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» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic: Revell 1/96th scale Higgins PT boat model reissued
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Frank Ryczek's post asking for info on Higgins PTs in the Aleutians reminds me -- I saw an ad in a recent modeling magazine for the Revell 1/96th scale model of a 78' Higgins PT.

Apparently, they're reissuing this old kit once again. It looks like the box top has retro art, and the kit was listed as "1/96 PT Boat SSP" (whatever 'SSP' means), and had a price of $10.99.



Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Mar 8, 2008 - 3:17pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am



Any idea on the time period depicted? Tubes or roll-off racks? Thanks...

Grandson of James J Stanton
RON 15 PT 209 and RON 23 PT 243
Check out: www.pistolpackinmama.net


Posted By: newsnerd99 | Posted on: Mar 8, 2008 - 8:54pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered



Ahoy there Drew-

Thanks for the tip on the re-issue of the 1/96 scale Revell Higgins PT's. I just gave the posted picture of the unit of PT's in the Alutians a good eyeballing and it would be a cinch to construct as a diorama. The scale of 1/96 is a much better scale than 1/72, but that's up for grabs and up to the modeler. I know of one company, H & R custom fittings, that there is a slew of 1/96 scale fittings available, but for PT's I'm not so sure!

I'll have to put that idea of an Alutians PT base diorama on the slow back burner for now Drew! My Tulagi diorama took me 10 years + and I'm about out of room here and the high commander (my wife) is already screaming, NO MORE! We'll have to compromise, someway, somehow! Thanks again Drew!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/Friend RON 10

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

Posted By: FRANK | Posted on: Mar 9, 2008 - 10:45am
Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm



Unfortunately, making this kit even reasonably accurate will require a lot of rework. It's not 1/96 as advertised, more like 1/101. The hull shape is way off, particularly below the waterline. While variously marketed as PT 207, 209, 211, and 212, the cockpit is that of a 450-485 boat. There is a raised structure in the cockpit area that just did not exist on any of the boats.

Al Ross



Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Mar 9, 2008 - 11:59am
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm



Hi Al-

Mr. Ross, I really do thank you for your input on this re-issued kit by Revell of the Higgins PT's. I have used your drawings in the past on my 1/32 scale PT 196 roll off racks.

I'll never figure out "why" major model manufacture's produce models in such crazy scales to begin with. It just makes it a lot harder to produce an accurate scale looking model. Even someone with years of experience can get flustered with an off scale model let alone a fledgling modeler just earning his wings.

Thanks again for your thoughts Al!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/Friend RON 10

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

Posted By: FRANK | Posted on: Mar 10, 2008 - 8:48am
Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm



I agree with Al. It's not a very good kit, but as far as I know, it's always been the only game in town as far as a regular plastic model kit of a 78' Higgins PT is concerned.

I've always felt sorry for vets (and fans) of the 78' Higgins PT boats because of this. At least the vets and fans of the 80' Elco boat have had that good 1/72nd scale Revell PT 103-class model kit since '63, and many other versions of the 80' Elco, in different scales and incarnations, over the years.



Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Mar 10, 2008 - 1:15pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am




Drew: Thanks for the tip on the Higgins model. I have bid on a couple of these kits on E-Bay but they went for more than what I wanted to pay. Hobbylinc.com has them listed on their website but out of stock available in April. I would like a Higgins model to show my grand kids what I rode. It does't have to be an exact replica.

C. J. Willis

Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: Mar 10, 2008 - 4:35pm
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm



Hi Drew: I finally got the Higgins model kit and have it assembled and painted (camouflage). I am certainly no modeler. I just wanted something of a facsimile of P.T. 242. It is not much of a kit but for $10.79 you can't expect much. As Al Ross said the cockpit and gun turrets are of the later model Higgins. However it does look something like a Higgins more so than an Elco. Thanks for letting me know it was available again.

C. J. Willis

Posted By: CJ Willis | Posted on: May 21, 2008 - 5:25pm
Total Posts: 464 | Joined: Nov 5, 2006 - 5:02pm



You're welcome, C.J.

I think I'll probably pick up one of those kits myself, just for the halibut!



Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: May 21, 2008 - 7:30pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am



Hello everybody-

Yeah, I'm waiting for the re-issued Revell Higgins PT and chomping at the bit. I do remember my old neighbor and PT veteran Bruce Hansbury had the model built up on top of his TV for years. I'm almost possitive that the model had tubes.

It will be very interesting to see how many different versions the modelers on this board will come up with utilizing the kit as a starting point! Time will tell!

Thanks guys for letting me share this with you all!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/Friend RON 10 PT-169 " ZEBRA SNAFU "

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

Posted By: FRANK | Posted on: May 22, 2008 - 6:38am
Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm



To be honest, if I had the talent to build models like some of you do, I would not bother to buy a Kit that was so innacurate. I would buy the plans and build one to my own satisfaction. It's like the Lindberg kit that came out many moons ago. I am sure many bought the kit and built it, but it was such a total disaster that trying to do anything with it was tough. Garth Connelly had one that was redone by my friend Stan Pienkowski, and it was decent, but with all the work that goes into trying to make them right, you might as well spend the money on a scratch built job. This of course is aimed at those of you who have the talent to do them. You would think by now that those Companies building these models, would get things right by having someone like Al Ross share his knowledge and once and for all mae a Kit that is correct. I still think the ITALERI KIT is one of the best plastic models to come down the road in a long time.............



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: May 22, 2008 - 7:07am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



I hear some scuttlebutt about Italeri coming out with a early 109 version. Man I sure hope so! And yeah Frank A., I have to agree with you about the kit manufactures out there. Research is the key but it's so often overlooked for the sake of a cheaper casting. The creation of a mold is costly as all get go, so cutting corners here is saving money I guess.

Yeah, I built 3 versions of the Lindberg 1/32 scale kit. Most of the fittings I tossed out-garbage! I went with H&R fittings and those were half decent and needed a lot of work as well. My 169 took me about a year! The hardest job was zebra stripes. Sorry Frank- I just happen to love those stripes!!

Frank Ryczek, Jr.
Modeler/ Friend RON- 10 PT- 169 " ZEBRA SNAFU "

HIGH TIDES ALWAYS!

YOUR FRIEND THROUGH SCALE SHIP MODELING AND PT BOAT HISTORY!

Posted By: FRANK | Posted on: May 22, 2008 - 2:54pm
Total Posts: 349 | Joined: Oct 7, 2007 - 2:09pm



I visited my local high-end hobby shop this morning and had a long talk with one of the owners. He said Italeri is going to make an entire set of crew figures for their 1/35th scale PT 596.

He also said he thought the possibilities of Italeri coming out with an early-war PT 103-class 80' Elco was good, since the PT 596 kit is apparently a hit, even at the high retail price...

Hope he's right.



Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: May 23, 2008 - 3:19pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am



The Italeri PT crew figures should be out very soon. They been shown at several shows that Italeri has participated in.

I wrote Italeri about a possible 103 boat but they have not written back. I sure hope they do it. Then we can work on a 1/35 Higgins PT boat.

Dave

David Waples

Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: May 23, 2008 - 4:26pm
Total Posts: 1679 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm



From the picture I've seen on the Italeri website, their 1/35th scale PT crew set has 10 figures, all attired in kapok life jackets and helmets.

Three of the figures appear to be the 40 mm crew (gunner, trainer, loader).

From what I could see, Italeri has done a pretty good job on the figures.

Now, for a 103-class 80' Elco and figures...



Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: May 24, 2008 - 2:53am
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am



I wish I was talented enough to sculpt figures. If I were I would make them like you see in most of these photos. Guys without their shirts, torn pants, sleeves rolled up, lounging around the decks would be the way I would want to have figures on the boat.

Model X magazine in their 01 issue did a marvelous job of showing you how to make your own figures. The person that did this was Pat Stansell. While Model X is not publishing any longer you can still pick up a copy of the magazine for $7.50 plus shipping. It also includes an article by Jeff Herne on building the Italeri kit. It was a marvelous magazine for it's short life and was well worth the cover price.

Dave

David Waples

Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: May 24, 2008 - 12:57pm
Total Posts: 1679 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm



Once again, it's just these large Companies not doing their Homework when they make these items. I went to the site and yes, they do look pretty good, but certainly just a larger scale of men from the old Lindberg Kit, and the Revell PT 109 Kit. Helmets would be great, but I agree with Dave, most of the men ( Pacific ) wore shorts, boondockers, baseball type hat, and that was about it. I spoke with many many Crew members, who said they wore shorts on patrol, some wore Helmets, some did not, some put on their dugarees and shirts, some did not. It would be awesome to add these figures with a mixed bag. Have some Crew with shirs, and some with none, some with pants and some with shorts. Italeri is only looking at the boat at General Quarters and not anyway else.

Seems to me that some of you guys with experience can mold your own men, and we will buy them from you.............



Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: May 24, 2008 - 1:32pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am



I wish I was talented enough to sculpt figures. If I were I would make them like you see in most of these photos. Guys without their shirts, torn pants, sleeves rolled up, lounging around the decks would be the way I would want to have figures on the boat.

Model X magazine in their 01 issue did a marvelous job of showing you how to make your own figures. The person that did this was Pat Stansell. While Model X is not publishing any longer you can still pick up a copy of the magazine for $7.50 plus shipping. It also includes an article by Jeff Herne on building the Italeri kit. It was a marvelous magazine for it's short life and was well worth the cover price.

Dave

David Waples

Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: May 24, 2008 - 5:27pm
Total Posts: 1679 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm



Scale figures representing the typical attire of PT men on and around their boats moored at a base -- no shirts, shorts, fatigue caps -- for modeling would be great, but...

If a company is going to put out a group of "purpose-built" PT crewmen like Italeri is for their PT 596, it makes a lot more sense that the figures be attired for combat, so they can be posed manning their battle stations on a war patrol -- like the Italeri figures are. BTW, the figures, in my opinion, look pretty darn good, and are very representative of PT crewmen dressed for a patrol.

Let the aftermarket manufacturers come up with shirtless-and-shorts crewmen, or, like several others on the board have suggested, bash your own. I'll take a set of well-realized PT crew figures in correct battle gear any day.






Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: May 26, 2008 - 1:27pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am



Hi
I think your right about Italeri redoing the PT596 kit as an earlier version as when you look at the deck there are spare holes in the underside before you press out the one's that you need & also the 40mm gun covers up 5 more deck light positions that are already cut out for the light grills & glass so they are planing something, also there are other location markings on the cabin etc that are not needed,
As for the figures that are not wearing jackets & helmets that would be a nice option. I made mine by converting a mixture of different companies men together rescupting etc untill I had what I wanted. They are mostly from Tamiya , Dragon, ADV, Verlinden. The hardest bit was making them either with bare chests or the shorts.

s.symonds

Posted By: muddyfields | Posted on: May 28, 2008 - 1:12am
Total Posts: 96 | Joined: Mar 1, 2007 - 7:09am



Sounds encouraging on the possibility of Italeri releasing a 103-class 80' Elco boat. I hope you're right.

Now, if they come out with another set of crew figures, one of them skinny, with a grinning face, sunglasses and a fatigue cap pushed way back on it's head...[:-lookhappy-:]



Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: May 28, 2008 - 5:01am
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am