Author Topic: PT boat question...  (Read 363 times)

Offline Dux

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PT boat question...
« on: January 29, 2003, 12:12:44 PM »
Why does the front cannon on the PT not have a gunsight?

Now, I trust HTC enough to realize there probably wasn't one in real life (and it's accurately modeled here), so my real question would be, "why didn't it have one in real life?"

Just curious. :)
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Offline MiloMorai

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PT boat question...
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2003, 12:44:08 PM »
The M3 was an Army AT gun that had a seperate sight. The M4 from the P-39 also had a seperate sight while mounted in the P-39. Now why the M9 did not. ????? Could be the barrel was the guide for aiming.;)

Offline WldThing

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PT boat question...
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2003, 04:24:53 PM »
You can put your own gunsight with a mouse pointer.

Offline Dux

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PT boat question...
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2003, 04:59:38 PM »
Lol, wldthing... I've done that :)
Works pretty well, too.

I'm looking for more of a historic reason, tho.
;)
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Offline brady

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PT boat question...
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2003, 06:52:04 PM »
Because it did not have one. Seroiusely they sighted it by looking down the barel, i fire it the same way by paging down to look down the length of the barel. The adation of this gun to some PT boats was an add hock affair and they were used for barge busting duties in the Pacific. Which is prety much what PT's were gloarified barge busters, despite what Hollywood would have use beleave. The Italians actualy snk far more Warship tonage with the MTB's than anyone else. the Germans more overall tonage with their's.

Offline Dux

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PT boat question...
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2003, 07:52:46 PM »
Thanx Brady. I shoulda known you'd know ;)
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Offline DoctorYO

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PT boat question...
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2003, 08:31:11 AM »
Brady is right...

the only cannon that had any effect on warships was the 40mm and that compared to the 10 or so 40mm's and larger on some warships Pt boats didn't have a chance...

still they were used as a attrition type of vehicle vs warships due to the fact that they were easy to construct.. (wood) vs the time it would take to build a full blow escort or destroyer.

also as Brady noted they were effective vs merchant shipping... due to their speed and low draft they were well suited for the patroling of atolls and islands...

2 cents


DoctorYo