Torpedo boat kits

  There are more derivatives of torpedo boats than you can believe...almost every boat was a little different, and the crews modified them heavily to suit the climate and conditions.  I heavily recommend buying the Squadron Schnellboot and PT boat books, about 8 bucks each...worth their weight in gold if you are going to start modeling these mosquitos.  Word of warning: they are addictive.  There are dozens of them all over my house now, and they seem to keep on breeding...the most fascinating war boats ever built, in my little opinion.

   If you haven't modeled a PT yet, I would recommend the Revell S-boot. It is a really neat kit that delivers a lot for the price. Also fun is the Trumpeter/Mini-Hobby (Tamiya knock off) PT-815, but you are correct, it is a 70's boat.

              happy modeling!

                         greg

Many more PT Boats than you can imagine.   Check the offerings from White Ensign's Narrow Seas line.  

This is their 80-foot ELCO sold as the PT-109.   It is 1:350 scale resin & brass, complete with anti-depression rails and a 37mm anti-tank gun.  This is my build of the kit in their catalog.

http://www.whiteensignmodels.com/acatalog/index.html?http%3A//www.whiteensignmodels.com/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_1_350_Scale__Narrow_Seas__Kits_38.html&CatalogBody

WEM also makes a 77-foot ELCO sold as the PT-34.  It is an early PT Boat with twin turreted machine guns under plexiglas canopies.

Iron Shipwright makes a late-war 80-foot ELCO, with roll-off torpedos

ISW also makes a series of Spanish-American War-era Torpedo Boats

JAG makes a 78-foot Higgins

If 1:350 scale is too large for you, WEM offers the PT-109 in 1:700 scale.   Yes, it has all the PE details offered in the larger cousin (depression rails in 1:700 are a real trip!).    PitRoad also offers a set of styrene 1:700 scale PT Boats.

Now if you wish to discuss Schnellboats or MTBs ...

 

 

PT guys-check Mosquito boat hobbies.com  This web site has great kits,parts and web links,I just finished a 1/20 scale eleco boat[PT159] I should have pics shortly-Franks a great guy with a wealth of info............Alan

It had occured to me to try one of each kit

 

I built the R/M PT 109 when I was a kid, lately I keep seeing it at the local Longs Drugs and it has been calling my name, then I saw the article and now it is really becomeing an obsession. This size boat just seems a nice mix between naval models and armor. I've built some 1/700 scale ships which are fun but it is only an occasional interest.

 

Those Spanish American war torpedo boats look like they would be fun. 

What exactly are anti-depression rails? The image it brings to mind is probably not what they were for, are they a modeling accessary from WEM for builders trying to build a detailed 1/700 PT 109, I think I would lose my sanity.

Aaronw wrote:

What exactly are anti-depression rails? The image it brings to mind is probably not what they were for, are they a modeling accessary from WEM for builders trying to build a detailed 1/700 PT 109, I think I would lose my sanity.

The anti-depression rails are the railings which go around the 50 caliber machine gun tubs and the 20mm cannon.   They prevent the gunner from swinging the gun (i.e. depressing it ) into a populated part of the boat in the heat of combat.   

Actually they are quite easy to do in 1:350 or 1:700 scale.   Simply wrap the PE around a toothpick or drill bit of appropriate size and glue in place.    The WEM 1:350 scale PT boat is a very nice kit and an inexpensive entry into resin ships.   They run 10 GBP - with today's exhange rate that is about 17.20 USD.