This beautifully detailed builder's dockyard half hull model is of the luxury steam yacht TUSCARORA. Designed by G.L. Watson and built in 1897 by Scott SB & Engineering Company Shipbuilders of Greenock, the TUSCARORA had a long time at sea with 40 years as a yacht before she moved on to 33 years of commercial and naval service.

Builder's dockyard models of luxury steam yachts of this era are very sought after, particularly those that are as detailed and in as fine a condition as this one. This model brings back a time when yachts of this type were the most luxurious accommodations and refined travel at sea.

The ship was launched on June 17th at Scotts' Cartsdyke East, Greenock shipyard. The ship was a two-masted steel-hulled yacht with a schooner rig, and was 181.4 ft long, with a beam of 26.8 ft and a molded depth of 14.5 ft, with a tonnage of 565 GRT. She was powered by a 3-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine, rated at 122 nhp, driving a single shaft and giving a speed of 12.5 knots.

TUSCARORA was initially owned by William Clark of Glasgow and she went through several owners as a yacht, listed below, before she was acquired and renovated for military service during WWII. As HMS TUSCARORA, she was based at Campbeltown in Western Scotland where she was exclusively employed in providing anti-submarine warfare training exercises for British and Allied submarines in the local waters. Her first exercise was in June 1940 with HMS H33, and her last in April 1945 was with HMS Vulpine (P79).

After the was, in 1945, TUSCARORA was returned to her owners and in the following year was converted for commercial use, sold to a Panamanian company and renamed SS ANATOLI. In 1952, the ship ... Read More