Someone on AutoModeler posted a link to Italeri's 2018 catalog. They are finally doing a Higgins 78' PT Boat!

I was just doing a search here for more info on it
kit 5622

Then you posted it

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W0FtG42Eyj8/WnJvIBNjOGI/AAAAAAACPZQ/ziD2Jc9E0YolOMqBdp4pTnSSoZ0BMzL2ACLcBGAs/s1600/Italeri%2B2018%2BCataogue%2B%25283%2529.jpg

http://www.themodellingnews.com/2018/02/preview-of-italeris-catalogue-new-items.html#more

This news will make a lot of people happy!
Cheers,

Happy Days!

Put me down for one

Being greedy could I please ask for a Fairmile B & D

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY !!!!!! I've been asking Italeri for a few years about one. THANK YOU ITALERT. Some wish's do come true. I want 2 of them. Early one and barge buster.

Hi Bob
I've not got any reference material with me. Can you tell what era the Italeri boat portrays. I would like to do one in Mediterranean configuration

Kev

Hi Kev, It looks like mid war P.T.O. to me but I'll check my references later. The early ones had torpedo tubes with the large hoses for the air compressor to fire them unlike the powder charge on the elcos. I don't think the deck arrangement changed except for weapons layout. Bob

Kev, this boat looks like the one line drawing in Squadron signal on page 11. There are several pic's in the book showing this in the Med. I don't see the exhaust outlets so I hope this is a preliminary drawing of what's to come. As far as the bridge layout is, I wont know till a better pic of the layout comes up. But yes, this one can be used in the Med. Bob

Thanks Bob

your efforts/thoughts much appreciated.

All we need now is a release date

Kev

hea hea hea. I wont hold my breath but am crossing my fingers and toes with a hail Mary thrown in.

The artwork is for a pre-PT450 boat. This series of boats was used by the USN, RN, Regia Marina, and Soviets, so there are plenty of possibilities. The drawing included in the ad looks like a very slightly changed drawing of PT 209 that I did years ago.

I was hoping that they would do a tubed boat first; perhaps they will follow on with one.

Al Ross

Wow !

" This series of boats was used by the USN, RN, Regia Marina, and Soviets "

That's going to open the door to variations. I think my preference would be one that served with the RN in the Med. I seem to recall the main difference was the change of tubes to the British variety.

Thank you Mr Ross

When Italeri first issued the 80' Elco, I noticed a lot of unused, flashed over holes in the deck. This kinda told me they were planning a follow on kit of a different version from the get go. Be interesting to see if the Higgins holds any clues when it is released. Also, I'm pretty sure Italeri would like to maximize the usage of their molds and as they did two versions of their Elco, Vosper, and S-boote kits, I'd be willing to bet on their releasing a second version somewhere down the line. Al

I hope Italeri will release their Higgins boat in time for the Christmas shopping spree. I would like to build a Royal Navy version and I wonder if there are any drawings of MTB 420-423. Judging from the various Leghorn pics it seems there were no guns on the foredeck but at any rate MTB 420, MTB 422 and MTB 423 appear to have had twin Oerlikons fitted at some point.

Arjan