Updates

2014 September 22, reference image page added here.

2013 February 22, page added.

The following resources show dimensions of the Elco 80' PT boat torpedo tube. At this time the only work of mine found below is for the training crank which is usually mounted to the day room roof. This dimensional image represent a best effort on my part, please confirm dimensions given here for yourself if errors cannot be tolerated. Image is for non-commercial personal use only, please obtain permission for any other use.

Actual Bureau Of Ordnance drawings for the 21" Above Water Torpedo Tube Mark 18 Mod 1 and Mod 5 can be downloaded here (about 43MB): http://www.pt103.gdinc.com/drawings/21inchAWTorpedoTubeMark18.zip. These drawings are graciously provided from the collection of author and historian Al Ross. Here is a reduced size sample from one of the drawings:

Stu Hurley, author of the Italeri PT 109 Build page, let me know of a few observations he made regarding the torpedo tube cranks and mechanisms on the early 80' boats. He noticed in images of PT 103 and 105 as seen here on Gene Kirkland's PT King site that the boats did not have the long handled cranks mounted on the day room cabin trunk roof. And that the early boats lacked the 90 degree gearboxes as seen in an image of PT 107 here. They might have used the short cranks seen on the torpedo tube drawings. Note that images showing the tube cranking apparatus are fairly rare so it is hard to pinpoint when the change was made. Tubes were eventually replaced by lighter roll-off racks that didn't create a position revealing "flash" from the firing charge when fired.

Some other torpedo tube reference images can be found here: PT_Boat_Components_Torpedo_Tube_Images_Elco.html.