Revell-Monogram PT 212 Torpedo Boat
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PT Boats
Patrol Torpedo (PT) boats were designed to deliver devastating and distracting
torpedo attacks, mainly under cover of darkness, using their small size
and speed to get in, deliver their payload and escape. The three main
variants used by the USN were the Elcos, the Higgins and the Huckins.
The Elcos were the most numerous and included the famous PT-109 captained
by future president John F. Kennedy.
The Higgins boats were the second most common type and were used mainly
in the Mediterranean. They faced-off against their German and Italian
counterparts (Schnellbootes and MAS boats) as well as the heavier-armed
German F-lighters.
The real PT 212 was a Higgins 78-foot boat that served in the Mediterranean
Sea until it was signed over to the Royal Navy via Lend Lease. A close-up
of the real boat’s bridge is in Squadron/Signal Publication’s
“PT Boats in Action” — complete with RN officers hobnobbing
with the crew.
The Kit
 This
Patrol Torpedo Boat model was issued by Revell several decades ago as
part of its “Picture Fleet.” It has been reissued this year
by Revell-Monogram as part of their Selected Subjects Program. It includes
an inspiring box top painting that “you can frame!”
The first thing a lot of experienced modelers are going to say when
they look inside this box is “bath tub toy.” I see a lot of
potential – with the proper aftermarket accessories. Unfortunately,
it’s not in a scale where you will find any existing accessories.
 Comparing
the line drawing in the “PT Boats in Action” book with the
model, I see three discrepancies. The chine is lower on the model than
in the drawing, the deckhouse looks a little different and the model’s
mast is located too far forward. I don’t need a line drawing to
note that the three 20 mm guns and two sets of twin .50 caliber machine
guns look nothing like their prototypes. In fact, the 20mm on the stern
should probably be a 40mm Bofors. It resembles neither.
 The
kit comes with 46 parts distributed around three sprues. This is a rather
old mold, so there is some flash that will need to be trimmed away. Among
the parts are three crewmembers: a helmsman and two gunners. The latter
two are in convincing action poses. The deck is accurately molded in a
camber and without planking. However, the anchor, boat spar and raft on
the forecastle are molded integral to the deck. A stand is included. The
hull is nine inches long from stem to transom, making the model 1/104th
scale. The hull has some interesting bumps placed diagonally along the
waterline that are difficult to explain. Neither the line drawings nor
the photographs in the Squadron book offer much elucidation.
 The
instruction sheet is well laid out with five easy to follow steps. It
includes some unintentionally funny paint call-outs like silver for the
guns.
Conclusion
I can recommend this kit for kids just getting their feet wet in nautical
model building. It was the first naval kit I built and I’ve remembered
its dynamically posed crew members ever since. The small number of parts
should result in a quick weekender build for the novice.
For the more experienced modeler hoping to create an accurate 78-foot
Higgins, look elsewhere. Even if some adequate replacement parts become
available for the guns and the mast is moved back to its proper location,
the hull and deckhouse issues would almost require a completely scratch-built
model. |
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