kit review 1/50 Hercules Tug Boat- Occre - by Kevin

[Kevin]

1/50 Hercules Tug boat  by Occre

product code 61002 

Cornwall Model Boats retail at £247

 

from the Occre site Hercules Tugboat | Wooden Ship Model - OcCre

 

Model Ship Hercules Tugboat

Includes nameplate.
Includes the basic wooden model display.

Static model. With the possibility of making it RC -> it is shown in the instructions how to make it navigable.

Hercules Tugboat model features

• Possibility of illuminating with the Led Light Kit Ref. 55010.
• Deck openings to access the RC and motorization mechanisms.
• Ultra-realistic casting.
• Step-by-step video tutorials.
• Instructions in 5 languages.
• HD photos step by step.
• Parts list with measurements and materials.
• IP sheet to identify the parts
• Scale plans.
• High-quality model.
• Lifetime warranty.
• Contains the following technical elements for Radio Control:

Propeller / Prop shaft / Prop shaft horn with self-lubricating bearings / RC rudder blade with hull and servo anchoring mechanisms.

Curiosities of the Hercules tug boat

The Hercules is a steam tug built in 1907 for the San Francisco Shipowners and Merchants Tug Company, as part of its Red Stack Fleet.

During the first part of her life, Hercules was an ocean tugboat. Due to the prevailing northwesterly winds, sailing ships often employed the Hercules on voyages north up the coast from San Francisco.

On other occasions, the Hercules was used to tow barges to other West Coast ports and to Hawaii, and to transport equipment for the construction of the Panama Canal.

In 1947, the Hercules and the tug Monarch were tasked with towing the hull of the battleship Oklahoma to San Francisco Bay for scrapping. However, 500 miles from Hawaii, she was hit by a powerful storm and the Oklahoma began to fill with water and sink. The Hercules was unable to break free until the last moment, narrowly avoiding being dragged to the bottom of the sea by the Oklahoma.

In 1986 she was designated a National Historic Monument. She is now one of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park exhibits and is moored at the Hyde Street Pier.

Technical sheet of the model Hercules Tugboat

Scale: 1/50
Width: 163mm
Height: 420mm
Length: 915mm

 

 

Edited May 14 by Kevin

[Kevin]

this is my first ever review of a kit so please bear with me

 

the box containing the kit is generic, a colour poster is attached to the box detailing what is inside

the lasered billets are  well done with very little laser burn on either side  and the wood packs look reasonable with no splintering are described in the instructions as being made up of lime and Basswood

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by Kevin

[Kevin]

two sheets of PE which feels chunky/heavy it also lacks any real detail, 

rope/thread  is fluffy, any one taking this build on might have better in their bottom drawer

Running gear shaft and  rudder are included with a two bladed prop, 

 

[Kevin]

fittings, are made up of bollards winches davits etc these look quite well moulded with a minimal seam line, this is a 1/30 scalle kit, so they may appers to be over sized, im not sure about the metal tyres, perhaps they could have used, well, tyres

 

the instructions manual looks ok and will certainly be useful to anyone doing a first or 2nd build, a QR code is available to obtain online instructions

paint list and drawings show the rest of the layout and ways to fit this out with RC Gear, 

 

[Kevin]

Conclusion

for someone venturing into the RC world with a wooden hulled boat this will fit the job very nice, however as a static build it will be lacking in detail, having said that for the price it it is very well priced and will make a great build 

[Diver]

Thanks for the review.  I am currently doing the AL tug Sanson.  Just today I watched the youtube build videos of the Hercules.   I think I may purchase this kit, The working boats are my cup of tea

[Roger Pellett]

To designate a vessel for National Historic Landmark status it is Necessary to prepare and file a Historic Structures Report (HSR) with the US National Park Service, an arm of the US Federal Government.  The process can be quite complicated and HSR’s can vary in quality.  HSRs are supposed to include Measured Drawings of the vessel in question.

 

The National Park Service has posted a number of these HSR’s on line and I believe that includes one for Hercules.  The drawings in the Hercules HSR should be helpful in adding details to this kit.

 

Roger

[Ronald-V]

Nice review Kevin 👍

[catopower]

As Roger points out, the HAER has a report on the Hercules. Nice thing about this subject is that the actual ship is docked in San Francisco, so a lot of photos are available.

 

Here's a link to the files in the Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/item/ca1507/