Revell 1/72 PT-109
Since watching "McHale's Navy" and the movie "PT-109" when I was a kid, I've been fascinated with PT boats. I decided I needed a change of pace and this was what came of it.
The kit is the oldest in Revell's inventory, having been introduced in 1963. It's pretty simple, but builds into a nice representation of an early Elco 80 foot boat. This one was built mostly OOB. The 37mm gun on the foredeck came from the Hasegawa 1/72 jeep and was built without the wheels and fenders. An RC model supplied the wood for the timbers the gun was lashed to, with sewing thread for the rope. The .50 cal gun barrels were replaced with the leftover guns from my A-20. The whip antenna next to the bridge is a piece of .020 stainless safety wire. Many of the early Pacific PT boats were painted green to blend in with jungle foliage and a dark sea. The exact color is open to debate, so using some color photos as a reference, I added some white to some dark green until it looked right. The lower hull was painted with red automotive primer, which is a pretty close match for the "copperoyd" used on the real thing. Weathering was my usual drybrushes and washes, with the idea of having some of the original gray showing through beneath the green. PT-109 did not survive long after being painted, so I didn't get too carried away.
And I had a blast building it. Now maybe I'll take a look at converting a Vosper kit into the PT-73...
The oldest Revell kit in their inventory is the 1/530 USS Missouri, from 1953.
Actually, all PT boats used in the Pacific got painted green.
Nice work on this old chestnut.
Has the "Big Mo" been in continuous production since 1953, or re-pops? Just curious.
Good job Jaime.
It looks as good, or better, than you described it. Beautiful job from where I sit. The 109 as it should be, 'cept fot that depth charge...
Thats killer. I really am very impressed,
Looks great Jaime! I was introduced in 1964, so the kit has one year on me. You made it look a lot better than I do at that age!
NICE!
Nice work Jaime. I was a big fan of "Mchale's Navy" as well.
Great job, Jamie...now I wish I had one.
Like it! Is your Vosper kit the Airfix example?
Gregor, I don't have the kit yet, but I'm told the Revell Vosper is more accurate for the PT-73 conversion.
@Jamie Carreon what exact red automotive primer did you use for the lower hull of the boat?
Karl, it was Duplicolor high fill red automotive primer in a rattle can straight from the shelf at Wal Mart. I had a can in the garage and it was really close to the color chips I had seen for the bottom color, so I used it.
Thanks, everyone!
Looks sweet Jaime.
Well done mate.
Very nice build there! I like the very subtle worn look!
Really nice job there Jaime ,inspired my to put some time in on my little floater !.
N.
Very nicely done Jaime- I really like the subtle weathering you applied to your PT boat.
You've got a hit with this one, Jaime, great work!
Jamie,
A bit late on my comment but this is an excellent build. The kit is an old turkey but can still be built up into a nice model. Your model proves that. Great job, I like it.
Jamie,
That's very good.
T. Garth Connelly