Owned by Frank J. Andruss Sr.
Built by Stanley Pienkowski
1/72 Elco PT boat Crane (Scratchbult/Revell)
During World War Two, the Elco Naval Division in Bayonne, New Jersey was the front runner in the building of the famous PT Boats. During that time some 399 of these boats were built at the plant and rushed to the War Zone. This massive twin Boom crane was built by Bergen Point Iron Works in Bayonne, New Jersey. She would gently lift and place these wonderful wooden boats into the wet boat basin, where they would continue their journey to other areas of assembly.
Built from photographs and other demensions sent to the builder by Andy Shannahan, this wonderful Elco Crane Diorama was built to exact specifications. The crane is painted as she looked in June 1942. The PT boat in the cradle is the 1:72 Revelle PT-109 model, painted to look like PT-105, skippered by Lt. Richard Keresey while in the Solomon Islands. After the war years, this Crane would again serve the Elco Company putting the Yachts and Cruisers into the basin. The original crane still stands today, thanks to Baker Residential who refurbished the crane and set it up. In 2006, the crane was reassembled in Rutkowski Park at the North West side of Bayonne's Hudson County Park.
The PT BOATS were made of many types of wood, and were powered by three Packard Marine Engines. Three classes of these Elco boats were constructed beginning with the seventy-foot boats, the seventy-seven foot boat, and finally one of the best designed boats of the War, the Elco eighty-footer. Elco needed a way for these boats to go from the assembly line to the water, and the Bergen Point Iron Works of Bayonne, designed this massive twin boomed crane. Well over sixty-feet tall, the crane could launch a boat in less then 6 minutes, and would do so with over 399 of the 80 foot designed craft. During the time Elco was in business, this crane would launch well over 800 different boats.
Built by master model builder Stan Pienkowski of Vernon, Connecticut, the crane has just accepted PT-105 with its cradle on wheels, ready for lauching. It should be noted that Mr. Pienkowski built this crane mostly from photographs, and represents his true model building talents. Presently, the crane will become a part of the MOSQUITO FLEET EXHIBIT, a traveling display of PT BOAT ARTIFACTS, owned by Frank J. Andruss Sr. The crane is in 1/72 scale and the boat is the very reliable PT-109 model kit, from the 1960's.
