Just putting the finishing touches on a 1:24 r/c model of Ford's 1932 tugboat "Dearborn", which was used for ship handling at Ford's River Rouge plant. Ol' Henry wanted a nice tug, and got one with modern twin diesel-electric power driving twin motors on a single shaft. "Dearborn" worked the Rouge until 1946.
The model is scratch-built (except for just a few fittings) from original Great Lakes Engineering drawings from the GLEW archives at Bowling Green State University and original Ford photos from the Benson Ford Research Library in Dearborn, MI.
Going to the Toledo R/C show this weekend? It will be there!
Patrick Matthews
Displayed on a base which depicts GLEW's side-launch wood cribbing.
Ford logo is home-photoetched.
Hull is fully plated and riveted.
Here's the guy from the Ford marine ops checking the blueprints.
Hull interior is "finished", with most wiring out of sight.
Photoetched nameplate.
Pilothouse interior finished per original photos.
Even the correct engine order telegraphs!