Topic: PCF (Patrol Craft Fast) Vietnam Swift boat build (Read 63199 times)

red181 · « **Reply #125 on:** June 10, 2015, 10:17:50 pm »

Some paint hides all the faults, weathering has become my best friend

Ammo belts are on their way, that will be the finishing touch!

Andyn · « **Reply #126 on:** June 10, 2015, 10:37:21 pm »

Looking great, but how's the gunner going to fire that bmg with no handles or triggers?

red181 · « **Reply #127 on:** June 10, 2015, 10:44:02 pm »

"xxxxx"! I forgot the handles, thanks for the heads up, more work......

maybe it will fire with the remote control from the skybox , it does pretty much everything else

RAAArtyGunner · « **Reply #128 on:** June 11, 2015, 02:13:15 am »

Quote from: Unrecognisable Andy on June 10, 2015, 10:37:21 pm

Looking great, but how's the gunner going to fire that bmg with no handles or triggers?

Leave it on Automatic, it will just use up the ammunition a little faster

red181 · « **Reply #129 on:** June 12, 2015, 11:50:50 pm »

we have ammo, and something to fire it!

Perkasaman2 · « **Reply #130 on:** June 20, 2015, 11:50:08 pm »

The ammunition obtained certainly improves the look of the 50 cal.

red181 · « **Reply #131 on:** June 21, 2015, 10:24:20 pm »

took a bit of patience painting the individual ammo, I heated it up a bit to make it "floppy" and a more realistic look.

Now, help needed, the twin 50cal in the turret, I cant work out what this is supposed to look like, inside the turret. I think the guns are mounted on some sort of rail, so they can swing left and right, anybody got any pics, info etc?

Andyn · « **Reply #132 on:** June 21, 2015, 11:36:45 pm »

It's mounted on a rail inside, I don't believe it does a full 360 degrees, I think it's more like 270. I'll see if I can get a pic

red181 · « **Reply #133 on:** June 21, 2015, 11:57:46 pm »

Thanks Andy, I have scoured the net, not sure how it works, I know when not in use the position straight up and I'm not sure yet how to do mine. I have some crew on standby, bought them two years ago, but I need to see if I can make one look good for the turret, if not then the guns need to be in a stored position as I don't know if they are level when not in use, if you know what I mean!

derekwarner · « **Reply #134 on:** June 22, 2015, 01:19:39 am »

red181........there are 100 images here.....many to chose from..... Derek

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=vietnamese+fast+patrol+craft+military&biw=1707&bih=610&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=O1OHVcPzG4n38QX6g4KIAQ&ved=0CBwQsAQ

Andyn · « **Reply #135 on:** June 22, 2015, 07:44:02 am »

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #136 on:** June 22, 2015, 01:25:12 pm »

Whose is that Andy?!!

red181 · « **Reply #137 on:** June 22, 2015, 04:06:26 pm »

I have used those pics loads its a beauty. American owner from a few yrs ago

red181 · « **Reply #138 on:** June 22, 2015, 04:11:09 pm »

hi derek. yes loads of pics but nothing inside the turret. thats what I am after
thanks for efforts
paul

Stavros · « **Reply #139 on:** June 22, 2015, 04:22:23 pm »

Martin it could well be Andy's

http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,51145.msg524230.html#msg524230

But he hasnt updated his thread HINT HINT HINT Andy

Dave

Andyn · « **Reply #140 on:** June 22, 2015, 05:59:34 pm »

Oops

(That's because I haven't done much to it)

Andyn · « **Reply #141 on:** June 22, 2015, 06:00:34 pm »

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1252529&page=2#post15508791

red181 · « **Reply #142 on:** July 02, 2015, 11:20:34 pm »

started with the wheelhouse and cabin etc, took ages to do the handrails, in brass. I have painted them aluminium so I can add "wear" after the green paint is finished,

now I am struggling with the mast lights, some pictures have two red one blue, some have one red, one blue, one white, noit sure what to do, I want them to work. Also, no further on with what the inside of the turret looks lie, so cant establish how the twin 50 cal guns are mounted, anybody any info?

Ron Rees · « **Reply #143 on:** July 04, 2015, 01:43:53 pm »

Thats already looking better than my one, very nice.

There's a ring around the turret just where the inside flares out. This rotates as a whole unit inside two rings as well, one above and one below. Each gun is mounted on the diagonal side of a triangle and these are joined together by a tubular pivot that moves up and down, inside and at the top edge of a square 'C' section upright box girder that is fitted to the moving ring at the front.
Some guns were fitted with the side mounted ammo boxes which meant the cocking handle and cover plates were moved from the right to the left hand side of the left mounted gun, and there was often a loader standing inside the railings with a supply of filled boxes ready. Most, however were belt fed and I have seen pictures of the ammo belts resting around the ring, so they moved with the gun assembly. As far as I can tell the gunner stood on a half moon platform that was at the bottom of the turret where there was a semi-circular cutaway for the empty shell casings to fall down into the cabin!!. There were bags often fitted each side of the guns or slung under this cutout.

If I could work out how to attach my photos to these messages I could put them on the site, but my computer doesn't seem to like it!!!(Or I am doing something wrong.) a bit of tech training needed here!!

Hope this helps..........Ron

Perkasaman2 · « **Reply #144 on:** July 04, 2015, 02:47:57 pm »

If you troll the WW2 Elco 80 PT Boat info sites the double mount on the Swift Boat is virtually identical but set lower in the turret. Unfortunately I cannot find my photos taken from the surviving original PT Boat preserved in the USA. It is their standard twin fifty turret mount which remained modified from WW2 and continued in use thoughout the Vietnam era. The Swift turret edge is flared and set higher to give more protection and was used for shore attack rather than anti aircraft use. This site has some good drawings:

http://www.pt-boat.com/

red181 · « **Reply #145 on:** July 04, 2015, 10:24:32 pm »

Thanks for that detailed description Ron, and the link Perkasaman provided this!

This info and links should get things sorted, now, what about the mast lights chaps!

red181 · « **Reply #146 on:** July 12, 2015, 12:27:42 am »

got some more done today, paintwork, and some details, more on them later. Todays main project was making the auxiliary throttle housing, and it was out with my home made vac former to do this!

The housing was made from a scrap piece of wood, then I waited for the wife to go out, the oven is needed and it will be very hot, and stink of melting plastic, so she must be out of the house before I start

red181 · « **Reply #147 on:** July 12, 2015, 12:33:35 am »

So now I can cut the top off the wooden block, and trim the vac formed top. Reason for all this, it would have been so easy to just have the throttle housing closed, but I want it open, so now I have the exact size and shape for the top, its been painted, so should be fitted tomorrow, it will all make sense then! And will hopeful look something like this

red181 · « **Reply #148 on:** July 12, 2015, 09:04:19 pm »

It now has its number!

red181 · « **Reply #149 on:** July 27, 2015, 06:11:49 pm »

moving on slowly, the "little tasks" seem to take ages.

Wiring the mast was a real labour intensive thing, not only was it awkward, I managed to break or knock most of the mast detail, got that bit wrong.

So mast will have 3 lights, then the rear deck searchlight, and the two nav lights on the turret, the forward searchlight on the wheel house, and finally, two more searchlights on the turret. All led's, which are not exactly scale, but can be seen. Then some normal pygmy bulbs for cabin and wheelhouse, these will then have a more realistic "yellow" appearance. My club holds a few evening meetings where members are asked to bring boats that illuminate, this certainly will.

All will be powered from this

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...arehouse_.html

I have one of these in another boat, its a very clever, and very cheap piece of kit

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Author Topic: PCF (Patrol Craft Fast) Vietnam Swift boat build (Read 63199 times)

Stavros