Let me recap...
when I first started the PT Boat project, I wasn't sure about the actual colour of the PT Boat.
This all started with Mike's (McHale) interest in PT-73 from the TV show McHale's Navy.
That fantasy boat is an all-over Battleship gray.
For my model design, I had an interest in the Elco 80' Boat
which is the most produced Torpedo Boat in WW2 and used by the US Navy.
But after a lot of investigation I learned that the Boats were produced and delivered to the Navy
as requested, in a two-tone Gray finish...
Navy Gray #5 Hull (with red copperoyd bottom) and Navy Dark Gray #5D for the deck and upper structures
but after delivery, and for combat deployment, the Boats were painted Green.
Everything (except for the copperoyd bottoms) became green.
From there, some boats in certain locations, received camouflage paint schemes.
And the Navy experimented with disruptive camoufalges aswell.
Anyway...I decided to go with the proper combat look and paint the model green.
But right from the start, I had an interest in producing a gray boat.
Something that represented the "factory" look (and something that Mikey could turn into PT73!).
Since the release of PT 103 Class (in green) I have had a request for PT-109 markings.
(PT 109 became famous because of Skipper John F Kennedy)
I have also found discussion that centers around the idea that PT109 may not have "gone green".
And possibly remained in "factory colours".
...so, a short story getting longer...
This is what I am doing next:
I am producing another 103 Class model.
This one will be a "factory finish" version in the two tone Gray.
It will also be PT-109.
(which did, at one point, come out of the factory in Gray)
The Boat is basically the same Boat with all the same details.
I will however be adding a Bow Deck mounted 37mm AntiTank Gun
(which the crew added just before PT-109s final mission).
I will also have to add two Depth Charge canisters to the forward deck.
(Interesting story about that... a Torpedo misfire, caused by launching the Torpedo without properly swivelling out the Launch Tube,
resulted in the Torpedo hitting one of the Depth Charges and blowing a hole in the Hull!)
And I have already added a Bonus Page of parts to convert the model to PT-73.
yes, the TV PT-73 was not an Elco 80' Torpedo Boat.
To be fair, it wasn't even a real Torpedo Boat.
You have to stretch your imagination a bit...
if McHale`s crew had found an 80`Elco, they would have slapped PT-73 on it pretty quick!
stay tuned Boaters!