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ť Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: TOW MOTOR
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=1444

One of the items we wanted to put into the Elco Crane Project was one fo the Tow Motors used to pull the boats out of Building 21 and into the waiting Dockside Crane. Now finding one on the market is almost impossible and I have had no luck finding a tow motor photograph so Stan can build one. The closest I can find is one of the Aircraft Tow motors, which you can get in 1/48th scale, pulling a Corsair. Do any of you model guys know where I might get one in 1/72 scale, or for that matter a photo of one. I have photos of the first tow motors pulling out the 70 footers, but by 1942 Elco purchased better ones with more power and better turning radious..............

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Aug 4, 2009 - 3:16pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Frank . . .

Check out the last third of "The Giant Killers" it has some great video of the tow tractor and the actual towing to the crane and the crane hooking up and lowering a 80 footer.

You'll be able to find or I mean make some screen captures showing the front and rear of the tractor. It's big baby with dualies on both sides of the front and rear. I seriously doubt if there is any model available, except maybe a modified farm tractor.

If I get some time tomorrow or the next day, I'll if see if I can't find my copy and post a screen shot, however my copy isn't the best. Its a dupe of a dupe of a dupe, so on, and on.

Dick . . . .

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Aug 4, 2009 - 10:34pm
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

Dick, Yes I knew that was on there, but I dont know how to capture the shot so I can send it to Stan for viewing. I would appreciate it if you could try, or maybe someone else might be able to as well. Thanks for the offer, at this point I will take anything I can get.

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Aug 5, 2009 - 1:18am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

An excellent video player is the free VLC Media Player. It will play a lot of different types of videos like .flv (flash), DVD, .mov, etc., takes screenshots, and lets you step through the video frame by frame so you can grab the best shot. [url]http://www.videolan.org/vlc/[/url]

Like Dick, I don't have a decent copy but here's some screenshots from the movie Giant Killers.

[image]http://www.pt103.com/images/ptpics/factory/GiantKillersElcoTowVehicle1.jpg[/image]
[image]http://www.pt103.com/images/ptpics/factory/GiantKillersElcoTowVehicle2.jpg[/image]
[image]http://www.pt103.com/images/ptpics/factory/GiantKillersElcoTowVehicle3.jpg[/image]
[image]http://www.pt103.com/images/ptpics/factory/GiantKillersElcoTowVehicle4.jpg[/image]
[image]http://www.pt103.com/images/ptpics/factory/GiantKillersElcoTrainShifty.jpg[/image]
From History Channel, Heavy Metal, higher quality but this is the only shot I had:
[image]http://www.pt103.com/images/ptpics/factory/HeavyMetalElcoTowVehicle1.jpg[/image]

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Aug 5, 2009 - 4:05am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Jeff, Thank You, Thank You. Stan should be able to make this tractor with these photo's. I appreciate it very much. GREAT JOB.........

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Aug 5, 2009 - 6:04am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

No problem Frank, glad to be of service. I look forward to seeing the finished diorama.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Aug 5, 2009 - 7:32am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Nice job Jeff, the captures look pretty good.

Dick . . .

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Aug 5, 2009 - 8:17am
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

Frank,

Here are some of my captures but, Jeff's copy seemed to be better then mine.

Dick . . .

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/towtug-03.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/towtug-02.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/towtug-04.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Webmaster/towtug-05.jpg[/image]

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Aug 5, 2009 - 11:54am
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

Thanks Dick, I think we're trying to make silk purses... maybe someone with the DVD can get more detailed screenshots. Flash videos like the one I grabbed from usually are highly quality-challenged.

At least we know the color! And that it appears to have racing slicks on the front end.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Aug 5, 2009 - 1:38pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Thanks Dick. Jeff your right those tires have no tread, good thing they did not go to fast in the wet weather, they might have ended up in the Basin..................... Great capture for the color of the tow.

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Aug 5, 2009 - 2:02pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am