Building an accurate PT-109 from the Revell 1/72 scale kit.
Hi all,
I just sent the following information to a modeler who asked about a few details on the 109 boat. I decided to give him everything I had on the subject. I don't think I missed anything but if you have any questions please let me know.
"Preparation
1. Buy the White Ensign Models (WEM) Photo Etch set for the PT Boats and the 1/72 37mm anti-tank gun.
2. Two options for drawings. One is the Squadron Publications PT Boat book. It's not too expensive and has a good drawing of the 109. The other is to pick up drawings from PT Boats Inc. which are 1/48 scale and very detailed. Just a couple of mistakes. 3. Paint - For the entire boat I would recommend either Testors Dark Green FS34079 or White Ensign Model Navy Green N-5G. Lighten this up a little with white to give it a more scale look. Weather as you like. Typically these boats had oil stains along the water line. For the bottom I like White Ensign Model Anti Fouling Red.
Details
Starting from stem to stern this is my recommendation...
Overall
1. Follow the WEM instructions for the photo etch set with the exceptions listed later.
Deck Details:
1. Remove the bow light leaving the base. The wiring trails off to the port side of the mount.
2. Sand off most or all the deck detail including the torpedo tube mounts. I don't think that the WEM set has the large scoop vents on the foredeck so I would leave those. Many people say that the deck was not planked but on this class it was. The problem with the kit is that it's out of scale. My recommendation is to remove it all. Be sure to remove the brackets for the raft. They are way out of scale. 3. Don't install the standards on the foredeck. 4. 37mm - This was never installed for action on the boat. They got so far as to bolt down two long 2 x 8 planks. Metal brackets were fitted over the axles to hold it in place but this was never completed. To keep from losing it they used additional lashing that probably extended to the toe rails.
5. There should only be one depth charge rack and it is located on the starboard side. The one that was originally on the port side was smashed through the deck when the port side, forward torpedo accidentally launched in high seas and blasted the depth charge through the deck nearly killing one of the crew who was trying to rest below. Due to this I would expect that more of the toe railing on the port side would be missing. Imagine a torpedo slamming into the depth charge and how much of the deck would be destroyed because of it. Imagine the repairs. They probably didn't have extra toe railing laying around.
Chart House/Cockpit
1. The horn should be removed and corrected or left off all together. If you install it refer to photos. I think you can scratch build one fairly easily. There are no photos showing the horn. 2. The windows on the forward side of the chart house should be painted over. I can't say about the port and starboard windows and there is no photographic evidence. Typically these were not painted over. 3. The cockpit was surrounded with armor which extends level with the top of the replaced windscreen all around and to the back. There's no photo evidence to see what was done on the starboard side. It was either painted over or armor. So I would just paint it over. The windscreen itself was also replaced with armor. 4. Typically the machine gun attached to the chart house would be rotated to the 4 o'clock position with the gun pointed skyward. This was done because the gunner would typically access it from forward of the turret on the starboard side of the chart house where there is a step.
5. The mount for the spot light is wrong. The mast is typically mounted behind the cockpit and not on the deck. When the boats were built there was a mount attached to the port side of the cockpit so the skipper could operate. Photos of the 109 indicate that this was removed. Probably scavenged by some other boat.
Day Cabin
1. There were no shades over the windows. These should be removed.
2. Do not install a mast. I'm certain it was gone. There is one photo of the boat in action and the mast isn't up. I would suggest installing mounts for the mast only. According to the skipper of PT-105 masts were either stowed or gone all together. Since it's not up while under way I would bet it didn't exist. 3. There is probably a flag box on the forward side of the day cabin and directly behind the cockpit.
4. There is a spay shield on the top of the day cabin adjacent to the rear turret. On the kit it is open into the day cabin. That's all wrong. It's simply a shield and the roof under it should be repaired and sealed up.
5. The spray shields extending from the day cabin should have support rods installed. You'll need a drawing that shows that. It would be tough to explain.
6. I would throw the life raft on top of the day cabin. The crews typically just threw them up there to keep them out of the way. It wouldn't be wrong to not have it all together. They certainly didn't have it after the collision. In port PT-109 had a dingy at their disposal that was scrounged.
Finishing
1. The numbering did not have black backgrounds. There are NO numbers on the hull. I would only put numbers on the forward side of the Chart House, the side of the forward turret, and on the port side of the cockpit just under where the window might have been. Just a hair more than a foot down from the top of the cockpit. Finally on the 20mm turret mount on the rear. The numbers with the kit are too large. I don't know where to find scale numbers. I would suggest putting a post on the FSM forum and see if anyone has any ideas.
2. The pin holding the 20mm in place broke. To keep it from flying around they tied it off to the depression rail so that's a nice detail.
3. Except for the windows on the front side of the chart house, the windows were glass and had covers on the inside of the boat. The WEM set has covers but to do it right you would mount them on the inside of the windows. A way to model this is to put a clear finish over the painted windows to give it the appearance that there is glass over the cover. Make sense?
I've never seen a model of the 109 done right, particularly in this scale. It's a lot of work but if you follow these instructions you'll have it nailed.
I hope that helps and doesn't make you crazy. Enjoy and be sure to post some photos!"
Dave