Conversely the majority of the elco 80 footers went to the pacific, which not only was predominately an american war but also both a naval and island fighting war for which the pt boat was ideally suited. By wars end, more of the elco 80 ft 24 m boats were built than any other type of motor. The deck primed with minor fittings added to the surface. Taking the job on as described in the instructions, step one is dedicated to drilling out all of the relevant holes that are flashed over on the surface of the main deck. In 1949, electric boat decided to focus on government contracts for. Perhaps the most notable 80 foot pt boat was pt 109, commanded by future president john f. Feb 1, 2015 elco 80 pt boat on deck color series no. Pt boat pt617 an elco pt boat at the battleship cove. Elco 80 pt boat deck construction table boat number construction dimensions 103108 mahogany planking, 2 layers laid fore and aft inner layer 516, outer layer 38 109196, 314367, 372383, 487497, 546563, 731760 mahogany planking, 2 layers laid fore and aft inner layer 38, outer layer 516. Due to the large number of photos and books that i have acquired over the years i have decided to redraw the boat as close to the original as is possible with a view to possibly making a museum quality model as distinct from a remote control model. The electric boat company elco acquired a british torpedo boat which impressed the navy enough to put elco under contract to develop pt boats based upon the british design but featuring a number of changes, including power from three navalized packard liberty v12 aircraft engines rated initially at 1100 horsepower, but reaching 1500. The elco movie giant killers of the original construction shows a full half width, 80 length of scarf joined ply sheet being brought in by over a dozen men and laid down on the boats deck and then screwed into place with many thousands of screws but many photos of the boats deck s show lines like planking.
Pt 109 was one of the hundreds of motor torpedo boats pt of the pt 103 class completed between 1942 and 1945 by elco naval division of electric boat company at bayonne, new jersey. By far the most popular is the elco 80 footer of the pt103 class, so famously. Elco 77 motor torpedo boats microfilm, 1 reels, 390 frames scanned. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to. The 80 foot elco pt boats were an improved and enlarged version of the 77 foot boats. The elco boats were the largest in size of the three types of pt boats built for u. I made the center part of the deck removable so i could change batteries and service the electronics. Im building bluejacket ship crafters 80 elco pt boat kit in 148 designed by al ross and, wanting to detail it to the best of my ability, i of course have a gazillion questions regarding the real thing. Italeri pt 596 elco 80 scale model rc torpedo boat duration. By wars end, more of the elco 80 ft 24 m boats were built 326 in all than any other type of motor torpedo boat. Al was kind enough to answer several, and ive posed several more on this forum. In conclusion the patrol torpedo boats tour of duty in wwii lasted just a little over three years.
We are aware of 2 similar reference publications related to motor torpedo boat elco 80 ftclass. During world war ii the elco naval division of the electric boat co. The detail specifications are based on specifications for motor torpedo boats pt 103 to 8 design no. For starters, it is about time that a new pt boat kit was produced. Elco 80 foot pt boat models gene andes ship models for. Facebook enjoy a free issue of the nautical research journal the nautical research guild has made the spring 2020 digital edition of the nautical research journal free to everyone during the covid19.
Detail specifications for building motor torpedo boats. I used hr products guns on it, a 37mm and 20 mm forward, twin. Say pt boat and the image that comes to mind is that of the 80foot patrol torpedo boat built by the electric launch company elco in bayonne, new jersey. Elco and higgins pt boats, as published in a 1945 training manual. The 80 foot 24 m woodenhulled craft were classified as boats in comparison with much larger steelhulled destroyers, but were comparable in size to. Step 12 is interesting and showcases the most unique and interesting feature of pt boats, the twoway. The 80 foot 24 m woodenhulled craft were classified as boats in comparison with much larger steelhulled destroyers, but were. The elco naval division boats were the largest in size of the three types of pt boats built for the us navy used during world war ii.
They list an elco 80 footer 30 long, and a higgins 78 footer 29. Italeri 5602 5 elco 80 torpedo boat pt596 kit first look. In the film pt 109, the elco script logo can be seen on the cockpit throttle housing in several scenes at the end of the war, the company merged with its sister company, electric boat, under john jay hopkins. While the venerable revell, 80 elco pt 109 kit filled the gap, the scale and minor detail where the biggest issues. The elco 80 pt boats were built of wood using laminated spruce, white oak and mahogany. The elco naval division boats were the longest of the three types of pt boats built for the navy used during world war ii. Longer and wider with an initial upgraded armament of one 20mm oerlikon cannon on the deck aft of the engine room cabin, the first 80 foot boats, the pt 103 class pt 103 196 were launched in 1942. Elco of bayonne, new jersey, would go on to produce 326 pt boats of 80 foot length total pt boat production of varying lengths by elco was approximately 385 during the span from 1942 through 1945. The hull deck are glued together, the charthouse and instrument panel are glued together, and the holes are drilled out in the deck. There is a 48 page photographic reference manual giving.
Motor torpedo boat photo archive navsource naval history. Pt boat generic hull numbers, echelon fine details d356005. Due to the large number of photos and books that i have acquired over the years i have decided to redraw the boat as close to the original as is possible with a view to possibly making a museum quality. The elco 80 pt boats were built of wood using laminated spruce, white oak and mahogany and covered with fir plywood. More about the motor torpedo boat elco 80 ftclass fast attack craft. Again, construction on both was simple and straightforward. Elco 70 motor torpedo boats microfilm, 2 reels, 1,081 frames scanned.
Midwest pt 109 elco 80 class scale rc torpedo boat pt 109 elco 80 class scale rc torpedo boat. Some modelers found 172 scale pt boat model kits are too small and inadequate in detail while they have no. Pt 196, an elco 80 footer of motor torpedo boat squadron 12 mtbron 12 astern of pt boat tender uss wachapreague, philippines, late 1944. Numerous details about pt boats appear in the manual that provide insight to both. Squadron 3 boats had a full set of fish, as seen in photos of the boats loaded as deck. While not as wellpublicized as the 80 foot elco pt boats, the 209 boats built by. Pt 370 was a 70foot canadian boat and only four such boats were built. Correct color for an early elco 80 pt boatsouth pacific theater. Higgins 78 motor torpedo boats microfilm, 1 reels, 8 frames scanned. Say pt boat and the image that comes to mind is that of the 80 foot patrol torpedo boat built by the electric launch company elco in bayonne, new jersey. Microglass, now part of loyalhanna dockyard, has 2nd scale pt boat hulls. With the entire crew above decks exposed to the elements except. Building one of the expendables matthews model marine.
They were powered by 3 supercharged packard 12 cylinder engines of 1500hp each giving the boats a top speed of 41 to 43 knots. Of those, 326 were 80 feet longthe largest in their class. Elco 80 motor torpedo boats microfilm, 6 reels, 3,143 frames scanned. The kit comes with a one piece hull and a single detailed deck, also included is a sheet of etched metal quite nicely done, a clear sheet with precut window shapes which just need lifting off. Thus the elco 80 foot pt boat was born and destined to become the most. Photo pt109 stowed on board the liberty ship joseph stanton for transportation to the pacific ocean, norfolk navy yard, virginia, united states, 20 aug 1942. All four were outfitted as elco 80s despite being 10 feet shorter. The motor torpedo boat elco 80 ftclasspage contains all related products, articles, books, walkarounds and plastic scale modeling projects dedicated to this ship.
The base for squadron 21 ron 21 was mios woendi, an island off the northern coast of new guinea that was quickly in the process of becoming the major base for pt boats in the pacific. Pt 370 of mtb squadron 18 on patrol in the philippines, circa nov 1944. I scratch built a 2nd scale elco 80 footer from wood. These nimble warships which by the end of wwii could deliver the same firepower as earlywar destroyers had done. Specifications, 1942 elco 80 patrol torpedo pt boat manufacturer elco naval division of the electric boat company, bayonne, new jersey length per the navy build manual. Pt boat pt 617 elco pt 617 is an elco class pt boat. These fast, light vessels, their hulls made of doubleplanked mahogany, have been portrayed onscreen torpedoing larger japanese. Elco 80 pt boat on deck color series no 5 online pdf ebook. Longer and wider with an initial upgraded armament of one 20mm oerlikon cannon on the deck aft of the engine room cabin, the first 80 foot boats, the pt 103 class pt. Italeris 5 scale elco 80 torpedo boat is available online from.