Revell Tug Boat WIP from a Nubie

Welcome to the Ships Forum!  I think you'll find it a generally congenial and informative place.  It's inhabited by some strange people, but most of us are relatively harmless.

That old Revell tugboat is a classic - one of my personal all-time favorites.  It was (according to Dr. Thomas Graham's fine book, Remembering Revell Model Kits, originally released in 1956; it was one of Revell's earliest ships.  It's been reissued many, many times since, under various names.  It is in fact a scale model of the tug Long Beach.

The absence of clear parts was typical of the era.  Apparently the technology for making casting clear plastic without distortion hadn't been perfected yet; even Revell's cars and trucks of the period didn't have windows.  But the detail of it is in most respects quite surprisingly good - even by the standards of fifty years later..  The kit certainly has the potential to be turned into a first-rate scale model.

I'll take the liberty of offering one small suggestion.  (If it wasn't an easy fix I wouldn't mention it.)  The kit was issued at least once in a modified form that included an electric motor.  The main deckhouse was made removable, to the batteries could be replaced.  On each of the two side bulkheads of the deckhouse, parts 45 and 46, you'll see a pair of rectangular "lugs" sticking out in such a way that, when the deckhouse is installed, they sit on the maindeck.  Those lugs were added to the molds when the model got motorized.  They served as locators for the two little metal screws that held the deckhouse in place.  The screws were to be driven into two holes in the maindeck.  The molds for the maindeck (part 49) apparently were modified again after the motor was deleted.  (The kit I have in front of me, a Revell Germany version that I bought just a few years ago, has a pair of little dimples where those screw holes used to be.)  My suggestion:  slice off the lugs and fill in the dimples.  The total time necessary for the correction should be less than ten minutes.

Please do keep posting pictures as the model progresses.  It looks like it's going to be a beauty.  Good luck.

Thanks jtilley for the warm welcome.

I was a bit apprehensive about posting my WIP 'cos ship building is steeped with history long before constructing plastic aircraft became a hobby and was afraid I wasn't up to standard. Thanks for the assurance.

Didn't know this kit was that old and appreciate the heads up on why the kit doesn't come with clear parts.

Oh dear...on the boat being battery operated...I had a hunch it was seeing that the top deck fit looked pretty odd. Thought that the protrusions were part of the bulkhead and I left it on the completed model. Looks like I may have to remove it some how and maybe stack some crates and rope to mask off the surgery. If only I had joined this forum two months ago, I could have avoided a more difficult process of correction anyway thanks for the suggestion jtilley.

Actually the kit is completed...this is what it looks like.

The following is what I did. The railings are up and the wheelhouse gets more masking.

Close-up. Had problems with the warped railing. Had to use super glue to keep it down. Also primed the deck house and wheel house.

Pre-shaded and sprayed white for the deck and wheel house.

Another update,

It took me almost the whole night to clean up these items.

Major paint work done. Added wash and stains.

Also completed the base and glass case.

More updates,

The wash with water color has been applied after the decals and future.

Base has also been stained.

Notice that the white glue in the portholes are still cureing...the one on the far right is clearing up.

Picked out all the molded on life preserver, extinguisher and axes with a fine paint brush.

The wheel house windows recieved a frame.

Top angle where rigging for the life boat is still to be added. There was a surprise addition to this area.

Managed to add the surprise above the life boat. This is it...

This was how it was done...first I drew out the outline of the clothing on the thin apple paper (you can use the paper from the shoe boxes that are wrapped around new shoes) folded to get two sides and glued them together at the edges to mimick stitching.

Then I strung invisible thread using a jig with nails on both ends.

Superglued the clothes to the line.

Then I painted them with a fine brush.

Very exhilerating and fun to do.

The completed build again.

Thanks for viewing. Comments welcomed.

Cheers,

Richard

It looks great!

I don't think it would be too difficult to slice off those four "lugs" - IF you want to take the trouble.  But it doesn't strike me as a major problem.  Mighty few people will have any idea there's anything incongruous about them.

I'm currently working on a fictitious, 1900-vintage tug, based (with heavy modifications) on the old Model Shipways Taurus kit.  It's going to be named A.M. Tilley, after my wife.  I just may steal your clothesline idea - just the sort of thing to liven up a model like this.

Congratulations on a fine model.

Very nice job.

Thanks Subfixer and Jtilley,

I'll be cutting the protrusion"lugs" with my angled cutter. Can be done easily and covered up. Will post a picture of it when done. You're right, many didn't notice it including me.

Glad you're doing the clothes line. Just a small advice, you can add a little sag to the clothes line. I missed that out in my haste to finish the kit for the group build. I'd like very much to see A.M. Tilley's progress shots if you can post them.

Again, thanks.

Cheers,

Richard

Just goes to show what taking your time with any kit, no matter what the age or vintage, can produce. That's a very nice looking model that you should be proud to display. I, too, like the clothesline - it gives the model that "human" touch that makes the viewing experience feel much more personal.

mfsob

Just goes to show what taking your time with any kit, no matter what the age or vintage, can produce. That's a very nice looking model that you should be proud to display. I, too, like the clothesline - it gives the model that "human" touch that makes the viewing experience feel much more personal.

Thanks mfsob, I like what you said about "any" kit. I'm glad I picked up skills through the years to be able to enjoy the hobby. The older the kit the more challenging it is. No point fussing about bad joints and missing detail...just fix and fabricate...and that's what we modelers do.

Glad you liked the "human touch"

Cheers,

Richard

Very nicely done!

I might have weathered mine a bit more than necessary.

sumpter250

Very nicely done!

I might have weathered mine a bit more than necessary.

Well done Sumpter. Neat and cool. The weathering is appropriate for such a dio subject.

Cheers,

Richard.

My friend, to change an old Revell Tug into a beautifully weathered model you have to be more than a newbie

Welcome aboard and the build is fantastic.

cheers

Julian

Grem56

My friend, to change an old Revell Tug into a beautifully weathered model you have to be more than a newbie

Welcome aboard and the build is fantastic.

cheers

Julian

Thanks Julian, actually I'm a nubie on the forum but have been building for the past 40 years and only got serious in the past 15 years. I've always been fascinated by ship models but have to declare they take a long time to complete. Glad to be aboard.

Cheers,

Richard

I thought you said you were a "nubie" (your words) If you are a nubie yhen I have no fear for the future of model ship building.That is one fine job.!! I do believe that is the finest job on REVELL,s old tug I,ve seen anywhere.You don,t live  In TEXAS, thank goodness! I would have to stop competing in the one yearly show I go toif you were around.REALLY,that is ,well,The finest I,ve seen that subject done,I wonder what you could do with LINDBERG,S old so called COAST GUARD TUG!! DO One ,I would like to see the boat done by you!    tankerbuilder

tankerbuilder

I thought you said you were a "nubie" (your words) If you are a nubie yhen I have no fear for the future of model ship building.That is one fine job.!! I do believe that is the finest job on REVELL,s old tug I,ve seen anywhere.You don,t live  In TEXAS, thank goodness! I would have to stop competing in the one yearly show I go toif you were around.REALLY,that is ,well,The finest I,ve seen that subject done,I wonder what you could do with LINDBERG,S old so called COAST GUARD TUG!! DO One ,I would like to see the boat done by you!    tankerbuilder

Thanks tankerbuilder, I appreciate your kind words and praise, seriously though I would be at a disadvantage in terms of reference material on the subject and would be left far behind in the Texas one yearly show competition. I'm in awe of all the "Sifu's"(Master's) knowledge on just this subject alone in this forum. I only build from what I've seen and experienced with building armour, dioramas, planes especially weathering and just applied this on the Revell kit. Your words will encourage me to build more ships and perhaps attempt some more odd subjects like the tug boat.

Would love to tackle the Lindberg Coast Guard Tug but that brand is hard to come by here in this part of the world.

Cheers,

Richard