by Gene Andes
Categories:
- Build type: [Scratch]
- Material: [Wood]
- Scale: [1:32 (3/8" = 1')]
- Subject Type: [Torpedo Boat]
- Era: [1914-1945]
- Nationality: [United States]
- Propulsion: [Gasoline] [Internal Combustion] [Propeller]
PT boats were often modified in the field with differing armament and information from the field was fed back to manufacturers who made many changes in armament throughout the war. Early ELCO 80’ boats had four torpedo tubes, two twin 50 cal mgs in turrets, and one 20mm Oerlikon auto cannon. By the end of the war, the 80’ boats mounted one 40mm Bofors cannon, one 37mm rapid fire auto-cannon (adapted from aerial version used in P-39), one 20 mm Oerlikon, the standard twin 50 turrets plus rocket launchers for 4” rockets. Crews often added additional machine guns and mortars, particularly when operating close inshore to support ground troops, so any model is largely conjectural, especially when built, as these are, from plans adapted from original builders’ plans.
I had built several PT boats in the past: I built a PT 109 (80’ ELCO) and a PT 32 (77’ ELCO) in 1:32 scale and a PT 59 (77’ELCO modified to gunboat) in 1:16 scale. All these were RC models and were donated to the PT Boat Museum in Fall River, MA in 1994.
I decided to build again in the 1:32 scale and model early and late versions of each major type of PT. I built three hulls (77’ELCO, 80’ELCO, 78’ Higgins) with a drive module of motor and gear train to drive the triple screws, which could swap among the three hulls along with the RC receiver, the speed controller, and the rudder servo. I then built six decks. One of early version of each type of PT, with torpedo tubes, and one of late version of Higgins and 80’ELCO, with roll off torpedoes. The late version of the 77’ ELCO was based on the PT 59/60/62, which boats had tubes removed and two 40 mm Bofors guns mounted as well as additional .50 cal. Browning machine guns.
All three performed well as RC models.
