The Lady Jan

Model Tugboat Project ...

I've been model making ever since I was a boy. Most of my interest was with model aeroplanes and particularly model gliders. However the area of Spain that we now live in is not really suitable for gliders and so I needed to look at an alternative that would keep me busy and not be something that could be built in just a few weeks.

So I decided that model boats could be the solution and after quite some research I decided to embark on building a model tug boat. The project was started in 2006 and more or less completed in March 2009 although 'sea trials' have yet to be completed once the warmer weather is here.

Lady Jan

The Steam Tug Lady Jan is based on one of the many single screw Warrior Class Empire tugs built on the River Humber during the war years of 1941-45, and is perhaps the best example of the Empire Ivy, Empire Bracken, Empire Dixie available to the modeller. The model is built from a GRP plated and riveted detailed hull with the superstructure built from plywood and some plastics. The boat has a Single Screw and single rudder and powered by an electric motor (ex windscreen wiper motor). A modern 2.4Ghz radio control system is used to operate the tug and the electronics include a speed controller, engine sound simualtor and fog horn.

The boat has an overall length of 40", beam of 11" and displaces 30lb.