I got this kit on a raffle in a scale model show a few years ago, and after a quick inspection, I put it in a box and forget about it.
The mold is only 64 years old! the quality is ugly by modern standards. Although the level of details is decent, you will find huge fitting issues, ejector marks everywhere so I recommend studying very well the parts before assembly if you are up to the challenge.
Been saying that, I wanted to make something special from this kit, also different from everything else. I looked for similar tug boats in the tropic zone, like Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic for inspiration. I also named it after someone very special in my life.
Facts
| Brand: | Revell |
| Title: | Harbour Tug Boat |
| Number: | 05207 (Also listed as 80-5207) |
| Scale: | 1:108 |
| Released: | 2001 | Rebox (Changed decals) |
| Type: | Full kit |
| GTIN/EAN: | 4009803052076 |
| Packaging: | Letterbox |
Building the Kit
After inspecting the plastic sprues, decals, and references, I started sanding almost everything, lots of sanding and a lot of putty for the hull and the boat frame. Pinholes were removed or sealed with putty, except a round of them in the railing side of the boat. I solve the problem using a plastic sheet to cover them. The kit brought some simulate ropes for the sides of the boat, something often used in the 40s and 50s, so I needed a modern solution using rubber tires, but on that scale is a tricky one. My solution came in a weekend play with my kids using a product that is available almost everywhere called “WATER BALLOONS – BUNCH OF BALLOONS RAPID REFILL”. the balloons came with a rubber ring that after cutting simulate perfectly a rubber tire!. For the windows, I use a clear plastic film from a Pasta box glued using the clear glue from Testor.
After that, a lot of test fitting is required to make sure the boat hull and tower house fit perfectly in place before starting painting.
The painting was done in stages, first the hull using Tamiya Red Hull as a primer, and later adding some orange and red to get the correct mix. The upper area of the hull was painted in white and sky blue. The Boathouse was also painted in white with all floors in gray. I weathered the blue paint of the hull using my airbrush with Tamiya flat white thinned and the red hull was retouched with a mist of light green to simulate algae accumulation. I decided to give a unique touch, and painted the boat’s bridge with a flag from my country (Puerto Rico) and named the ship by my wife’s name. I used different types of cord rope for the details on the lifeboat, rubber tires, and the poles. The final touch was to use a Silver dot from Sticko to simulate the searchlight on top of the bridge’s roof.
