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. The Elco boats were the largest in size of the three types of PT boats built for U.S. use during World War II. Wooden-hulled, 80 feet long with a 20-foot, 8-inch beam, the Elco PT boats had three 12-cylinder Packard gasoline engines generating a total of 4,500 horsepower for a designed speed of 41 knots. With accommodations for 3 officers and 14 men, the crew varied from 12 to 14. its full-load displacement was 56 tons. Early Elco boats had two 20mm guns, four .50-caliber machine guns, and two or four 21-inch torpedo tubes. Some of them carried depth charges or mine racks. Later boats mounted one 40mm gun and four torpedo launching racks. Many boats received ad-hoc refits at advanced bases, mounting such light guns as Army Air Forces 37mm aircraft guns and even Japanese 23mm guns. Some PTs later received rocket launchers.
This Proboat PT 109 model was brought in 2013 for £100 these boats are rare now, This one had a few faults with the propshafts they were bent and noisy both were replaced, with quality 4mm shafts, motors twin 600s were also replaced by Graupner versions along with mounts and couplings, basically all the running gear, also two ESCs by Aquapower were added and a 2.4G RC system.
This is the start and test of the Piaggio ,
built by me and my friend it is scratch built and took about 4 mouths to do
and powered by a Grunpner speed 600 ECO
Hello, I found this old kit and I'm building, they were so many years that I did not do modeling and I'm just having fun with this nice little boat.
My kit is marked "Vladika Model", but is also produced by Aeronaut, having no patterns or instructions I have relied on the aeronaut, found (in German sob...) on the internet, and looking the photo on the box.
On the box it says it works with a Speed400 reduced 3: 1 with a (bad) 3 propeller blades 40mm, but I put a simple speed 600 20T with a 4-bladed propeller brass 45mm bought on ebay in singapore
A Graupner kit built some years ago, was given to me 2013 and I have refurbished the boat to get it sailing again! it has a Mono- perm motor and I have fitted 10 amp Mtronics speed controller and running on 8x AA 1600m/a Nicd batteries wired in parallel.
Hi! Alan
I built an Elke in January 1974 for my son. We sailed it together for a couple of years and then he lost interest (girls!) it spent the next forty five years in my loft (The model - not my son) until l resurected it a few years ago and, after a bit of a dusting and a spot of glue, relaunched it. it still had the original McGregor Digimax radio and speed controller fitted which, after renewing the batteries in both the receiver and tranny, still works a treat. I've since added a crew and some other refinements and it's often included in our Club displays. Hope you get as much enjoyment from your model as we have.
Built from a Traplet plan 2012, all wood construction with plank- on-frame hull. 385 direct drive motor with 3 blade prop, Mtronics 10amp speed controller and 8x AA 1600m/a batteries wired in parallel.
built sometime in the sixties originally powered by 3.5 cc diesel, then glow motor as in pics OS 20 Max. now converting to Electric. Speed 600BB, Mtroniks Viper 10 ESP, 7.2V 3300ma NIMH. as yet only tank tested seems to have enough power, hope it gets up on the plane.
Hi" to all model boat builders. I thought I would add my new project to this fireboat website for all to see ! I bought this from fleabay as a total wreck. She is a rare Scratch built from a plan of a Walton Thames RAF ASRL launch at 36 inch long & 8 inch wide.took me approx 6 months to do the rebuild. Brush painted with 5 assorted colours with decals working lights ect.
Walton Thames is now running on a new Johnston speed 600 electric motor. 50 amp speed controller 45mm pitched propeller.A 6 volt at4.ah which gives good running time & good scale speed. Photos are taken at Eaton park Norwich England. Enjoy. 😊
My next project will be a 1950s Aerokits/Keilcraft Sea hornet. " So watch this space "
Thank you fellow model boatmen for your kind comments.
on my model boat builds
Yes it would be a very good idea for a build blogg on my next project . 😉 A Prestney
Hi" All . Thought I would put some photos of my last winter project for all to see ! This model took approx 3 month to rebuild from an ebay wreck . A 1980s lesro Stiletto speed boat kit.A total rebuild was needed . Siletto running set up is a Johnston air cooled speed 600 electric motor. 50 amp speed contoller 7.2 volt at4600mh power pack which will lift her out of the water at very good speed. Siletto is finished of in dark mahogany stripwood vinneer & Ivery white / post box red .I do think the older colours look better on the older models . I sail my boats at Sheringham Norfolk
enjoy the photos . From A prestney
Hi" thank you for your kind comments on my rebuild stiletto speed boat.I have a passion for the older classic boats. it did have a older smaller 500 motor unknown make when bought.But I upgraded to a johnston 600 which are used in diy power drills and are very fast but don't over heat with a built in coolant fan .A Prestney 😉
I believe this was the smaller version of the Lesro Rapier. I think they are fine looking boats - future classics. Your restoration looks fantastic and it seems to be going well too. My Rapier had it's maiden voyage recently. When I bought the kit from Lesro they told me it was the last one they had!
I too like the older style wooden boats.
Ian
Built from light ply and balsa from a plan available on the Model Hovercraft Association website (under resources) www.modelhover.org it is powered by two 540 brushed motors with dedicated speed controllers.
This model has now been sold and replaced with a newly built Canadian Coastguard Griffon 2000TD built off a Mark Porter plan but using two Graupner Speed 600 motors, one powered by a 3000 Li-Po battery for thrust and the other on a 7.2v Ni-Cad for lift.
Check out the website at www.rc-hovercraft.com where construction details in photos show how I built the griffon 2000TD
and also the military version 2000TD(M).
Hi" fellow model boat members " . I thought I would put some photos of my 1970s restored Aerokits sea commander . it running on a speed 600 motor with a 50 amp speed controller on 7.2 power pack at 4600 mh . finished in Antique Ivory white and Mediterranean blue with a varnished walnut finished deck . I like to take all my rebuilds to my local boating lake which is at Sheringham Norfolk and meet up with my old boat friends . Sheringham is very popular with holiday makers and the local people a like .
The old sea commander realy do catch people attention when out sailing her. I did take her to Wroxham broads last summer ! it fit well in with the other big boat there . Thank you for you interest " jelly baby "
A Prestney.
34" Fireboat
I tried out my new motor arrangement, ( Graupner speed 600 8.4v motor with a single 9.6v battery pack as recommended by dbninja ) in my Fireboat today. A bit choppy but all went very well at just above half throttle then I began to get braver and added on the power to be met by clouds of smoke and a truly blown ESC. ( See FORUM under Hong Kong ESC ) The new Fire Monitors by Peter HS93 also worked fine using a Vauxhall Astra washer pump, I'd hope to get pics but the sudden halt intervened!
HI Roger
My monitors were kindly produced some time ago by another member of this site who was unfortunately at the last request unable to make any more. You might like to have a go making suitably scaled down versions in the method shown by Pete Harvey on his 46" Fireboat restoration on his website ( link in the 'Useful Links' part of this site ) my initial effort was to try drilling out some white metal fittings- this only proved the soft cheese is probably a more suitable material!
Water is pumped to the monitors using an ebay sourced Astra windscreen washer pump which works fine on my 9.6v setup.
Good luck
Chris
HI again
Just to mention that Monitors for the 34" boat are available separately from the 'Online Shop'section of this site. ( Don't think they are working however )
Chris
I tried out my new motor arrangement, ( Graupner speed 600 8.4v motor with a single 9.6v battery pack as recommended by dbninja ) in my 34" Fireboat today. All went very well at just above half throttle then I began to get braver and added on the power to be met by clouds of smoke and a truly blown ESC.
( See FORUM under Hong Kong ESC )
The Fire Monitors also worked Fine using a Vauxhall Astra washer pump, I'd hope to get pics but the sudden halt intervened!
Regards
Chris
