Calling all PT Boat (all types) fans!

[Garth]

Just .... WOW ................ and .... again, thank you.

Garth

[robertmelvin]

Garth, it's only fair to give credit where credit is due. I'm certainly not able to devote the time I'd have to give the project to gather and process the information you have. It's a great service to those of us that are interesting in modeling P.T. boats and greatly appreciated.

I got a notice from Barnes & Noble today that your book had been shipped, so hopefully I should have it by the end of the week. I can't wait to get my hands on it. I've been working on a couple of projects lately, one being Revell's old 1/249 U.S.S. Buckley, the other being Trumpeter's 1/350 U.S.S. North Carolina. Work has been going very slowly on the Showboat since summer leaves me little time to model. So, I've decided to suspend work on her till cool weather sets in and yard work and other things don't demand as much of my time. Last night I took my old Revell P.T. 109 kit out of the stash. While I wait for the winter building season to set in I'm going to concentrate on finishing Buckley (she's about 80% done) and building P.T. 109. I have the PE set for her, along with the 35mm field gun for the foredeck. I'm sure your book will be helpful to me with her, even though its aimed more at the Italieri kit. I'm hoping she'll turn out well enough that I'll be proud to post pictures of her here.

I'm planning on painting her WEM's MTB Green, which seems to be the most "accurate" paint scheme for her at the time she was in action off Guadalcanal, thought you get all manner of opinions. Anti-fouling red bottom, of course. Any thoughts on whether that paint scheme is on the money or not?

Garth, keep up the great work, you deserve great praise for your efforts, sir.

Bob

[Guest]

Bob,

I'd go with the Tropical Scheme system ... overall Tropical Green ... and I've been told by several sources, mostly vets (so take it as you'd like) that a lot of the boats were overall Navy Green. But, I've got to say; back in the late 1980s, four of the suviving members of the last crew of the 109 each wrote me hand-written long letters, in which, two of them said that the 109 was (and I'll quote) "Battleship Gray" and two said (and all 4 said their assertions were the correct one) that the boat was "Olive Drab Green" ... which leads me to think that she was Navy Green.

Now, in regard to my new book:

It features a build, which is basically straight from the box, super-detailed and corrected into an excellent model of PT-576. Two builds showcase examples of how to back-date the kit to PT-109 and PT-191. Another build shows how to convert the kit to PT-559 which was fitted with the quad-20mm Elco Thunderbolt mount and the last build shows PT-374 as part of a diorama.

Garth

[robertmelvin]

Garth, thanks for the information on the proper color for the 109. I have several tins of WEM Tropical Green and thats the way I'll go. Interesting that there was such a distinct diversion in the recollections of the 4 members of the 109's last crew. But, I don't find it surprising. I'm a trial lawyer by trade and any trial lawyer worth his salt will tell you that eye witness testimony is some of the least reliable testimony there is!

I got your book today. Congratulations on a job well done! I've only had time to skim it so far, but I can already tell that it is more than worth the money and will be helpful to me no only on my 109 project, but also when I get ready to tackle the Italieri 596, which is calling to me from the stash. I wish my scratch building skills were up to doing justice to some of the things you suggest, but I'll definitely do the best I can.

Let me say that I'm proud to be able to say that I correspond on line with the author of that book! You put a lot of work and effort into it, and it shows. The photography is just beautiful and from what I've seen so far the text is very instructive and understandable. I'm looking forward to having time this weekend to pour over it in detail.

One final question, if I have further questions that come up during my 109 build, do you mind it I trouble you with them?

Thanks again for your fantastic contribution to our hobby.

Bob Melvin

[Garth]

Bob,

Thanks for the quick and dirty review of the book, GLAD you liked it and found/find it helpful ... for both of your PT projects. I'll be forwarding your comments to Mr. Daley - as I'm sure that he'll be glad to hear positive feedback.

As for the photos in the book, you'll need to thank the modelers for them. They all supplied GREAT photos of their builds; all I did was to increase the resolution of them, heck, a Cylon Centurion could do that.

Yes sir, Bob, you are welcome to ask me anything. If you don't have my personal email address, just go over to www.ptboatworld.com and click on the CONTACT US button in the side menu ... Looking forward to hearing from you. And, thanks again for the first review of the new book, it was a nice one to get thte first thing in the morning; sets the tone for the day.

Garth

[Garth]

By the way Guys?

The book is also available on www.amazon.com and all of the amazons in Europe.

Garth

[robertmelvin]

Garth, go to Barnes & Noble's web site. Pull up your new book. I think you'll like what you see there. Did my best to be objective, but it was hard not to wax effusive.

Bob

[Garth]

Thank you for doing that, Bob.

Garth

[robertmelvin]

Glad to, Garth. I meant what I said. We need more works like yours. I have the 596 in the stash, but your book has already been helpful to me working on my 1/72 P.T. 109 build. Thank you for your efforts in producing that. You obviously put a lot of time and effort into it, from research to production, and it shows. I'd be proud to recommend it to anybody interested in P.T. boats, not only from the modeling stand point, but from a historical perspective as well. You included a number of period photographs I have never seen before and definitely broadened my knowledge of the subject. I also have one of your prior works on U.S.N. P.T. boats and have enjoyed it very much, as well as finding it useful for research purposes.

I don't want to be presumptuous, but would you object if I "friended" you? I don't do much of that kind of thing and don't even know much more than that Facebook exists. My "social networking" is limited to this site.

Bob

[Garth]

That's OK Bob, I'm so glad you found the book helpful. That was my goal. I'm sorry; but I'm no longer on Facebook. But, I do have my blog on http://www.ptboatworld.com ...

Garth

[robertmelvin]

Garth, I was actually asking if I could list you as a "friend" on this board. I don't Facebook, MySpace or anything else. THIS is my social networking! LOL

Bob

[Garth]

Oh. Yeah, sure ... why not.

[robertmelvin]

Garth, your tool bar at the bottom of your posts is apparently disabled. Without this, I cannot list you as a friend. However, if you go to my profile at the bottom of one of my posts you can add me to your friend list here and that will serve the same purpose, if you still want to.

Bob

[Timmy C]

Sorry to both of you, but since Garth is not a registered member of this forum, the functions you are talking about are accessible by neither side.

[Garth]

Well, I was registered at one time and everything was fine, but then, a few years ago, I went to sign in and got bounced and each time I try and reset my password, it will not take it.

So, TIMMYC ... what do you suggest I do? As site owner, could you reset it for me?

Garth

[NukeMM]

Garth, I was actually asking if I could list you as a "friend" on this board. I don't Facebook, MySpace or anything else. THIS is my social networking! LOL

Bob

Bob,

I'm on your side. I tried Facebook and I like The Ship Model Forum better. I call it my SHIP-FACED BOOK

[Timmy C]

Well, I was registered at one time and everything was fine, but then, a few years ago, I went to sign in and got bounced and each time I try and reset my password, it will not take it.

So, TIMMYC ... what do you suggest I do? As site owner, could you reset it for me?

Garth

Hey Garth,

I'm not the site owner (that's Cadman, screename for Tim Dike), so I don't have the ability to check up on problems with particular accounts. The only way to get around this asides from contacting Cadman is to try registering as a new account.

[Garth]

Yes sir, I tried that, but it tells me that the email address submitted is already in use. So, I've found it to be just as easy to post this way. So, why bother Mr. Dike yet again, with the same issue, ... makes me looks "silly" ...

But, thank you for your suggestions TIMMYC - I do appreciate them.

May I ask you something? I've lost contact with that English modeler, Edward Pinneger (sp?) ... Do you have an email address fo him?

Thanks,

Garth

[meatloaf109]

I don't know if anybody has posted this yet, if so, appologies all 'round, but I found the P.T. manual, "Know your P.T. boat" on the Historic Naval Ships Association web site. It is a great resource for all who love those plywood wonders.

[Garth]

And, don't they have other PT related manuals there as well?

Garth