“GAINT KILLERS” - The Story of the Elco PT Boats
This video takes viewers through the manufacturing process of typical Elco 80-foot Motor Torpedo Boats. Elco had previously designed and built 70 and 77-foot boats based predominately on the British design of Hubert Scott-Payne’s (British Power Boat Company) PV70. With a limited production of the earlier boats, and because of Navy requirements, Elco used a design of their own for their Elco 80-foot motor torpedo boats. This boat would become the most produced boat throughout the war, with the Higgins 78-foot boat close behind.
Personally, I would not categorize this as a documentary, instead, this video is an Elco promotional film. The production of this film was photographed and directed by Wallace Van Nostrand and supervised by Thomas A. Kelly, The video was compiled and edited by The Princeton Film Center and narrated by Van Deventer.
At the time, Elco was a naval division of the much larger Electric Boat Company of Bayonne, New Jersey. Elco was/is known as a manufacturer of pleasure boats prior to and after World War II.
This is the same boat type as PT 109 (PT-109) that was lost while John F. Kennedy served as Skipper.
Boats of wood and men of steel, the good old days when made in America was no joke.
Imagine walking out and buying mahogany plywood nowadays?
My father was on PT 147, The "Who Me?" in the South Pacific, He had a couple of healed bullet holes in his leg and had malaria attaches once in awhile until he died in 1989. God love the PT's; "80 feet of fighting fury !"
Semper Fi Father Houck
They aren't known as the greatest generation for nothing. My father served in the navy at the end of Korea. He never saw combat but had the utmost respect for those who did.
THIS is the AMERICA we wish to MAKE GREAT AGAIN!
I’d like to see that.But when I see how bad a lot of things are getting here. I have to say it doesn’t look good.
I love where he stated " Scandinavian Craftsman " with an Adz. During the 60's thru 90's there Sons would come back stateside to frame homes galore in Staten Island. They could cut a roof better & faster with a hatchet than a guy with a skill saw. Started working for some of them back in HS, I carried lots of lumber & had to make sure they never ran out of beer. Eventually they taught me. Best Education ever. Wouldn't trade it for anything!
Cool video, from a period when we were a manufacturing power house. Some old school craftsman and modern technology for the day. Funny when he said girl welder made me think of my mother she was a welder and worked at the Fore river shipyard in Quincy Mass she worked on the the WASP, it was sunk in the south pacific, I use to tease her that her welds must have failed. I've had a thing for PT'S for over 60 years especially the ELCO. Thanks for sharing the video.
"...from a period when we were a manufacturing power house." It's not exactly like you get your aircraft carriers from Amazon, you know. 🙂
@@SeverityOne Today when we know that women are as able as men it is a little humoruos, Like they were a different kind of "critters"! But times back then was not what they are today :)
Very unlikely that America could match that sorta manufacturing scope, effort, and accomplishment today - especially in a short period of time from conception to full production. Even for a similar low technology product. Back then there was a spirit, work ethic, character, level of education, and organization not found today. Plus too many limiting regs.
Yea they built them right then also cool fact JFK was a PT BOAT skipper
I grew up with the sound and image of these beautiful vessels. Amidst the comedy of the television show around them, I fell in love with the look of this warship... this from a war I had only heard about from uncles who had served. My model of PT 109 was a treasured toy that sailed a hostile creek from my younger days. These boats were a marvel of what can be done in the defense of one's nation...
25:30 mentions equipment being installed "too sensitive to mention." This refers to the radar which became available April 1943. At first only one boat in four to six got 'radio sets' as they were referred but by the time Uncle Leo Piersall's boat PT532 under command of Ensign Stephens from Moline launched October 1943 all the boats were issued them. One half of the boats were lost and a third of the crews. It was dangerous duty. The 'radio sets' really helped with navigation as many boats were lost due to 'reef hang-ups'. 28:30 mentions the term "Devil boats." In November 1944 for the Borneo campaign they were issued a four by four rocket tube launcher. These basically shot a five inch artillery shell a mile and a quarter. This is not the eight or ten miles of a cannon, but night engagements occurred at close quarters. Uncle Leo said they weren't too bad to reload either. These rockets gave these plywood boats a punch they previously lacked. A "Devil boat" is a rocket equipped PT boat. Great video of manufacturing techniques.
I have seen video of a restored PT boat. The rockets my Uncle described are actually a two by four configuration; mounted on the Bow, one starboard and one on the port side. He said they weren't too bad to reload either.
My Father joined the Coast Guard on Dec 8th, 1941. The Navy wouldn't take him because a few bad teeth, so he joined the Coast Guard and fought along side the U.S. Navy on an 83' Cutter, hunting Submarines and other duties. He saw lots of action in the Philippines, and the Pacific Theater for the duration of WW2. He was Proud to Serve, and won 3 Bronze Stars for Bravery. That's when America was America!
According to the Naval War College Museum in Newport, RI, when the PT boat was being designed, a couple of admirals went over to Little Compton, RI to talk to some rum runners from the Prohibition days. The admirals wanted to find how the runners boats could outrun the Coast Guard so frequently. After a few drinks, the runners provided some key elements that went into the design of the PT boats.
My father served P.T Philippines WW2 Thank you
Amazing video and time travel, truly Americas greatest generation. What a beautiful boat design and build.
A fantastic documentary! Exemplary writing - descriptive, emotive, inspiring. I felt as though I were a boat- my parts coming together - moving through the factory - and finally being born on the water. The level of complex sophistication in design, construction, workmanship and handling - produces a marvel of functional fine art - designed to kill. I can't help but love it.
I believe one is in the Cleveland area?
@@TERoss-jk9nyqq
love these hard working people..They never stop...
There was a major war on at the time...
A slide ruler,....wow,...who remembers how to use one, let alone what it was? (P.S. I am gratified with the amount of responses! I started my scholastic pursuits (late 1970s) with a slide ruler and ended using calculators. In the end I recall I had a TI-55 and TI-57).
You want mine? I don’t use it anymore
@@paulne1514 I have 4 of them. The oldest one I inherited from my father. I was saving up to get a metal "Pickett" brand,....then the calculator (Texas Instruments TI10) came along.
Started engineering school with one. Graduated with a calculator.
@@sknemo Ditto,...
Used one/learned in 1969, Jr. High, "Slide rule's" got us to the Moon, it backed up the Apollo, on-board computers, as using a "Rule" was "+ 0r - " 7%, close enough to verify.
Outstanding . Thank you for this. America was proud and could accomplish anything.
Salute to All those who served onboard these Wooden War Boats and to All those who crafted / assembled them...! From a : " Brown Water Vietnam Naval Vet "
This video bring tears to my eyes. How much we have lost I am young compare to the many who witnessed this time and lived it in fact this long before my time history now. To think that we had such perfection and dedication, determination…. Now we are on decline dying. How sad my home ….
people want to vote for democrats that’s what happens
STFU I WORKED IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ WITH THIS YOUNG GENERATION...STFU WE ARE BETTER NOW GREATER NOW THAN EVER . THE GREATEST WARRIOR WINS THE BATTLE WITHOUT A FIGHT .
Because of motivational films like this, John Wayne & hearing my uncle's sea stories, I signed up in the US Navy. I had 20 yrs. of fun. Semper Fortis
Happy veterans day! Thank you for my freedom.
Bend Boat Basin in portsmouth rhode island was a home base for pt boats for testing and deployment.
the Packard Merlin was a license built Rolls-Royce Merlin, engineered by Rolls-Royce in England and had nothing to do with the Liberty engine. My father worked for Rolls-Royce in England and was a tool maker who built the jigs for engine parts in Liverpool and Manchester
The Meteor engine is a derated Merlin. No supercharger. It was used in British tanks too.
Robert Jones You could not be more wrong !!! The Packard M2500 was Packards own design, designed and built and delivered tothe US navy and the Brits in 1938 3 full years before RR came on their begging mission to Packard for Merlins for the Brits. Packard ran their first merlin in Aug 1941 There is a nice video here on you tube, PACKARD V12 PT Boat engine that discusses the design and history of it. Yes Packard also built 55,525 Merlins, 27,137 for the Brits and 18,000 for the USA, Packard also built 14,000 of the M2500 PT boat engines. By the way the Packard is 2500 cu in displacement the merlin was a measly 1650 cu in displacement. Too bad you have not a clue what the hell you are talking about.
Packard was directed build the Merlin under license when the U.S. was informed of the results of British experimental installations of the Rolls-Royce Merlin in RAF mustangs.
A true historical gem of a film. Thanks for sharing.
What a GREAT boat! It fills my heart with pride watching this film and it makes me wish I was part of the team of ELCO builders. The Patrol Torpedo Boat has always been my favorite since I was a child.
A couple of these old boats still exist in running order. They have been restored by volunteers and are available for tours and rides. Imagine, a boat made of wood, fabric and glue still running 85 years later.
I would like to know where those boats are. Would love to go see one.
I think the USS Constitution has that beat at 226 years old still afloat and making the occasional trip out of mooring.
Yup, then we had real plastic phones! Now just glass! What have we learned? Nothing really besides let’s pay for something to make others richer
There is one in Portland, Oregon
@@skydiver6711 one is at a marina at Lake Ponchatrain (wrong spelling duh) at New Orleans with the Sea Scouts. I saw it on a video on utube so you ought to be able to find it.
A friend of mine's father bought one right after the war at surplus prices (dirt cheap) when they were being disposed of, and remodeled it into a sport fisher. The boat came complete with the three Packard engines which they kept instead of replacing them with diesels. Bill said it was a real hoot when they fired up all three big Packards. Super fast, but drank aviation gasoline.
What a beautifully crafted boat.
I used to watch the old 60's series called PT109, never missed a show.
You are thinking of "McHale's Navy" and the adventures (or misadventures) of the crew of PT 73.
😱 i know a tiny bit about modern weaponry, but i know for sure you do not mess with that gunboat, even now 80 years after...i bet if they put a dozen of those in the gulf of Aden pirates will stay home...now this was a fabulous documentary!! 😃
I grew up in Bayonne, NJ, not far from the old ELCO works. The giant crane was still there. It was disassembled in 2006 and relocated to a park on Newark Bay as a monument to the city's maritime heritage. I love the scene where they are bandsawing the laminated beam into two halves...apparently freehand! Amazing what skilled people can do. I also have to figure that a lot of body parts got sawed off, working that close to a big unguarded blade!
I was watching that same scene, thinking what would happen if the guy at the tail end kept pushing. Bye bye thumb.
you would be surprised to know that people were smarter back then, they knew how to handle moving sharp things...It also weeded out the not so smart ones too..
@@jreese46 A bandsaw even a huge one like that is inherently safer than an enormous table saw. No binding. You can control the feed, no kickback and you don't have rookies doing that. The guy in the rear is just bearing the weight and nothing to do with the feed.
Ukraine war
I would say only one lost part every 5 or 6 years. People CAN be smart, especially with an occasional object lesson. Unfortunately the production of SMART people hasn't been a priority for a rather long time...😔
I was four years on MTB's,we did 60 knots with turbines,a lot of fun.. :-)
Even the sweeper is wearing a tie! At 9:24
I am always amazed by the actual work bening these movies about manufacturing.. Imagine, all the work from engineers, draftsmen, making molds, making plans, down to the man wielding a hammer to insert a nail at a crucial place. To all the working men and women to make plans become a reality, ¨Sometimes it is almost overwhelming.. It shows what we can accomplish when working together to a common goal.
wow have things changed in this country....!...coveraulls & u got a lunch break & they fed u...!...u can c the employies taking "pride" in the job there doing....the team work...we used to make everything....now....everything is imported...!...damn shame....! they should show these videos in school with history classes...ahhhh....thank u for posting the video...god bless America...!
I had a 1/35 scale R/C model PT BOAT and it was the coolest R/C BOAT AT ALL THE PARK LAKES IN TEMPE AZ. IT WAS SO FAST THAT 2/3s would plain on the water .
Sad to see how far we have fallen from the height of our manufacturing industry! We could still be great, if we had moral and thoughtful people teaching our children, and impartial judgments in our courts.
My Great Uncle Lester used to serve in the navy during WW2. He used to tell me and my brother how he served aboard one of these Elco PTs. "How the Japanese loathed us." he used to say. How every time they fought the Japanese Navy was more afraid of these PTs than even the mighty US Destroyers. How the Zeroes would even ignore the larger ships to try and strafe them to keep them away from any Japanese destroyers or cruisers in the area. A well feared and highly respected warship.
WOW!!!!! Man! those good lookin' boats!
It is absolutely staggering what mother America can do when it turns it on. May god bless that country
Based on a British design.
@@judythomas2939 I'm not sure. Was that where the Vosper yard was?
@@judythomas2939 try interesting information. Thanks. I've always had it in my head (though I knew it wasn't true) that their yard was up near Ipswich. Thanks for clearing it up.
@@judythomas2939 Great project to have been involved with. A credit to you.
@@judythomas2939 Looked it up. Found the old Supermarine site (that was pretty easy because of the angled launch ramp) and the Vosper Thorneycroft yard but no luck with the Husband’s yard.
My father was on Elco Boats in the Pacific. Most heavily armed boats in the Navy.
Tossup between them and the LCS(L), the 'Mighty Mites'. Link provided: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Craft_Support
Respect and Honor to your father.
WOW THAT S AMAZING TO SEE TODAY the efforts it must have taken to make these boats was fantastic to watch THANKS
My Uncle served on a PT guarding the Panama canal, mostly off the Pacific coast. His was torpedoed on a day when he had swapped patrols with a buddy as the buddy wanted the night free for a date that night. His Buddy and PT Boat both died that day. RIP - Uncle spent the whole war there on the boats.
Beautiful and effective boats!
This has turned out to be a lost art now.
Why do we need timber boats today? They are a maintenance nightmare.
Interesting and informative. Excellent photography job enabling viewers to better understand what the orator was describing. Professional class A research project. Special thanks to the work crews whom were involved in the construction of the Elco pt boat project.
I love these documentaries.
The Navy in America came up with so many great war machines. The PT boat was one of them and was driven by very brave sailors.
When I was a kid in the 50's-60's, I always wanted a PT boat. I never knew 'til recently that 1) there were many different models, or 2)they were SO BIG! I always thought they were 35-40 fet long, not 70-80 feet.
I hope there is a couple of these boats preserved in museums.
There is one operating in Portland Ore, and one in the navy museum !!
A different time, when everyone worked together to a common goal.
This is a great documentary. Thanks for sharing. Have blessed days to come. :-)
Fabulous fabulous. Inspirational. Magnificent Fast Boats.
wonderful boats.
These were the boats that featured in the McHale's Navy movie series starring Ernest Borgnine.
My old friend carl bishop was a torpedoman in the Pacific he always said ir was a manuveral boat you could get in trouble and out faster he loved it
Unfortunately deadrise fwds was too shallow and the boats slammed badly in weather, brilliant lesson, thank you for the video
saw one on a flatbed in ky one time said it was too be restored looked under back of boat it was flat bottom toward rear and wood was cut at a angle neat too see
Nice and a great film!!❤
I moved to Rhoad Island from Arizona in 97 and went to work for Shannon Yachts building 30 to 60 foot Sailing and Motor Yachts in Bristol R.I. just across the bay from were the Elco's of this documentary and their crews took their training.... My boss remembered this company well and we even rebuilt an Elco Motor Launch from the 50s in our yard in Bristol....
Video was way cool!!! American engineering at its best!!! PTBoats are my favorite!!
I wish I could remember the words of my Dad when he spoke of the training he received for his service aboard the PTs. Gunnery, radio, torpedo, and such was held around Palm Beach, Florida as I remember. He spoke of having to fill fuel tanks from 55-gallon drums by hand when fueling docks weren't around. SPAM kept the Navy afloat. Torpedo juice was the cocktail of choice. Night patrols against barges was routine. Having their fluorescent wake was the enemy's target with the boat being hundreds of feet ahead.
This is my favorite battle skiff.
Great video. Very well done and very interesting.
Great documentary
That was interesting thank you.
It was based on a new British Powerboats design by Scott Paine. Genius of a man.
Very cool and interesting documentary!
Amazing
So Facinating 😊
All of your Comments are as interesting as the video ! Love It . I did not know the PT's were made of Wood , And had 3 Engines in them !
One of the last remaining PT boats lives in San Diego, CA and is a functioning sportfishing boat named the Malihini. It makes day long sport fishing trips and carries thousands of passengers yearly out of H & M Landing, San Diego CA
i GREW UP IN n.j. this is so cool makes me feel proud to be an AMERICAN !
The video mentions telling us where they came from but the Brits don't get a mention, the Elco boats were developed from Scott Paine's British Power Boat Company. Quote: In 1939 agreement was reached with the American Electric Launch Company (Elco) to purchase a British Power Boat 70-footer (later named PT9), as a template for American production under licence. PT9 was taken by the SS President Roosevelt to Elco’s works at New London, Connecticut. On 3 October Scott-Paine met President Roosevelt and senior Elco representatives at the White House to authorize the creation of a new naval arm, the PT Boat Squadrons. (PT boat was short for patrol torpedo boat). Production started at a new Elco factory at Bayonne, New Jersey in January 1940.
Elco PT specs: Displacement; 56 tons Length; over all 80 feet Beam; 20 feet 8 inches Draft; 3 feet 6 inches Power; 3 Packard V12 gasoline engines generating 4500 HP Range: 550 nautical mile radius at cruising speed Crew: 3 officers 14 enlisted Armament: 4 torpedo tubes, 1-20 mm cannon, 1- 37 mm cannon, 2 twin 50 cal machine guns, Some PTs fire power was modified for specific missions. There were several models of PTs, Elco being the largest. They had defective torpedoes which was a big problem in the early years of the war in the Pacific. The PT boats only sunk 2 destroyers in the Solomon Islands. They were more effective in shallow water against opposing torpedo boats, rescue of downed pilots, and especially sinking Japanese barges used to resupply land-based troops. The sinking of barges was probably their largest contribution in winning the war in the Pacific. One hundred forty six PTs were constructed for Lend Lease and used in the Atlantic and Mediterranean by Allied countries.
This movie is fantastic.
Magnificent
Very cool.
When Mcarthur was rescued by a PT boat,it's Packard engines were so overdue for overhaul they could only achieve much lower speed.
And he was sea sick all the time.
Very Good Video 👍
I would have liked to have heard more about the specs of the boat, weight, draft, range, speed etc.. Still a good video.
Still "Top Secret"
what an amazing boat . Australia should build 100 plus for our shores .
An 80 year old boat ?
Amazing ......
Always been thrilled by the PT Boats ever since reading about JFK's wartime exploits as a boy. To this day I still have an almost 2' RC Model of the PT 109 I've kept since I built it between age 11 to 13,-JPG. (Just Prior to Girls😉😁)
" Just prior to Girls " Spot On ! 😉😂😎
Great video. Was there mention of cruising and top speed?
7:00 -- RE: Wooden Construction and Methods; I found myself wondering about 30 seconds ago if perhaps there was fiberglass being used somewhere, and then my mind was blown because I know what the word Laminated means. Quite impressive!
V cool. I had no idea that these were wooden boats !
My Grandfather's buddy worked at the Elco plant in Bayonne during the war. For years there was n Elco hull moored in the Hudson River near Kearny, NJ. It disappeared in the late 70s or early 80s 😢
This is how far back in time you have to go to see Usa being a manufacturer from A to Z.
@Joshua Jones get bent
PT boats were built on the St Marks River at a boat yard that still stands I think. My step father Bill Weaks built early fiberglass and plywood boats there in the 60's. His concrete molds are there still as far as I know.
Its too bad the narrarater did not mention what powered the PT's the MTB, MGB, air sea Rescue boats were the PACKARD purpose designed and built M2500 Supercharged gas V12's of 1500 to 1850 HP, And NO those engines had NOTHING to do with the PACKARD built Merlins that came over 3 years AFTER Packard delivered it first engines to the US NAVY , the Brits also used the PACKARD M2500's in MTB, MGB, air sea rescue !!! FYI...
And all this effort as well as many more in order to curb Japans arrogant , maniacal quest for domination. My deepest gratitude for those whose efforts thwarted this lunacy and kept us free of such impending ,cruel dominance and slavery. God Bless America. Australia is forever in your debt.
I think our government needs to bring these boats back
Very interesting. I wonder how many of these have survived since WW2
Hi there, Nicci and I (Mike) are subscribers from Auckland New Zealand and loving your channel
The extra 7 feet make room for crew comfort as well 😊
How long did it take to build one?
Cool .....
It's a shame that they burned these boats after the war. They could have been sold and repurposed for other uses.
The U.S. Military/Government can't be accused of being "too sentimental".
I had no idea these things were made of timber. I wonder if many still survive today? fantastic video.
I think there's still one or two that have been preserved but otherwise, as soon as the war was over they were lined up on beaches and burnt as they were considered too expensive to run in peacetime. They were very maintenance intensive and used high octane avgas at an alarming rate.
Same here always thought they were chunks of steel, i have more appreciation knowing they're made of wood.
To the best of my knowledge, there are some of these vessels on Public display in the Norfolk/Newport News, VA area
I remember seeing a few on the hard at Great Lakes Naval boot camp in 1985
They were great boats and fast being made of plywood. Look up one of the fastest planes used in the WW2 the British Mosquito, made of plywood also. My uncle during WW2 was a LTJG who commanded a Elco PT boat. He operated out of the Philippines and later the Solomon Islands. He said he loved it and was the best days of your life. Imagine being 22 years old, with your own command in the South Pacific. No cell phones, his boat had no radar, used the stars and maps and math in their heads to navigate. Sadly when the war was over almost all boats were gathered in spots, stripped down and burned because it was to expensive and not needed to send them back home as they were now considered obsolete.
colwilliamsnoyd WRONG !!! NOT plywood !!! 2 layers of 1" mahogany planking laid up opposite to each other with a layer of canvas in between !!!!
22, fast boat, thirsty for the kills. No rules. Best days of your life.
My Uncle as well. He served guarding the Pan-Canal area though and his boat was sunk by a Japanese sub/torpedo, But he wasn't on it during that patrol so he survived the whole war there.
Love watching these films the workforce fanastic great pity we do not still have the likes
I have service connected hearing loss from combat; i.e., I don't hear too well. I was looking away from my computer monitor, but listening to the narration. At 4:26 the narrator caught my attention when he said the Elco locomotive was nicknamed "shit face." So I rewound the tape to see Shit Face the Elco locomotive, and make sure I heard correctly. Turns out I didn't hear correctly. Sorry "Shifty" the Elco locomotive.