How about Tug-Boats?

Okay,here’s one for you;

How many models of tug-Boats can you think of? There’s a few out there, you know.They are an interesting vessel too. There’s the modern ones for ocean service, like the Smit-Rotterdam and her bigger and smaller sisters.

Now let’s go back many years back. Two names come to mind. Lindberg and Revell. Revell was actually first with a jewel of a harbor tug, Full hull called the " Long Beach ".For Revell at the time this little boat was a great little model.

On the other side of the coin was Lindberg’s offering which was quite different and full of raised plank lines, See where this goes ( their ubiquitus plate lines on ships of all sizes).

The Revell offering had a very nice window arrangement. The Lindberg tug-Not so much. Then Life-Like (or Pyro) comes along with the Despatch #9. Another tug, Much larger, but, again with the limited window arrangement in the wheelhouse.

I never saw a tug that had so few windows in the wheelhouse, as the Lindberg and Life-Like offerings had !

All the tugs around my Grandmas back yard ( we could see the port in Buffalo,N.Y.) had at least the amount of windows that allowed good vision around the tug and her sides.

Now back to Revell and Revell Gmbh ( Germany). I don’t remember the name, But Revell, both sides of the Atlantic had either one at times. Which one ? The sister to the Smit larger tugs.

Here’s a surprise for you. Cornerstone ( Walthers Rail Road stuff ) Brought out, Not only a Landing Ramp but two different Rail Barges and a beautiful little waterline Tug.

The Tug was an incredible model in that you could detail out the wheelhouse and cabins ( Lift-Off viewing) But you could also do the tall or short Wheelhouse version! They are not as common as they used to be though. You’ll still find them at Train-Shows and venues like that!

Now here’s the real surprise. The last Tug in the article. She’s called ( The Filibustering Tug) or actually the " Two Friends" She’s a Card model ( Paper) You can build her as a waterline tug or use the supplied parts and build the bottom so you can display a full hull vessel. She’s as detailed as any you can find.

Now, she was unique( the real tug) Why? She burned the " Hard" clean burning coal, had Two stacks and was painted all White to prove the cleanliness of burning " Hard " coal! Where did she operate? Well,this is how she got her nickname. You see, Henry Flagler in Florida, and his business partner back then, hoped that the U.S.and Cuba would normalize relations ( Yeah, They had problems back then too.) While the Florida Politicos filibustered in Washington.

The Two friends made round trips bringing Cuban Cigars and Rum to the States from Havana! Well, of course this didn’t last. But as a model all in white with faint plank lines, the card model makes a Gorgeous little model in her own right!

Even to the delicate parts like stairs and rails! So those of you who like these little workhorses, and even the bigger ones ( the Smit types) go get them . Much fun and pleasure awaits. Catchya Later T.B. The tugs of today ( many called Tractor tugs) run around, and except card models I’ve seen no other models of them. They are also called S.H.U.s ( Ship Handling Units)

Model Shipways makes a great waterline kit named “Taurus”. It’s 1/96 which is a workable scale (1/16"=1’-0"). Yes it’s wood, but it is a solid hull and is easy to put together. I’m in the midle of building one as the John S. Tilley.

As far as plastic ones that you mention, I think the Walthers one is probably the best of the lot.

Not to be quarrelsome, TB – but it might make it easier to find, if someone goes looking – the rum- and-gun-running tug of renown was actually the “Three Friends.”

Great story…and great model!

There is the Rowangarth, a modern diesel tug, 1:350 scale resin & brass

A YTL light yard tug, also 1:350 resin & brass

A Natick-class YTB large yard tug. It is particularly nice.

Iron shipwright also makes several resin & brass tugs, including a Brooklyn tug, some Army tugs, and a Navajo-class sea-going tug (ATF)

The Lifelike/Pyro/Lindberg tug DESPATCH #9 is based on the Army ST (Small Tug) Design 327 by the Equitable Equipment Co. The Lindberg Diesel Tug is popular for small radio control conversions.

I share TB’s interest in tugs, but my focus is on 1/700 scale.

There are also several wonderful resin 1/700 tug kits - problably too small for TB’s interest, but great fun. One of the tugs from Orange Hobby is called Bruiser - she is an example of a modern harbor tug of type 1907 from the Dutch firm Damen.

This became an evening of research for me. There are six or eight STAN tug 1907s in harbors around the world, all painted differently, but nearly identical otherwise. (The two Qatar-owned 1907s are painted a really boring grey, just like bigger warships). And when a person gets tired of building the regular Type 1907s straight from the kit, there is an 1907 ICE version that is a newer class, being built in USA for the Great Lakes Towing Company.

Orange Hobby also makes the Rowangarth, as shown above, waterline-only in 1/700 scale, but Rowangarth is a one-off type.

NNT of Germany made a number of different older-style US tugs, and a set of them is still available from NNT. There are a couple of other single-tug kits in 1/700, from WWII era. Big fleet tugs and smaller harbor tugs. Loose Cannon made a simple kit of a modern US Navy large harbor tug that can be fun too.

Personally, I would be most delighted to see a kit (resin or otherwise) of a US Powhatan class Fleet Ocean Tug from the 1970s, as Sioux particiated in exercises with my first ship. (Sorry - normally I hate “I wish they’d make a kit of…” comments, but there it is.)

I like tugs,
Rick

I have the Model Shipways kit in my stash. Really like the kit. MS featured that kit in ads for a long time, touting it as a great beginners kit for people wanting to get into wooden ship modeling.

Hi Greg;

Don’t mean to be obstinant.The only one I know of is the " Two Friends" According to the history in the kit she was NEVER involved in Gun Running. T.B.

My mistake. (Probably not my first! [:D])

Here’s the one I had in mind. Cool story and cool B&W model! (Scroll down for the pics.)

Napoleon Bonaparte Broward’s ‘Three Friends’

Cheers

Hi Greg!

It seems we have a conundrum here. I got my model from P.M.I when they were in business. Could I be getting that senile? Some time back I mentioned Just Trains in Concord, Ca. They got my last waterline model of her. It was tucked under the harbor bridge . It could have indeed been the “Three Friends”. Somehow though, I think not because in Broward’s and Flagler’s history they both skirted propriety in both their rail and shipping worlds. Lets just say that either one ,she was a beauty for her time . T.B.

So, Surface_Line, just who was that first ship that you alluded to that excersised with Souix, back in the 1970’s . . .? or was that classificated / classificationated / or possibly classified. (Its okay, I still have my TS/SCI eligibility, I won’t tell, I promise.)

I was on Jouett, in San Diego. The exercise was in 81, I think. Sioux was acting as an Opposing Force ship and drove through our formation while we were still in Cold War rules, pretty messy. It was cool seeing Sioux, because we had been towed up to Long Beach for an 18 month overhaul by Takelma, a relic from WWII, and now we were seeing the first class of brand new ATF in 40 years. I think there were six in that class and all except Sioux were based on the East Coast.

Tugs are very popular with the RC scale boat builders. Lots of kits and hulls available in larger scales- 1/24 is popular. For example, Dumas has a 50" kit of the Carol Moran.

But Dumas also has a 1/72 Carol Moran- only 17+ inches long. There is also a 3D printed USN Natick class tug semi-kit in 1/96 (about 15" LOA) on Shapeways.

-Bill

Aha;

Now this is interesting. I had a Tug when I belonged to " Golden Gate Model Yacht Club" She was 48 inches long and had a Vacu-Formed hull. Everything was heavier plastic sheets etc.

She weighed twelve pounds fully ready to run. I had a Italian Brass prop and Lexan rudder and she performed at scale speeds.

Fully detailed wheelhouse and lights. She could operate at night as well as daytime.

I used Futaba gear and a large Motorcycle battery. This worked for long running sessions and ballasted her just right too.

Ed;

If she builds up like the photo on the box she would be a keeper for sure! Fold down mast and all.

So since we have a gathering of the tugboat enthusists and experts, which current injected molded kit has the hull that is closest to the shape of the Woban class district harbor tugs of pre-WWII? Would like to build a replica of the Hoga (but not in 1/350 like the available kits or not in 1/48th like the large Billings kit). From what I have been able to see on the web, looks to me that the closest hull might be the Lindberg Diesel Tug. Your thoughts?

Thanks in advance,

Dave

Hi;

I do believe you may be right, Or the Revell tug with modified deckhouse.

Based on a quick web image search, I’d say that the lines of the Lindberg Diesel Tug hull look pretty close to Woban. Woban was 100’ long, and the Lindberg hull is 13.5 inches. That means you’d be building a model in 1/89 scale.

If I was doing this build, I’d use the Lindberg hull and scratchbuild pretty much everything above the main deck.

There are lots of ship fittings in 1/96 scale, they are about 8% too small, so you could probably get away with using them and no one would notice. Another option would be to look at HO scale(1/87). There aren’t that many ship fittings in that scale, but tugs and other small waterfront craft are an exception, so there may be more available than you might think…

-Bill

Yes, hae already looked at the superstructures and have decided that I would have to scratchbuild that. Luckily the real deal is just up the Arkansas River from me in North Little Rock. She has been modfied over the years from her days at Pearl Harbor, but the basic superstructure looks the same as the photos and Woban class drawings that I have found. Hope the good folks at the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum don’t mind a guy with a tape measure hanging around!

Thanks for all of the help. Now off to search Evil Bay for one at a decent price.

Dave

Good luck with your project. They probably will be happy to help if you propose and stick to schedule, make it clear it’s for personal use and give them something in return like a set of your photos and sketches.

i also suggest you make at least two, or even three, sets of the new parts. Maybe you don’t assemble Hoga II and III, but the materials are cheap and it’s a real time saver.

Bill