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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: RON 33 twin 50 mounts
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=4872

Several RON 33 boats mounted twin 50 cals either side of the chart house just inboard of the forward TT racks. 495 boat is shown to have at least one, mounted on the STBD side, while 490 appears to mount one on the PORT side.
MY question relates to the mounts themselves. Manuals would lead me to believe that the mounts were MK 46, but I have not found any photographs that would clearly point to this.
Does anyone have a definitive answer regarding the mounts? The 46 seems rather large and heavy that purpose. Could they have been "field" mounts?
Thank you.
Jonathan

Posted By: JEno | Posted on: Dec 18, 2019 - 2:11pm
Total Posts: 73 | Joined: Oct 13, 2019 - 9:52am

Do you have a picture? I have some of the 490 but the port guns are covered. This one of the 490 shows a starboard Acey Deucey and MacArthur:

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Dec 18, 2019 - 6:43pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Jeff, here are some images that show the twins, but not the mounts.

Posted By: JEno | Posted on: Dec 19, 2019 - 2:25pm
Total Posts: 73 | Joined: Oct 13, 2019 - 9:52am

Many of the MG mounts added to PT's look to be field made and often include parts of the turret mounts. I don't know if this mount on the 493 is the same one you're looking for but it appears to be a pipe mount that might be braced by the torpedo rack:

Zoom:

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Dec 20, 2019 - 8:18am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Here are some of the various .50 cal. deck mounts that the PT's used, both single and twin:

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Dec 21, 2019 - 3:33pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Thank You Jeff. I just finished going the the photo gallery and found many of those that you have just posted. It pretty much confirms, to me anyhow, that most of the 50 cal mount use were field manufactured ones, rather than the MK 46 as mention in the .50 cal mount pamphlet.
It also confirms that a picture is worth many, many words.
Jonathan

Posted By: JEno | Posted on: Dec 21, 2019 - 5:37pm
Total Posts: 73 | Joined: Oct 13, 2019 - 9:52am

Agreed. A lot of field mods.

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Dec 23, 2019 - 7:07pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

This 1944 September page from the Ordnance Equipment List For Motor Torpedo Boats - PT shows some single 50. cal. deck mounts, pipe stem and tripod, were listed as standard equipment but no doubles. It also lists 60mm mortars. I think Andy Small dug this manual up in his research:

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Dec 30, 2019 - 3:00pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am