# PT 73 paint colors



## MJB (Aug 3, 2001)

Can anyone help me determine what colors to paint my original Revell PT 73 Boat from McHale's Navy? I usually do figures so this is new territory for me. The color movie is on YouTube for reference. 

Thanks, Michael


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

This is an interesting question. The TV series was black and white and some hand colored studio photos show the boat as green. Actual PT boats were also usually green. Revell's box art also shows a greenish boat, although the kit comes in grey plastic.

The color movie has PT73 in a fairly light gloss grey. In real life, the ship would have faded to a dull shade quickly, and high gloss on a small scale ship usually looks very toylike. I would look at something like Dark Gull Grey and go for a flat or satin finish.


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## MJB (Aug 3, 2001)

I knew I had to suspend a little bit of belief based on the "shininess" of the movie colors. You wouldn't want something that would reflect the sun or moon if you're trying to sneak up on an enemy ship.

Thanks for the suggestion, dj!

Michael


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Maybe do a google search for "Vosper PT boat" and see if there are any color shots of real ones?


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

Or google McHales Navy and click on images.


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## btbrush (Sep 20, 2010)

John P said:


> Maybe do a google search for "Vosper PT boat" and see if there are any color shots of real ones?


I believe it was a Higgins.


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

btbrush said:


> I believe it was a Higgins.


The _*Real Life*_ (tm, pat. pend.) PT-73 was a Higgins boat. The TV PT-73 as seen on _McHale's Navy_ was a modified Vosper built to a British design for the Soviets during WWII. Details on the TV boat can be found at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McHale's_Navy#The_real-life_PT-73


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