Kit: 5602
Scale: 1/35
Manufacturer: Italeri, from
Model Rectifier Corp. (MRC), 732-225-2100
Price: $150
Comments: Injection-molded, 482 parts (77 photoetched, 2 aluminum, 3 string/wire), decals
Pros: Size; excellent armament detail; turned-aluminum barrels; nice photoetched- metal parts
Cons: Soft detail; heavy seams and ejector pin marks; no figures
The 80' Elco Patrol Torpedo boat was the last of the wartime PT boat development. Hundreds were built by Elco and other companies from 1942-'45, with most of them sent to the Pacific theater. PT-596 was one of the last built, entering service in May 1945. She was attached to Squadron 40 in the Philippines but arrived too late to see action.
With a 28"-long, one-piece hull, Italeri's 1/35 scale PT-596 is HUGE! The kit is molded in gray styrene and includes photoetched and other metal parts. Detail is hit and miss - some parts are exquisitely molded, others are oversimplified. Turned-aluminum 37mm and 40mm gun barrels are included as styrene replacement options.
The weapons are the real gems. The full complement includes a 37mm gun, 20mm Mk.4 cannon, twin eight-shot 5" rocket mounts, 40mm Bofors gun, twin .30-caliber stations, and four Mk.13 torpedoes, all nicely detailed and each a kit unto itself.
The 36-page, 29-step instructions are clearly illustrated, with insets for details. Painting and marking diagrams use both Federal Standard numbers and Model Master paint codes.
I found the kit-specified FS colors didn't match Measure 31/20L references. Closer colors would be FS numbers 34277 (green 2), 34158 (green 3), 36176 (Navy black) and 34092 (deck green).
A separate 48-page reference booklet is included. It's packed with 91 black-andwhite and color photographs of period and restored boats, plus a color three-view painting diagram.
Decals are in-register and their colors appear accurate. Markings for PT-596 are the only option. While the printing is crisp, the decals are a little thick and need extra soaking to loosen them from the carrier. They laid down nicely with a little Micro Sol.
Construction was straightforward without problems. Fit was excellent, but parts cleanup was extensive - almost all parts had heavy seam lines or obvious ejector-pin marks that required filling.
Two parts (64E) were missing from my sample; they were electrical boxes at the bottom of the gun tubs and out of sight, so it wasn't a big deal. One notable problem was that the styrene peeled in layers, like an onion, as seams were cleaned off two of the torpedoes. Careful sanding and repeated filling hid this anomaly.
I built the kit in subassemblies, leaving off the weapons, superstructure, ammo boxes and deck until painting was complete. Ignoring the painting suggestions, I used Model Master acrylics Navy green 2, green 3, and Polly Scale scale black for the three-tone scheme, with Vallejo Model Air black green (021) for the deck. Not caring for primer, I first roughed up the surface with a green scouring pad prior to painting. Still, the paint didn't adhere well to the styrene; shards of paint would pull off with the low-tack masking tape. In this instance, I'd recommend primer.
Poor paint adhesion aside, the completed kit is impressive and it was a fun build. I spent 65 hours building and painting, and it scales well to my reference, American PT Boats in WWII, by Victor Chun. While construction was straightforward, the sheer number of parts and materials make this one best for modelers with some multimedia-kit experience.
- Phil Kirchmeier