Dumas PT Boat (PT105) 1:30 scale by MOG [COMPLETED BUILD]

MOG

Joined
Aug 11, 2018
Messages
157
Points
253

After the Rattlesnake I wanted to do something different. I have always been interested in the WW2 PT (Patrol Torpedo) boat. My build will be modelled on PT 105 commanded by Dick Keresey. Yes believe it or not they made other PTs besides the 109. The 105 was an 80 foot Elco Torpedo boat 1942, built of spruce, oak and mahogany and made watertight by marine plywood covering.

The Dumas kit 1233, 4 large sheet plans, decent 45 page instruction book, ok pictures, good material list. Kit is supplied with Mahogany, birch, and poplar ply. Dumas decided to replace the Mahogany sheet hull planking with 2mm PVC they say it makes for a smother finial finish. OK however if I wanted to build a PVC boat, I would have bought one. I will buy 2mm Mahogany sheets to do the hull planking properly

DSC01297.JPGDSC01296.JPGDSC01302.JPGDSC01303.JPG
 
PT boats are very cool subjects. I am curious about that Dumas kit. I wonder if it was originally designed to be used as a radio controlled (R/C) model versus a static display model. That might explain some of the PVC parts. ??
 
Hi MOG

I help you out how to post full images,before you the post button,select Full images as show on this screenshot,wait a few seconds than Post reply.Thanks.

66E0ADA2-87E5-4CFB-B82D-B2DA5FC1F844.png
 
Now I have time on my hands, retirement time, I have wanted to do a PT for years, have spent the past year reading allot about the boats and crews, A PT boat Captain who witnessed an Elco PT being built said “ What I saw was a group of boatbuilders ,building boats by hand. If a builder who had crafted clipper ships had been resurrected, he could have joined that group with no problem.” “Nothing was nailed everything was fastened in place with screws, bolts, glue or a combination on three” Craftmanship and all wood fast boat, armed to the teeth what’s not to love.
Thanks Zoltan I always seem to forget that part
 
Have built many DUMAS Boats, Most were intended f/RC. However they make outstanding display pieces as well. My fav, was the Coast Guard Utility. As for the PT having plastic for the hull sheeting, I would not like that at all. Looks like they have cheapened the quality of the kit by doing so. My best guess is the price for the ply is high and this is a easy fix. Glad to hear you are willing to go the extra distance and do her right. The Elco was not a metal hull vessel, she was wood. Will follow along as you build.
Rick
 
American PT boat, the British MTB or German Schnellboot do have great war story to tell.
They saw a lots of action in the British channel
I am following the build of one Schnellboot 1/35 from Italéri on a French forum
Those are great model.
 
For framing and planking the PT boats were built upside down. The prefabricated bulkheads were lined up on a template on the floor of the building shed. Following this original building style. A building board (shed floor) is marked out following measurements from the plans to form a template for centring the keel, and lines for placing the bulkheads. The keel and frame 1-6 are placed on the board with the keel and frame 1 and 6 glued to the board. A lower sheer is added to both sides & the rest of the frames a dry fitted, checked for alinement, the feet of the frames are glued to the board. Then the chine is added to the upper frames once the lines look good the frames are glued to the keel.
Being a different way to build some trial and error came into play, however after working at getting the whole thing centred it was a simple process, the only error was frame 1 moved during drying and did not fit square to the keel. I used a holding block to help get the frame & sheer as close as stress would allow. DSC01305.JPGDSC01299.JPGDSC01307.JPG
 
Bottom planking with mahogany. The Dumas plans called for PVC planking using 3 pre-cut sections per side. I went with I full section preside to eliminate seams and get a better shape. Will still have to do some light filling, then plane & sand to shape.DSC01324.JPGDSC01323.JPG
 
UGLY as it looks it’s effective. I’m quickly learning sheet planking is very different than single strip planking. You have allotted more surface to cover, since you are side planking on the frame upside-down, the top seams (bottom edge for the aft sheet is mainly straight, but the bottom edge curves as you go forward. The screwed in blocks work well for holding the bottom edge firmly in place but given the width and shape of the hull tape lots of tape works best for holding to top edge in place. Before you ask, I did think of using pins to hold it during the drying, but the edges of frames are not made of solid material and will not hold the pins under pressure.DSC01326.JPGDSC01327.JPG
 
I
UGLY as it looks it’s effective. I’m quickly learning sheet planking is very different than single strip planking. You have allotted more surface to cover, since you are side planking on the frame upside-down, the top seams (bottom edge for the aft sheet is mainly straight, but the bottom edge curves as you go forward. The screwed in blocks work well for holding the bottom edge firmly in place but given the width and shape of the hull tape lots of tape works best for holding to top edge in place. Before you ask, I did think of using pins to hold it during the drying, but the edges of frames are not made of solid material and will not hold the pins under pressure.View attachment 117485View attachment 117486
It is also much quicker. Fast progress.
 
Great project and great workThumbsupI have one of the old wood Precedent Perkasa kits 1/24 in my stash,along with full Battlecrafts resin fitting set as the kit was very simplistic.I do plan on making it RC.The kit was designed around an old Mercol diesel engine.Not many places allow ic engine models anymore and builders have struggled to get the 49" model hull to plane using electric power.I have 3 brushless motors which will give 2.25 HP so it should have enough pokeROTF

Kind Regards

Nigel
 
Great work. Interesting build, as much as I like old sailing ships it’s nice to see something differen. Thanks for doing a build log.
 
Back
Top