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ť Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: PT-109 DAMAGED
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Last month a gentlemen by the name of Harold Petterson saw an article our local Newspaper had done about my books. He had called me and wondered if he could stop by for a visit. He came over one afternoon, introduced himself, and asked if I would help him remove something from his car. That something was a wonderfully constructed 1/24 PT-109 Radio controlled model. He donated it to my Exhibit, which really caught me by surprise. The model is beautifully constructed, although several items I wanted to have changed. Enter, Stan Pienkowski, who said he would make any changes that I wanted to do.

With Stan's work load, it was going to be some time before I would get the boat over to his workshop. This all changed in a blink of an eye. I had the model in my home Office, sitting on a real nice piece of furniture I purchased, just for this model. On Wednesday morning, I usually jump on the Computer before work, to check on my E-Mail and status of my Bank statements. I had noticed something large on the floor, and when I clicked on the light, it was my newly donated PT-109 on her back!!!

After a tirade of obsenities, I gently picked up the boat to inspect the damage. My first thought was, how the heck did she end up on the floor. After doing some light detective work, it was discovered that out Cats had gotten into a tiff, and knocked it over during this CAT FIGHT!! I do like the Cat's, but my first thought was to skin them alive. After my Wife had calmed me down (yes I did wake her up with my yelling) I accessed the damage done by these horrible felines. The rear 20mm was broken off at the base, and the port side torpedo was missing it's black powder charge flask. The mast was broken in several places, and one of the 20mm stowage boxes broke loose. Starboard side 50 caliber was snapped off at it's mounting, and the depth charge snapped off of the deck. Spray shield around the cockpit is loose, and starboard side torpedo is loose but not broken.

Everything else in in fine shape, considering the tumble the boat had taken. I think I was lucky that I never got rid of the carpet in this room, which more or less cushioned the blow. The boat is now in my car, and will take the trip this morning to Stan's workshop, where she will be in dry dock for some time. What started out to be a minor few items for Stan to work on, plus building her a new case, has now become a Repair Training Unit project. I will be taking a look at our PT-10 project while at Stan's, who by the way, know's nothing of the boats latest fall. I can hear him yelling now "Shoot those dam Cat's", but I guess these things can happen. For now the Cat's will live, and PT-109 will again sail on, after being dry-docked for a spell....................

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: May 15, 2011 - 4:15am
Total Posts: 3544 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Bummer Frank, but at least it wasn't dogs. Half the boat would have been eaten. I don't imagine Stan would have been thrilled to put back together the contents of several pooper-scoopers.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: May 15, 2011 - 5:27am
Total Posts: 2201 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Frank;
Didn't I tell you? Don't you know cats are the arch nemisis of PT Boats? Cats have done more damage to PT Boats than the Japanese ever did!!! While I was stationed in Panama(1994-1998), I left alot of my dioramas at my Mothers Home.
I lost my whole 1/72 Tulagi base due to my mothers cat throwing up all over it, The base was 75% complete, and just like "Washing Machine Charlie" the cat came down over the Hills behind the base(AKA: the window sill) swooped in and destroyed the engine shop, swiped the crane off the dock, and threw up on PT 60 which was still in the floating drydock undergoing hull repairs, PT 110 which was at the dock having her centerline engine pulled, and PT 111 which was moored nearby. Only PT 59 was spared, as she was in the slip for the marine railway. Since my Mom was the only repair and recovery crew present, the whole diorama got the heave-ho!!! Only PT 59 survives today.
I believe Wayne Traxals PT squadron was also hit by cats, I remember him telling me his 1/24th PT 77 was hit.
Good Luck with the rebuild!!
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: May 15, 2011 - 7:36am
Total Posts: 3080 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

The only good cats I have ever heard of were the Black Cats flying the Slot...

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: May 15, 2011 - 8:59am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Well Stan took the model in this morning, and we placed her in dry-dock. A list was made as to what needed to be fixed or replaced. We decided we needed a new 20mm cannon and a new mast. By the way gang, I made a mistake, the boat is 1/20 scale, so I need a 20mm and mast if anyone knows where to get one. Stan just shook his head and said, get rid of those dam cats. We thought about a complete re-paint, but we decided not to. She will be in dry dock for some time.

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: May 15, 2011 - 12:06pm
Total Posts: 3544 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Frank . . .

Try "Franks Mosquito Boat Hobbies" [url]http://www.franksmosquitoboathobbies.com/[/url]

He does or use to specialize in large format PT Boats.

Dick . . .

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: May 15, 2011 - 12:10pm
Total Posts: 1487 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

Frank,

Many years ago, I found that two little brothers could be as damaging as cats to the plastic models I so carefully built and detailed in my youth.

Mine were very blase when, as adults, they described to me how they used break into my locked room while I was at after-school sports practices or jobs to "play" with -- and break -- my models (or peruse what I had thought were my carefully-hidden Playboy magazines!).

Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: May 15, 2011 - 5:56pm
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am

Hey there Frank.

Good luck with the repairs.

Cats go really good with sweet and sour sauce. VBEG LOL

Cheers from Peter

"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!"

Posted By: PeterTareBuilder | Posted on: May 15, 2011 - 9:00pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Cat destroyers in the night
Everwhere they looked was the enemy
Those heather cats thought they'd got the best of a man name John
Smoke and fire came out Frank's ears
Every where he looked caused him tears
Now who could guess or who could possibly know that
A hero named Stan would put the 109 together again.

Smoke and fire upon the grill
With beer and sauce we'll have our fill
The cats are done there's no more time.
Oh those heather cats thought they'd got the best of a man named Stan.

My apologies to Jimmy Dean and his song PT-109

Cheers from Peter

"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!"

Posted By: PeterTareBuilder | Posted on: May 15, 2011 - 9:17pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

I USED TO LIKE CATS,BUT I NEVER COULD FINISH A WHOLE ONE.
I FOUND THE MEAT A BIT STRINGY AND THEY GIVE ME GAS.

Steve Tuhy

Posted By: Steve Tuhy | Posted on: May 15, 2011 - 9:38pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Pete

Nice job on the old Jimmy Dean song, I'm still laughing at that one. My Wife has now installed camera's at the house, so she can make sure I don't try anything funny against her Cats. I think it was a team effort on their part, because they were mad at me for not letting them out Tuesday evening..............

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: May 16, 2011 - 1:30am
Total Posts: 3544 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Ted, You remembered, and after 26 years I Still have PTSD over this one. Had just completed my RC 1/24th scale Higgins PT- 73 the night before and the next day pictures were going to be taken for an article in Ships N Scale magazine. While at work the cat sneaked down in the basement and climbed up in the false ceiling just above the work bench where 73 sat in her cradle . Naturally the 10 lb. cat fell from an altitude of four feet through the ceiling panel and kamikazed the Higgins, splitting the access hatch in two and clearing all the fittings aft of the charthouse while frantically trying to climb out of the boat. My wife Linda, rushed downstairs and seeing what had happened, knew it was strike three for this worthless life form and took it to live at her mothers until it blew over. The model was never quite the same even after it was repaired and within a year the hull was stripped and was rebuilt as PT-77. To this day the basement aggressively remains the forbidden zone for cats.

Wayne Traxel

Posted By: Wayne Traxel | Posted on: May 16, 2011 - 6:41pm
Total Posts: 248 | Joined: Oct 11, 2006 - 5:40am

Here is a photo of the two Cats that wrecked PT-109. Notice they are looking so sweet and innocent here, but I know better. No model is safe with these two around...............
Frank

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/cats001.jpg[/image]

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: May 16, 2011 - 11:23pm
Total Posts: 3544 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Frank, that black one has an evil glint in its eyes.

Ted and Wayne, those are some true horror stories. It sounds like a lot of careful work went down the tubes...

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: May 17, 2011 - 3:12am
Total Posts: 2201 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Egad's, a real Rogue's Gallery you have there Frank.

Yeah, a lot of work was lost for the PT-73 model, however in my case, the rebuilt PT-77 model proved to be even better model.

Sounds like Ted's diorama loss, was irreplaceable.

From what I have seen, Stan will make Frank's new 109 better.

Wayne Traxel

Posted By: Wayne Traxel | Posted on: May 17, 2011 - 7:18am
Total Posts: 248 | Joined: Oct 11, 2006 - 5:40am

test only

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: May 17, 2011 - 9:17am
Total Posts: 1487 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm