Pt 61

[gbrobbins]

:cool: I have a hull of the PT 61. The 61 was converted from a gunboat to a air/rescue boat. I'm looking for info on the configuration and paint scheme of the converted boat. Would like to find the history of the boat.

Any help would be appreciated. This is my first scale build project.

G B Robbins
Port St. Lucie, FL

:cool: :cool:

[patmat2350]

Don't have the specific answer, but you might also try at Al Ross's Coastal Forces:
http://www.coastalforcesplans.com/

Garth Connelly's PT Boat World:
http://www.ptboatworld.com/

and of course PT Boats Inc:
http://ptboats.org/


Are you starting with Frank's hull?

Pat M

[gbrobbins]

Thanks Pat. I tried those webs includinging a navy web. The fiberglass hull was made by Wayne Traxel, It is very good work and looking forward to completing the project,

AS i mentioned earlier the boat was converted to a air/rescue boat. that is what I want to make it. In our club we have a lot regular PT's but I want a different version.

Still searching.

GB Robbins
Port St. Lucie, FL

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[patmat2350]

Don't forget to actually ask those guys behind the sites (if you haven't already). Not everything they know is on their sites!

[PT-333]

I found one photograph of PT-61 in Norman Friedman's book, U.S. Small Combatants, Page # 165. The Date of the photo is 8th of October 1943 but the boat is still in the gunboat modification. I will keep looking, if I find any other information I'll let you know.

[gbrobbins]

Still looking. Is there a site for Navy Air Rescue boats. Perhaps I can get some ideas of their configuration.

G. B. Robbins
Port St. lucie, FL

:confused:

[norgale]

Here's a picture that's been around for awhile. I'm told that it is a converted crashboat and if you can find out what boat it is there may be some pictures of it before it was converted to a yacht. It's called or named a Dooly I think. Pete M

[charlie eaton]

[QUOTE=gbrobbins]Still looking. Is there a site for Navy Air Rescue boats. Perhaps I can get some ideas of their configuration.

There is a site for the USAF Crash Boat Ass. They used 63',85' and 94' boats. You might check with them.

[patmat2350]

A couple Herreshoff ASR boat ads from my PT Boats Ads site, http://www.geocities.com/ptboatads/index.htm

PM

[norgale]

Those are nice pictures Pat. What size boat was that? What was the power?

[jeepers1940]

Pete, Would the yacht shown in your picture have been called a dually because it was powered by two (dual) engines, perhaps the same power configuration that it had when it served as a crashboat?

[norgale]

No no jeepers 1940. That boat was a converted Air Force crash boat that was converted by Dooly Yacht Yard according to my good friend and mentor Charlie Eaton.
Charlie found that picture for me back aways and told me about the boat when I was deciding what to do with my PT -109 Lindberg hull. He knows a lot about these boats having served in the Coast Guard and the Army. I just put it up there as an example of a crash boat that's been converted with the idea that Robbins could find the orignal to get an idea of the model he wanted to build. Hope I didn't confuse the issue. Pete M

[gbrobbins]

Still looking for info, pics or anything on the PT 61 that was coverted to an air rescue boat by the navy. Did hear that it was named SEA BISCUT.

In addition I'm looking for source for dual machine guns that are not lead AND 20mm with mount. I like to see pictures. LOL The scale is 1-24

:D :D

GB Robbins
Port St. Lucie, FL

Britney: did you find anything for machine guns you were looking for???

[frankg]

:) CHARLIE EATON- I think that if the air crash boat was any thing other than 63 or 65 foot in length, then it was most probably a PT conversion. All the plans I have seen for air crash boats were of the 63 foot length with two PACKARD “V” 12’s and built of lighter construction than the PT boats. They carried two “twin 50’s” in side by side gun tubs and small arms for main armament. They were built for speed and could out maneuver a PT for sure.
:)

[norgale]

Here's a not very good picture of PT 65 and another picture of what I think would have been a crash boat according to the description. Are either one close to what your looking for? (boat type) I'm checking with the Pt Boat Inc to see if theyhave anything on PT 61. Pete

Just found the PT 61 was a 77' Elco for sure.

[charlie eaton]

:) CHARLIE EATON- I think that if the air crash boat was any thing other than 63 or 65 foot in length, then it was most probably a PT conversion. All the plans I have seen for air crash boats were of the 63 foot length with two PACKARD “V” 12’s and built of lighter construction than the PT boats. They carried two “twin 50’s” in side by side gun tubs and small arms for main armament. They were built for speed and could out maneuver a PT for sure.
:)

P-520 is a restored 85' crash boat. They looked just like the 64'. They were not converted PT boats. They were designed for the purpose boats. In the www.koreanwar.com site there is a history of the boats used then. Most were WWII boats and were both 64' and 85' The 64 were white yellow and orange in color. ( see the one used in ''Blood Ally'') The 85's were gray and some were used for black ops along the North Korean coast.

[frankg]

:) NORGALE- The first picture of the PT-65 is of a 77’ ELCO PT. You can tell which size and make of PT by the type house that is on the deck and the 50 cal gun placement. :)

[norgale]

I found that info on the PT Boat,Inc site. They have a list of all the Pt's made by number and manufacturer. I think it was PT 59 through PT 68 were all of the 77' type.

[PT-333]

gbrobbins, are you looking to build a 63' crash boat or the 77' Elco PT-61? I Have found some photos in several books I have. In Frank Johnson's " United States PT-Boats of World War II, on page 87, there is a close shot of the cockpit looking aft. In Bob Ferrell and Al Ross's book, "Early Elco PT Boats", there is a fold-out blueprint of PT-61 as a fast gunboat October 1943. According to the book three boats were converted, PT-59, 60 and 61. The fate of the 61 boat is that it was reclassified as a small boat on 4/16/44 but after that I can find no other information.
If you get a chance call PT Boat Inc (901)755-8440, let them know your a modeler and need some assistance. I have been a member for several years and recommend joining. I joined because my grandfather worked for Elco testing PTs' and I like to build R.C. PT's myself.

keep us posted on what you find.

[gbrobbins]

the hull I am building is a scale of the original PT 61 made by Wayne Traxel. It is quality work, fiberglass and etc. I want to build it in the configuration of the air rescue boat that it was converted to by the navy. I am looking for the topside configuration of the boat when it was converted such as: did it have fire water, any other armenent than the two 50 cal's. no torpedo tudes, depths charges etc.

The reason, is in my club we have a big div of scale boaters and plenty of regular PT's. Just somthing different.
I apprecite the input to date but have not found a pic of the "Sea Biscuit" as converted.

Log on to waveblasters.org

G B Robbins
Port St. Lucie, FL
:D

Tks PT 333. Come over some Sunday and join us

[PT-333]

That sounds like a great Idea. Right now I have two operational PTs (PT-333 and 212) and two under-construction (PT-328 and PT-48). How did you find out about PT-61's conversion to a rescue boat?