# Revell U.D.T. Boat



## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

Here is a quick look at what is in the box for those of you interested in this. Main hull is one piece and 11 inches long.










The only really glaring problem with the hull is where the mold was filled along the keel there is a 1 inch round depression that will need filling.










As with all kits from the late 1960's (this one still has the 1967 copyright date stamped inside and outside the hull) the waterline is marked with a thin raised line that can be easily removed. 
Below are the rest of the parts:





































The decal and instruction sheet:










A neat little kit with a little flash that will need cleaning up, not bad considering the molds are 45 years old.


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## Cro-Magnon Man (Jun 11, 2001)

This kit has just become my next priority find, I'd not heard of it before but it looks perfect for dioramas, and it has both the two crewmen as well - thanks very much for showing.


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## Els (Mar 13, 2011)

Thanks for posting the pictures. I have been interested in this since I saw it in the release flyer. I was on the fence about buying it because of the age of the kit but it looks pretty good in your pictures. There were a couple at my LHS, I guess I will have to pick one up.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

The basic boat is real real real simple and sparsely detailed but pretty sound overall. The two .30 cal machine guns and their ammo boxes are 100% useless, though. Fortunately they are easy to replace. With some TLC you can make a neat model from the kit. Backdating the UDT boat to a WW2 boat is probably the neatest project. These little boats were used in the Pacific early on along with LCVP's and amtracks. 










The last time the kit was issued, it still came in its original colors, which were kind of neat. The boat came in grey, the divers and raft in black, and the scuba gear and a few small parts in yellow. The current reissue is all in grey. Of course if you paint the model its all moot, but it was nice to see the kit as it was originally intended and it was good for kids or beginners. The figures are of poor quality today but can be painted to look "okay". The standing gunner is the worst of the lot...


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## scooke123 (Apr 11, 2008)

I picked one up yesterday at my LHS. Brings back memories----
Wish the other colors were there but just glad they reissued it!
Steve


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## BOXIE (Apr 5, 2011)

I had one in my teens.Going on my wish list.


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## paulhelfrich (May 11, 2009)

I've never seen this kit before - thanks for posting!


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## Xenodyssey (Aug 27, 2008)

Ditto. I had never heard of this kit before and will now join the line of people chasing it. I like the frog men...And being 1/35 kit it will go nicely with some of Tamiya's dinosaurs. One of my fondly remembered comics being about UDT frogmen fighting dinosaurs.


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## DPStutts (Mar 4, 2015)

I had the kit as described (in three colors) when I was 10-11, it was a lot of fun and a real imagination stimulater. I've just started the kit again. Reading the text on the Chris-Craft magazine ad I take it they were contracted to produce this boat, but with a brief internet search I've found nothing else regarding this. I intend to built-up the kit as realistically as possible. Obviously, as is stated above, the poor .30 calibers will have to go. I thought I'd replace with a Tamiya .30 or .50 and maybe the 40mm grenade launcher from the Tamiya PBR for breaking contact, updating the boat 2-3 decades, and certainly subdue with dark camouflage, losing the white lettering and red waterline. I'm seeing some pretty neat possibilities and yes, I'm also glad they re-released it.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

It was a Higgins boat and, like a lot of war materials, made by various companies. No different than one of my M1 carbines that has parts made by Rockola (the juke box company)


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

I have this kit - the frogmen are nice, but are in an old-fashioned non-neoprene wrinkly scuba suit. I really like the inflatable rubber raft. The boat is not what people think of as a Higgins boat though - that would be the old Lindberg LCVP, also in 1/32 scale, but with many of the same issues as the Revell Monogram UDT Boat. Although also designed by Andrew Higgins, the UDT Boat kit is a LCP(R), or Landing Craft Personnel, (Ramped). The LCP(R) is a modified version of the original Higgins-designed LCP, which did not have a ramp, forcing soldiers to jump overboard. In my years of modelling, I have collected many, many Italeri 1/35 .30" machine guns, so I use them instead of the kit-supplied versions. The rubber raft I'm donating to a set of Vietnam-era Dragon SEALS, so I expect that I'll be using the LCP(R) in a D-Day diorama - anyone know if the Canadians used these boats on Juno Beach?


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

At a real-world length of 35'-11.75", the 11" Revell/Monogram UDT Boat/LCP(R) is actually 1/39.25 scale - in reality a case of 1960's "close-enough" box scale. the figures are damned close to 1/35 scale, as are the (useless) machine guns. When I eventually build it, I'll put in a section of infantry and lower the ramp to show them charging onto the beach.


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

Just doing some more research, and it turns out the the LCP(R) depicted in Revell's UDT Boat is not actually a Higgins Boat at all. Turns out that Higgins did not like the US Military's proposed design for the ramp, so the contract was awarded to Chris Craft (see poster above) rather then Higgins Industries. It's a modified Higgins design, but not a true Higgins Boat - Go figure!


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Its called a Higgins boat, though. Ive never seen it actually described as a Chris Craft in any book, photo, etc.


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

djnick66 said:


> Its called a Higgins boat, though. Ive never seen it actually described as a Chris Craft in any book, photo, etc.


Well, except the advertisement you yourself posted above, which explicitly states Chris-Craft and displays their logo...


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

Looking over the kit, there are a few details that must be fixed. 

1. The extra boxes moulded to the deck must be removed (or if you don't want to go to the extra work, at least detailed to look like standard military/naval boxes). 
2. There are two locating strips on either side of the forward gangway for locating the armoured bulkhead. This is a fold-down gate , so the forward strip on each side should be removed. If the soldiers are to be shown exiting the craft, you'll need to place the armoured plate on the deck ahead of the locating strips so the soldiers can run over it. 
3. Immediately behind the remaining strip, an access door to the gun-pits should be inset into the wall on either side. 
4. As has been noted many times, the machine guns must be replaced by better ones. Italeri, Tamiya, Verlinden and many other manufacturers can supply these. For RN boats, you can use the .30 cal M1919 guns, or British guns can be substituted, Lewis guns, Bren guns, or Vickers 'K' guns (from an SAS gunjeep, for instance) guns would all work in this role. 
5 The triangular braces on the armour plates around the passenger compartment should be carved away and replaced by strips of L-angle Plastruct. 
6. On the inside of the passenger compartment three or four horizontal strips should be glued over the vertical structural members. These would have been wood, so bry-brushing with tan/brown would be apropriate. 
7. Some US boats had large armour plates applied to the outer sides of the hull, with large bolt-heads securing them every few scale inches. 8. Markings should include the letters LCP R and a three digit number to replace the UDT identifiers.

Addendem:
9. the UDT diver retrieval equipment necessitated the removal of one davit on the port side. It needs to be duplicated and placed as it appears on the starboard side.


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

Wish I could see the pics, all I'm getting is the proverbial little black *X.* I wonder why that is?

Carl-


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

The forums are under new management and there have been some difficulties switching over. Posted images have all disappeared, as have all avatars. My info is they're working on it.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Eh I think mostly they images are gone because this is a 2010 post that got revived for some reason... 

Other posts (like current ones) have their pics


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## BWolfe (Sep 24, 2013)

I will see if Ken kept those pics and re-post them if he did.


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

Ah, I didn't check the date. _That's_ why they're not there.

Carl-


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## BWolfe (Sep 24, 2013)

Could not find the original pics but I did find the model and took new photos, these are all of the kit parts and decals, I took a pic to highlight the problem with the hull.


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## BWolfe (Sep 24, 2013)

I think cutting a disc of either .010 or .015 plastic to fill that depression on the hull underside would be a better option than filler.


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## BWolfe (Sep 24, 2013)

Cut a piece of .010 evergreen plastic to fit in the depression, was the perfect thickness, still will need some filler to get it smooth but this is better, to me, than trying to fill that entire depression with filler.


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

Way cool. Fills the hole neatly needing only a little Aves to smooth it out!


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## BWolfe (Sep 24, 2013)

After some filler and a little sanding it looks good. The plastic disc was thin enough to be creased in order to keep the line of the keel intact.


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