Italeri 1/35 Elco 80' PT596 Torpedo Boat Kit

During the Second World War, the U.S. Navy deployed a large amount of three types of motor torpedo boats: the Higgins measuring 78 feet and two different ELCO boats measuring 77 and 80 feet respectively. Every model could be distinguished from the others, apart from by length, by configuration, weapons and various other details. The 80 foot ELCOs represented the most numerous class: they were manufactured in five series, for a total of about 300 examples. Each boat was built using mahogany and propelled by three 1,350hp Packard 4M-2500 engines (increased to 1,500hp in the latest series), allowing these vessels to easily exceed 40 knots. The equipment and weapons were constantly updated and improved thanks to experience acquired in the field and the progressive change in their roles. The PT Boats relinquished their original mission of attacking and destroying enemy shipping, taking on the role of gunships and operating along the coast or in channels. The Italeri model reproduces the PT 596 and an 80-foot ELCO from the last batch produced.