BY BILL ENGAR
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ATLANTIS MODELS RELEASES A COLLECTIBLE 3-PIECE SET WITH A TRIO OF VINTAGE MILITARY MODELS INCLUDING A FAMOUS WWII TANK, PT BOAT, AND AN EARLY HELICOPTER – ALL THREE MODELS ARE EASY AND FUN TO BUILD  – A GREAT VALUE – FUN FOR ANYONE WHO IS COMFORTABLE BUILDING GLUE-KITS – PAINTING OPTIONAL!

2022 MSRP $US39.99 - 183 PARTS TOTAL - RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 14 AND UP - PAINT AND GLUE NOT INCLUDED

Atlantis has released a cool multi-model gift set.  Revell Models had a number of such gift sets starting in the 1950’s and they became legendary among model kit collectors.  The models included in this set are from vintage tooling made originally by Revell, Aurora, and Helicopters for Industry (later sold by Aurora).  Each model is a classic, historic kit.   The helicopter model was first sold over 70 years ago!

​Atlantis Models Air-Land-Sea set offers three cool military model kits at a great value.  Two of the three kits are only available in the set!  One of them hasn’t been released in many decades.

Most anyone with a loved one far away in military service will understand the significance of the yellow ribbon symbol.  On the box of this kit, Atlantis Models gives it double-duty to remind us that many have loved ones serving far away in our air, land, and sea military services.  The ribbon also signifies that this set can be given as a gift, as the original Revell company intended with the many gift sets that they released, particularly in the early years of the hobby.

Box side showing kit specs including number of parts and dimensions in inches for each model.

The instructions for all three models in the set are a large (11X17"/approximately A3), folded, laser-printed sheet.

We'll review each one of these kits individually:

1/48 PIASECKI H-25 HUP-2 RETRIEVER /  H-25 ARMY MULE

HUP-2-3-4:  YOU’LL LIKE THE HUP WHETHER OR NOT YOU DECIDE TO BUILD IT RIGHT OUT-OF-THE-BOX OR ADD YOUR OWN DETAILS – IT’S AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE!  EXPECT SOME PARTS PREP – GETTING A GOOD LINE PAINTED ON THE BUBBLE CANOPY MIGHT BE TRICKY FOR LESS-EXPERIENCE D MODELERS.

​The HUP-2/H-25 is one of the earliest injection-molded styrene model kits, released originally by a company called Helicopters for Industry in 1952!  This predates anything from Revell.  Aurora bought the molds and released the HUP/H-25 throughout the 1950’s.  According to the Scalemates model kit database, the HUP/H-25 kit fell off the earth after 1959.  It was simply never reissued for half-a-century.  It was big news when Atlantis Models brought it back in 2019.  It’s included in the Air-Sea-Land gift set!

The Atlantis HUP is a very simple, vintage helicopter kit with just 17 parts.  Note that this is the only kit in the set that you can buy as a separate model kit from Atlantis.

I'll use the  U.S. Navy's HUP designation for the model from here for the sake of simplicity, but we're also talking about the same helicopter purchased by the Army where it was known as the H-25 Army Mule.  While the HUP is certainly a vintage kit, it still makes a nice model.  In the Air-Land-Sea set, it includes the whimsical U.S. Army yellow-Mule decal scheme for the H-25 version.  The HUP is the only model in the set that has been released (and is currently available) from Atlantis separately as of this posting, but if you already have one, you’ll no doubt want another so you can build one of the additional colorful decal options included in the separate kit.

Yup, it looks like a HUP.  Tooling work like this was truly cutting-edge in 1952.  And in 2022 and beyond, it still builds into a very nice model that goes together easily and will look great displayed on your shelf.

Simply paint this instrument panel black and dry-brush with a little silver.  If you have AMS (Advanced Modeler Syndrome), you can print your own instrument panel decal using commonly available technology unimaginable in 1952.

The HUP has cross-framing on that big bubble canopy, but the clear plastic part has no lines to use as painting guides.  Reference our HUP photos later in the article as a suggestion for the side-to-side frame.  The up-and-down frame simply divides the bubble straight down the middle.
 
Note that the HUP in the set has only the OD-green H-25 Army Mule scheme in the decals!  The regular kit (sold separately) has several other colorful schemes.  If you’ve already built the HUP in the “mule” version, simply use the leftover decals from that kit for this one.  You always save leftover decals, right???

Painting on a little canopy framing will somewhat hide that round ejector pin mark.  You can always sand it off.  You'll need a set of super-fine polishing papers like those used for automotive finishes but you can completely get rid of it with a little elbow grease.

The model has lounge-style seats built right into the cockpit halves!  Note the location of the front rotor right above the pilot's head!

The HUP's rotor head wasn't all that complicated compared to other helicopters.  An AMS-type modeler will simply scratch-build new rotor heads to enhance these basic moldings.  Another much simpler suggestion is to glue a few styrene strips to these parts to provide a suggestion of extra detail.  We'll include a shot of the rotor head to use as reference later in this article.

Regarding detailing on the HUP kit, the model has a number of very nice surface details somewhat remarkable considering the early period the model was engineered.  With the Atlantis decals, it will make a nice display piece if built right out of the box.  Some modelers might note that the rotor hub isn’t the most detailed representation.  The real HUP didn’t have very complex rotor heads.  Many regular helicopter model builders either add extra detailing to the rotor heads or even scratch-build their own, replacing kit parts.  This kit might be a great place to start doing that if you feel so inclined.  

We like the innovative engineering; each rotor assembly is only two parts.  Otherwise, the kit would have required a much larger box.

The HUP's colorful markings fill half the decal sheet.

The cockpit is another area where the more advanced modeler might want to add some interesting detail.  Adding clear side windows is another suggestion since the kit doesn’t come with any.  You could use clear styrene sheeting from a hobby store, or even a leftover piece of clear packaging that you would otherwise throw away!  Cut a piece to size that will fit the opening; if you cut it just slightly larger, you can use a little sandpaper (we like the 220-400 grit range for model building) to tweak down the size of the window until it fits perfectly.  Give it some curve by shaping it around a suitable object, and use some Testors clear parts cement and window maker to glue the windows in place!

Here's a HUP forward rotor head (obviously, no blades are attached).  

This profile view of the HUP shows the location and angle of that bubble canopy framing.  This HUP is located on the deck of the U.S.S. Iowa, now a museum ship located in Los Angeles, CA. 

We're happy with the HUP; we think it's an awesome component for the "Air" element of this set!  We've made a few suggestions for enhancements, but the option is always there to utilize the "Molded in Color" feature and build it in an hour or so with no painting other than maybe a few details.  Atlantis Models gives you the choice!

Our pal John B, a helicopter pilot,  built this Atlantis HUP.

1/48 M4A3E8 SHERMAN TANK 

TANKS A BUNCH:  ATLANTIS MODELS' M4A3EA WILL BE GREAT FOR BUILDERS READY FOR GLUE-KITS THAT HAVE A NUMBER OF SMALL PARTS - THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD "FIRST TANK KIT" FOR MODELERS WHO'VE NEVER TRIED BUILDING ONE - PACKED WITH MANY DETAILS ONE WOULD EXPECT TO FIND ON A NEWER, LARGER-SCALE KIT - YOU CAN ONLY GET IT HERE IN THE ATLANTIS AIR-LAND-SEA HOBBY GIFT SET!

The Sherman Tank is high on the list of key weapons considered instrumental with winning WWII.  Atlantis’ version is the M4A3E8.  These were known for their Ford GAA V8 DOHC gasoline-powered engines that could put out a maximum of 500 hp (sorry; one of these will not fit in your car).  The sharp edges indicate the hull of this version was made from welded plates, not a casting like the turret.

106 parts for Atlantis' M4A3E8 Sherman Tank!  The tracks are black, flexible polyvinyl.

Aurora’s tank models were nicely done.  The Sherman was first tooled in 1968 (yes, it’s been over 50 years!) and for the time, this kit was reasonably accurate and well-detailed.  It hasn’t been available for a long time and Atlantis brings it back as the “Land” part of this great set!  The Sherman is the first of two kits not available separately from Atlantis.

There is a lot of fine detailing here!  Aurora Models was perhaps best known for their beloved figure kits, but many don't know that their 1/48 tank kits were among the best out there at the time.

The turret has a subtle cast-metal appearance--just like the real thing!

In recent years, 1/48-scale tank kits have seen a major renaissance.  Companies like Tamiya have brought back 1/48 tanks that weren’t available for decades and a number of new-tool tank models have appeared in the scale.  Of course these new kits and anything with “Tamiya” on the box means you’ll pay a premium price.  At a low low Atlantis price, you have a 1/48 Sherman that will look great displayed with your other 1/48 tank kits.  The other fun possibility is to add the model to a 1/48-scale diorama that has an aircraft in it.  Heck, you could make a WWII diorama of the Sherman tank running over a 1/48 airplane (this really did happen!).

Aurora tanks had nice details like the crosshatching on the rear panel at top.  The turret dust-debris cover piece looks like wrinkled canvas!

It's easy to run out of "green army men!"  FOUR are included with the Sherman kit!

I’d call 1/48 armor scale “just right” size.  1/35-scale kits are great for armor modelers who crave a lot of detail, either whatever comes with the kit, which can be considerable, or there is space to scratch-build interiors and even engines.  Even building these detailed models with what comes in the box only can be an endeavor.  On the other end of the spectrum, 1/72-scale is very popular for modelers, but these kits typically contain very small parts and of course the finished models are diminutive.  1/48 scale is a happy medium; the model is a manageable yet satisfying size.  In recent years, many interesting subjects have filled out the offerings available and Atlantis is adding a number of very cool 1/48 armor models some of which haven’t been available in a long time.

Another view of the hull top shows sponson brackets and other nicely executed details.

Air intake and tail lights!  In our bonus features, we'll include a detail shot of a real tail light so you can paint it realistically!

Separate hatches and doors are nicely detailed with bolt and springs depicted.  That's a Browning M2 .50-cal machine gun!

Experienced armor builders will notice a few nice detail perks.  Extra tracks are included, and they're separately molded pieces.  Tools such as sledgehammer, wrench, and crowbar are molded separately as well!  In 1/48 scale, this is pretty remarkable, especially for the period in which this model was engineered.  Towing and lift-loops are separately molded as well.  Aurora could have taken the easy route and molded these to the hull at the expense of accuracy, but they chose to take the more expensive route packing the sort of detail into a smaller 1/48 kit that you'd expect to see in a top-of-the-line 1/35-scale tank model.
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The kit comes with four 1/48 figures of the “green army men” type.  Use them in a diorama, or do with them what you usually do with green army men.

Either Atlantis has worked over these molds, or they were in great condition!  I didn't see a lot of cleanup work needed.  Whether the modeler wants a leisurely weekend build or the contest modeler wants to add this tank to an intricate diorama, the kit should make both types of builders happy.

Use a sharp razor blade to cut these flexible tracks from that piece of licorice-sprue (don't eat it).

A complete set of white markings for the tank are included on the Air-Land-Sea set decal sheet.

If you're buying Atlantis' Air-Land-Sea set for the other models and perhaps have never built a tank model, this is a perfect kit to start your armor model building.  There are really a few different ways to build a tank model; many builders simply glue all the parts together first and paint and weather everything afterwards.  You can do extensive clean-up, build some subassemblies, painting and weathering them before putting everything together, or you can do some simple parts cleanup and glue everything together without any painting.  This is another "molded in color" model where Atlantis gives you that option.

We were impressed with this tank model!  It's another great addition to the Atlantis Air-Land-Sea set!  Add it to your collection of Atlantis 1/48 armor subjects!

1/102 PT-207 MOSQUITO BOAT (78-FOOT HIGGINS PT BOAT)

FROM SEA TO SEA:  HIGGINS PT-BOAT IS ONE OF REVELL'S HISTORIC FIRST SHIP KITS - HAS A FEW SMALL, FRAGILE  PARTS BUT SHOULD BE EASY TO BUILD BY ANY MODELER WITH A LITTLE EXPERIENCE - SOME MINOR TRIMMING AND PARTS PREP MIGHT BE NEEDED BEFORE GLUING - SHOULD BE A SATISFYING BUILDING EXPERIENCE LIKE THE OTHER MODELS IN THE SET!

PT-207, A Higgins-built PT boat from WWII, has 60 parts molded in light-gray plastic.  This was originally one of Revell's first half-dozen or so ship models!

One of Revell’s early ship models was the Higgins PT Boat.  Originally tooled in 1954, the model had a full hull with propellers, unlike the other “flat-bottom” ship models released at the same time.

Perhaps the most famous PT boat was John F. Kennedy’s PT 109, a boat built by the Elco company.  Another popular PT boat was somewhat fictional; PT-73 was one of the stars of McHale’s Navy, a popular 1960s TV show.  While the boat on the show was mostly depicted as a British-designed Vosper MBT since that's what the show's producers had available, there was an actual PT-73.  It was a Higgins-made boat, like what is depicted in the Atlantis kit.

The hull is over 9" long.  Scale is 1/102.

The Atlantis PT Boat is easy to build.  Being a vintage kit from the early days of the hobby, you can expect some minor flash, sink marks, and ejector pin marks but they’re minimal compared to most kits of the period and the model will go together with minimal fuss.

Four torpedoes are included

These prop shaft supports might require the most work on the kit.

Those three bumps on the side of the hull are conformal exhausts for the Packard V-12 engines that powered the PT boats.  Three engines were used!

The prop shaft supports are open on one side and the super-picky modelers among us might consider filling the opening.  That’s really about it as far as kit nitpicks; the overall gray scheme (with red-brown antifouling paint below the waterline) should be easy and younger or newer modelers might be content with leaving the “molded-in-color” plastic finish as-is.  As with the other models, Atlantis gives you the paint-or-no-paint option.

The lower left corner of the Air-Land-Sea decal sheet has markings for PT-207.

If you’re seasoned at painting and weathering, there are plenty of details on which to practice these skills and you can come up with a striking model if you employ or develop these techniques  here.  We have some addtional tips for painting an accurate PT boat in our bonus features.  Stay tuned!

It’s awesome to see this historic model, one of Revell’s early ship kits, available.  Teaming it up with its Sherman tank and Hup helicopter box-mates provides a strong enticement to buy this trio of models!

ATLANTIS MODELS REALLY DOES PACK THREE INCREDIBLE MODELS INTO ONE AMAZING PACKAGE!  It's hard to find good values nowadays but Atlantis hits the mark with this set!  Buy one for yourself and give one as a gift!  We give the Air - Sea - Land Hobby Gift Set four enthusiastic thumbs up!

SPECIAL THANKS TO ATLANTIS MODELS FOR PROVIDING THIS MODEL KIT SET FOR US TO REVIEW AND ENJOY!

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BONUS FEATURES

WE HAVE SOME GREAT BONUS FEATURES INCOMING WITH MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE KITS AND SUBJECTS INCLUDED IN THE ATLANTIS AIR-LAND-SEA MODEL KIT SET!  STAY TUNED!

AIR
MORE ABOUT THE HUP/ARMY MULE

This is actually not the first boxing of the Piasecki H-25A/Hup-2.  Aurora Models first released this model in 1956, but it was created four years earlier by a model company called, Helicopters for Industry."  BoxArtDen image.

The Piasecki HUP Retriever was designed for a U.S. Navy requirement for a shipboard utility and rescue helicopter.  An interesting characteristic was a litter-sized trapdoor-style opening in the forward floor.  With a rescue winch incorporated, the pilot could actually look down and actually see the person being rescued as opposed to relying on a spotter required for a more conventional side-door design.

The HUP was the first helicopter to have an autopilot.  Piesecki refined the twin-rotor design, which was determined to be a good platform for a heavy-lift helicopter.  The Piasecki H-21 "Flying Banana" followed.  Piasecki's business was split with the helicopter devision becoming Vertol in 1956 which was bought by Boeing in 1960.  During this period, the successors to the H-21 were built in the form of the CH-46 Sea Knight and the CH-47 Chinook.  The Chinook helicopter is still in use with no replacement imminent at time of posting.  The Chinooks, which can trace their "DNA" back to the Hup/H-25, have upgrade rebuilding programs in place.  Some analysts have suggested that CH-47's might still be in use over 100 years after the type first saw service.

Helicopters for Industry released these four models.  Aurora later released the Hornet and the Piasecki.  Note the Hup at the bottom.

The model of the HUP-2/H-25A is truly a piece of history.  Prior to release of the Air-Land-Sea set, the HUP was available by itself.  Initial supplies of this kit sold out, but thanks to popular demand, Atlantis has brought it back.  One of the great things about the separate HUP kit is that it has a spectacular decal sheet with a number of colorful schemes providing the choice of building an Army, Navy, or Marines aircraft.  Each of the schemes is striking and most modelers would have a hard time choosing which one to build.  The easy solution if you already have the Air-Land-Sea set is to buy one or more regular HUP kits by itself and you can then build multiple versions in all the great schemes.

This is the decal sheet that comes with the regular HUP-2/H-25A model kit from Atlantis!  Note that this assortment of extra decals for the HUP is NOT included in the Air-Land-Sea set. 

These are the colorful choices you have with Atlantis' A502 H-25/Hup-2 model kit!

Here's a U.S. Navy HUP-2 on display at the USS Hornet Sea-Air-Space Museum in Alameda, CA.  It's the same scheme as that worn by the HUP in the Atlantis model kit stationed on the USS Enterprise.

Here's a period photo of a HUP-2 with rotors spinning.

LAND
A PERSONAL SHERMAN TANK CONNECTION

While writing this article about the Sherman tank, my thoughts dwelled upon a beloved uncle who told us stories about his actions during WWII.  George Owen had been married for a few years and was turning 30 as America entered World War II (while a child, he remembered events of World War I).  Being married and older, George was passed over during early rounds of the draft, but later in the war, his number came up.

Sherman tanks in Europe.  It was not uncommon for tank crews to use whatever they could to increase protection from antitank artillery.  Extra tracks were perfect for the job and they provided plenty of spares when they needed replacement.

Uncle George said that driving a Sherman tank through old European cities could be challenging in narrow streets with tight corners.  He reported generally good relations with German civilians.

Accepting a call to military service in his 30’s, he was the “old man” of his Sherman tank crew.  As a commander, he guided a tank through France directly into the heart of Germany late in the war.  He reported a number of tense situations disarming remaining German ground forces and even kept a sidearm thrown down by a fleeing German officer as a war souvenir.  George liked his Sherman tank; he said it required some tricks to keep it running well but it got the job done.
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Uncle George as a "young" WWII tank commander.  He was in his 30's at the time.

Uncle George in later years on his vacation property with his wife Helen.  Aunt Helen was known for always wearing dresses during every camping trip!

Hard-working George survived the war and mined coal afterwards for a while.  This took a toll on his health yet he remained a generous soul.  He spent a number of years after with the highway department and worked so much overtime plowing snow, he could often take most of the summers off.  He took many family members on campouts for weeks on end, creating priceless memories.  We lost Uncle George in 1997.  We will never forget the service he gave to his country and his many acts of kindness will live forever in our hearts.

AURORA SHERMAN TANK BOX ART 1968-1977

In 1968, Aurora's Sherman tank debuted in a long box with famous Aurora box artist John Steele's painting on top.  A year later, Aurora switched many kits to square boxes, a feature that Atlantis Models has embraced for many of their newer kits.  Aurora changed to a box format similar to Monogram Models with a photograph of the model on a white background.  The upside was that you could see exactly what you were getting in the box.  However, the imagination and emotion evoked by dramatic paintings by renowned artists was gone.  In 1977, Aurora ceased kit production and the tooling was sold to Monogram.

PAINTING TIDBIT:  

The picture at left shows the taillight on the Atlantis Sherman Tank model.  At right is a picture from the back of a real tank of what the taillight actually looks like.  Simulating these details with a little paint on your model is an easy way to add some nice scale realism.

SEA
PT 207:  ADDITIONAL PAINTING SUGGESTIONS​

The PT boats, or "mosquito boats" as they were nicknamed, were generally based on remote islands close to their assigned patrol areas.  Supplying these far-flung bases was challenging and notions of standardized paint colors were often superseded by the expediency of using what was available.  Hence, whenever you hear the terms “Green” or “Gray” when it came to the finish on a PT boat, there was absolutely no certainty that the shade conformed to any sort of FS standard.  A common expression heard when asking former crewmembers in remote bases about paint colors seems to be, “whatever we could get.”

A Higgins Boat.  Note the light-colored life raft!

Debates about PT boat colors will continue forever.  It is generally acknowledged that they left the factories in medium gray.  Some boats were repainted in camouflage to protect them in their improvised jungle berths from air attack.  Many different factors determined how the boats would be painted.  I actually like my PT-212 portrayed in a very generic light-to-medium gray; I’m sure a little weathering will naturally darken it down a tad.

A restored PT 658 resplendent in camo-colors.  At the stern, you can see the smoke cylinder in the center.  To the sides are depth charges, items not included in the Atlantis kit.  These boats had different configurations depending on when they were built and a number of other factors; on the Atlantis kit, the type of rear gun installation necessitated locating the smoke generator to one side.  Poses of the crew during this modern-day reenactment resemble those of the figures included in the kit.  Note that you can barely see one of the exhausts above the waterline amidships as well as a plume and mist created by the exhaust itself!

I have a few suggestions regarding colors.  The original Revell instructions, duplicated by Atlantis for the Air-Land-Sea set, recommend painting the guns silver.  The bases and vertical posts for all guns should be the same color as the boat, and certainly not silver.  Only the guns barrels themselves would be gunmetal, not silver.  I’d describe gunmetal as dark gray or near-black with a metallic sheen.  You could probably hand-paint the guns black and dry-brush them slightly with silver to duplicate the effect.  The rest of the gun hardware is gray.  We have pictures of a restored Higgins PT boat with guns further in this article.

A pair of Elco PT boats, cousins to the Higgins boat in the Air-Land-Sea kit.  The Elco boat has been well represented in model kits, but Atlantis' Higgins boat is the only game in town in an affordable desk-model size.

​Instructions say to paint the flagpoles, a mast, radar antenna, depression rails, torpedo retainer bands and siren silver.  Reflections off of unfinished metal were the bane of any military ship captain during WWII.   These surfaces were probably painted the same color as the boat to prevent that flash of light that might give away an approach from a reflection off a silver surface, giving an enemy extra seconds to prepare for the fight which might make the difference between winning or losing the battle.
 
Enlisted navy crews wore blue pants.  However, the figures in the kit appear to be wearing pants with a crease so they're probably depicting khakis.  Note the PT crew in the enactment photo are wearing khakis.  The kapok lifejackets they wore appear to be a dark gray.  Dark gray or olive drab-green for the helmets should work.

Rafts on the PT boats varied in color!  Revell's instructions say to paint the raft white and the period photo earlier in this article tends to support this.  But typical rescue rafts were often yellow, which is another option.  Crews sometimes painted the rafts to match the boat in order to reduce the chance that a light or bright color might assist the enemy in sighting the boat sooner from a distance.
 
When painting the running lights, parts 12R and 13L, only paint the small hemispherical surface of the actual light red (port; left side) or green (starboard; right side).  Note that the photos above provide a good reference for placement of the running light parts since the original Revell instructions are vague on the precise location and there isn't a positive locator tab on the model. 
 
It’s awesome to see this historic model, one of Revell’s early ship kits, back in stores.  Teaming it up with its Sherman tank and HUP helicopter box-mates provides a strong enticement to buy this trio of models!
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HIGGINS 78-FOOT PT BOAT PHOTOS

PT-796 is a restored Higgins 78-foot PT boat completed as World War II ended.  It is now preserved at Battleship Cove in Fall River, MA (more information about this museum later).

PT 796 has a shark's mouth!  Note that the boat is made of wood!  Don't go nuts with "rust" weathering.  A little will be fine around metal parts.

The cockpit is missing its front windows, commonly seen on other Higgins 78-foot boats.  They were likely filled over at some point, possibly when the boat was repainted to stand in as PT-109 during JFK's inauguration.

PT 796 was used after the war for patrol duties in the Caribbean and East Coast areas and was then used as a test article for riverine combat hardware later used in Vietnam.  The boat was repainted and used during inauguration ceremonies for President John F. Kennedy where it represented PT 109, which was actually an Elco boat.  It received a restoration and was put on display at Battleship Cove in 1975.

Note the starboard navigation light just above the window.  This photo is a great location reference.

The gun starboard cockpit gun mount, a vent, and the front of the fore torpedo can be seen here.

Remember that the Higgins PT boats differed in their configuration details and PT 796 is definitely missing a lot of hardware that an operational boat in WWII would have!  It has no guns in the cockpit gun mounts, and there is only one pair of torpedoes.  The antennae were removed at some point and never replaced.  It still has many items that will be helpful for the Higgins boat modeler.

Here's a great closeup view of the aft end of the Mark 13 torpedo.  Note the contra-rotating propellers!  This torpedo may have been olive-drab at one point, it looks like the paint was stripped off.

This view shows the torpedo mount including the roll-off rack.  Note that there are no retainer bands as depicted in the kit; this torpedo appears to simply be sitting on the roll-off rack.  An operational boat would need some sort of restraining device.

Both the Higgins and Elco PT boats had the same powerplants.  Each boat had three Packard V12 gasoline-powered, water-cooled marine engines.  Each boat used unique methods for dealing with the exhaust.  The Elcos mounted six large mufflers on the transom with butterfly bypass valves.  With the valves closed and exhaust routed through the mufflers, the boat could cruise fairly quietly during missions requiring as much stealth as possible with the exhaust noise muffled then released underwater.  Of course this quiet-running came at the expense of power and with the butterfly valves open, the exhaust could be routed straight out of the transom.

Note that gun barrel on this deck gun are a dark-metallic, gun mounting hardware is gray, and the magazine appears to be olive-drab.

At the stern of this boat is a Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft gun.  Note the circular gunsight; you'll find these depicted on the Atlantis kit!  The barrel is gunmetal and the gun body is gray.  This gun is configured a little differently than on the kit; those can-like items at the bottom of the photo are depth charges.

The Higgins boat's exhaust was a much simpler affair with header-style pipes exiting the hull near the engines.  Eliminating six pipes routed through the rear hull internally would free up interior room, save weight, and provide less pipe restriction and thus a slight increase in engine power.  Even with an outlet close to the engines, some power would be lost thanks to restrictions caused by the water.

Conformal header-style exhausts for the Packard engines, three on each side.

The boat's stern with a depth charge prominent.  Note that there are only two torpedoes on this boat (no aft pair) and it also has no smoke generator cylinder.

EXPERIENCE IT

Higgins boat PT-796 can be seen at Battleship Cove, America's Fleet Museum in Fall River, Massachusetts on the East Coast of the United States.  It's located about 40 miles south of Boston and is actually closer to Providence, RI.  If you're in the area, it is definitely worth a visit.  It is the world's largest collection of naval vessels which includes WWII Battleship USS Massachusetts (BB-59), Destroyer Joseph P. Kennedy Jr (DD850), WWII submarine USS Lionfish, Corvette Hiddensee, and the two PT boats, 78-foot Higgins PT-796 and 80-foot Elco boat PT-617.  You'll be able to see quite a bit of the upper and lower decks of the large ships; if you love ships, you'll probably find that one day at the complex is not enough to enjoy all there is to see!  Regardless, a visit is highly recommended.

The PT boats are inside a structure out of view just beyond right edge of this photo.

The USS Massachusetts (BB59) is a South Dakota class, fast battleship.  It is similar to the North Carolina class ships.  Atlantis Models makes a great kit of the 1/500 North Carolina!

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