to be careful with museum exhibits you don't know anything about. Only last month I happened to learn of a faulty restoration job on a German WO II vehicle (exhibited in Koblenz Germany) which has wrong-footed generations of modellers and kitmakers alike (including myself).

Kind regards,

Arjan

Posted By: Arjan Wiskerke | Posted on: Oct 14, 2007 - 12:58am
Total Posts: 162 | Joined: Dec 22, 2018 - 12:04pm

The throttle relocation to the right was implemented with the PT 565 group.

Al Ross

Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Oct 14, 2007 - 2:44pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm

Thanks a lot Al for taking away my doubts concerning both the kitmaker and the museum exhibit. The reason for being wary of Italeri kits also has to do with my experiences over the years. I have built dozens of 1:35 Italeri kits and many contain pretty glaring errors. In this respect their recent 1:35 naval kits seem to be much better .

Kind regards,

Arjan

Posted By: Arjan Wiskerke | Posted on: Oct 14, 2007 - 3:30pm
Total Posts: 162 | Joined: Dec 22, 2018 - 12:04pm