Harbour directory
PT61 Gunboat WWII (Frank's kit with major mods; Scale: 1/20)
Specifications
- Boat Length
- 43" (109.22 cm)
- Motor Type
- Brushed
- Drive Type
- Direct
- Props
- 261
- Battery Type
- LiFe
- Battery mAh
- 289 mAh
- Prop Type
- 3 Blade
Photos
About this boat
This boat kit was started by buyer and passed though many hands until it finally reached me. The upper right phot (deck sitting next to the hull) is what it looked like when I got it.)
Before starting I looked at the history of the PT-61. In the middle of WWII it was converted to a gunboat along with PT-59 & PT60. Trying to gather information took a long time before being able to start construction (which involved de-construction by the original owner).
This is a heavy model but runs like the real one would because of all the armor, guns, and ammo on board. Yes, the real PT-61 did have two 40mm Bofors and sixteen 50 caliber BMGs.
All three motors work, the outer two run through ESCs and the center one has a servo driven on/off switch running forward only on another channel.
Before starting I looked at the history of the PT-61. In the middle of WWII it was converted to a gunboat along with PT-59 & PT60. Trying to gather information took a long time before being able to start construction (which involved de-construction by the original owner).
This is a heavy model but runs like the real one would because of all the armor, guns, and ammo on board. Yes, the real PT-61 did have two 40mm Bofors and sixteen 50 caliber BMGs.
All three motors work, the outer two run through ESCs and the center one has a servo driven on/off switch running forward only on another channel.
Liked by
Loading…
Comments
Sign in to comment.
Lew
You have put a lot of time and effort into those figures to transform them from a pit team to a PT crew, well done but you've just scared me, by making me realize, how much more work I have to do!
Regards Roy
I tried to be as comprehensive as I can and putting information on the PT 59, 60, and 61 boats on my website (link: http://lewsmodelboats.org/PT-Uniforms.htm). If you look at it you will see information on the figures. I bought several of the pit crew kits to make the figures for the 61in the south Pacific theater.
Lew
I was wondering about the 1:20 crew, I am building a PT 103 from scratch its also 1:20 scale.
Did you make them or are they part of the Frank's kit?
Hope to restart the build soon as have not touched it for a couple of years.
Regards Roy
https://www.ebay.com/itm/264672290559
JOHNSON HC685G RS-545 DC 12V-18V High Speed Power 36mm Electric Drill Tool Motor.
Currently (Oct 13, 2022) US $8.99
I am running them on 9.6V hump-back batteries.
Photo 1: Well armed crew - May 1943
Photo 2: Japanese 4.7 inch round through the bow (kept on a plane to get home) - Nov 1942
The "navsource" citation is incorrect☹️:
In the Solomon Islands in 1943, three 77-foot (23 m) PT boats, PT-59, PT-60, and PT-61, were converted into "PT gunboats" by stripping them of all original armament except the two twin .50 cal (12.7 mm) gun mounts, then adding two 40mm and four twin .50 cal (12.7 mm) mounts.
Should be😊:
In the Solomon Islands in late 1943, three 77-foot (23 m) PT boats, PT-59, PT-60, and PT-61, were converted into "PT gunboats" by stripping them of all original armament (basically the 20mm Oerlikon and two torpedoes) except the two twin .50 cal (12.7 mm) in gun mounts. The 59 then added two twin .50 cal (12.7 mm) and six single .50 cal (12.7 mm) mounts. The 60 and 61 added six twin .50 cal (12.7 mm) in mounts. All three received two US Army M1 40mm Bofors anti aircraft field guns placed on custom pedestals. All boats added armor on the bridge and sides in addition to the gun shields.
It should be noted that all the additional weight significantly reduced the high speed of the boats, a high price to pay for all that added firepower. 60 and 61 now have a total of two 40mm Bofors 💥💥 and 16 .50 cal BMGs 💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥 packed into a 77 foot boat!
This is why I had to build the PT61 - lots of research time but well worth it.
Video (in the water):
Lew
77' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat:
Planned as PTC-29
Reclassified PT-61 in June 1941
Laid down 2 August 1941 by the Electric Boat Co., Elco Works, Bayonne, NJ
Reclassified BPT-13 prior to completion
Launched 15 October 1941
Reclassified PT-61 in December 1941
Placed in service 19 February 1942 and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron FOUR (MTBRon 4) under the command of LCDR Alan R. Montgomery, USN
MTBRon 4 was the training squadron, based at the MTB Squadrons Training Center, Melville, R.I. It was the largest squadron, having a peak of 28 boats in service at one time
Transferred 7 May 1942 to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron TWO (MTBRon 2) under the command of LCDR Earl S. Caldwell, USN
MTBRon 2 in December 1941, with 11 new 77' Elco boats, the squadron was assigned to the Panama Sea Frontier. Then late in 1942, with six 77' Elco boats and six 80' Elco boats, it was shipped to the
South Pacific, where it was active in the Solomons campaign, engaging in many strenuous night actions with the Tokyo Express in the defense of Guadalcanal
Transferred 27 July 1942 to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron THREE(2), (MTBRon 3[2]) under the command of under the command of LCDR Alan R. Montgomery, USN
The second Squadron 3 was the first squadron to arrive in the Solomon's, and fought many strenuous engagements with the Tokyo Express at Guadalcanal
Converted to a field-modified "gunboat" in 1943 in the Solomon Islands
Reclassified as a Small Boat, C-68371, 16 February 1944 and used as a small boat in the Solomon's area transporting personnel, mail, etc.
Fate unknown.
from http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/05061.htm
Gunboats
In the Solomon Islands in 1943, three 77-foot (23 m) PT boats, PT-59, PT-60, and PT-61, were converted into "PT gunboats" by stripping them of all original armament except the two twin .50 cal (12.7 mm) gun mounts, then adding two 40mm and four twin .50 cal (12.7 mm) mounts.
Colour Images:-
http://www.pt103.com/PT_61.html
Regards Roy
That’s awesome!
I have the 1/20 Dumas boat with a lot of Franks PT boat fittings.