JRobinsonUSAF Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Okay, this project is driving me crazy! I found a really neat Navy video on the PBY Black Cats here: At the 5:30 - 5:42 time frame, it shows a really neat tug that the narrator refers to as a "Blitz Buggy". I have done every search I can think of on aircraft tugs/tractors on Google and come up empty on anything that looks remotely like what is in the video. Has anyone ever seen one of these outside this old video? I'd love to do one to go with the PBY when I get it finished. Thanks, JR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 (edited) That's a Minneapolis-Moline aircraft tug. "Mini Mo" NT. http://justfinding.blogspot.com/2015/03/not-what-id-planned.html Edited October 22, 2015 by 82Whitey51 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JRobinsonUSAF Posted October 22, 2015 Author Share Posted October 22, 2015 That's the one! Thank you for the id. JR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 No sweat, I have a really boring desk job so taking a break to research stuff is great! The narrator in the film actually screwed up by calling it a "Blitz Buggy". The "Blitz Buggy" is what they called one the early models of the "jeep", the American Bantam (motor company) BR60: The rounded front end and bug eye headlights might have thrown him off but the size difference is noticeable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 BTW, saw you post over on HS asking about painting the "Black Cat". I have a PBY Black Cats decal sheet from "Yellowhammer" and in the instructions he provides a description/technique to paint one. He suggests painting it aluminum, then the traditional scheme (overall blue gray over light gray or the tri-color scheme) and then painting it flat black. After all that, use some fine steel wool and start rubbing away in areas to expose the underneath colors. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JRobinsonUSAF Posted October 22, 2015 Author Share Posted October 22, 2015 Thanks for the input. I had come to the same conclusion about the whole "Blitz Buggy" moniker. Then again, I am sure that was just a case of "Tactical Deception" on the part of the narrator. JR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ross blackford Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 :D, Not sure if this is correct or not but is there a possiblity that the Minneapolus moline tractor could have been called 'Blitz Buggy' by the US Navy in the Pacific? In Australia a 'blitz buggy' was a GM-H built Chev 4x4 truck. Like the IBG Australian pattern Chevrolet truck. , Ross. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 (edited) :D/>/>/>, Not sure if this is correct or not but is there a possiblity that the Minneapolus moline tractor could have been called 'Blitz Buggy' by the US Navy in the Pacific? In Australia a 'blitz buggy' was a GM-H built Chev 4x4 truck. Like the IBG Australian pattern Chevrolet truck. :cheers:/>/>/>, Ross. Probably not, I think it was just the film narrator screwing up the name. "Blitz Buggy" was a name pushed on the Army by the makers of the BR60. 9 times out of 10, the official name or any name given to the troops, for any item, ends up getting called something else entirely. The name "jeep" for example came straight from the Army's designation of the little vehicle; "General Purpose", though some say it came from a Popeye cartoon character too...who knows. I'm a Navy air guy so I can mostly speak to that community and can tell you I've never heard any aircraft referred to by it's given name; you have Hummers, Queers, Bugs, Super Bugs (they tried to push "Rhino" on the E/F model F/A-18 but that was taken by the Marine F-4 years ago...not gonna happen), Cods, War Pigs, Hoovers, Hercs...not sure what they'll end up calling the F-35 but I bet it's interesting. From the little bit I dug up yesterday on these tugs, it was pretty much referred to as a "Mini Mo", short for the tractor makers name. It sure would be a nice little item to have in 1/48 scale! Edited October 23, 2015 by 82Whitey51 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Well, heck...looky here, there is one in 1/48 scale! http://www.belcherbits.com/lines/battalion/bt10.htm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JRobinsonUSAF Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 Just found that myself and was going to post it here. Kill the scratchbuilding plans, boys! JR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Dang, I'm a sucker for those things... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Just found that myself and was going to post it here. Kill the scratchbuilding plans, boys! JR Yup...I found it by Gooling up "Plans/drawings for Minneapolis Moline aircraft tug" because I was going to try scratch building one. Boom! I'll spend a few bucks for one instead. :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank99 Posted April 14, 2018 Share Posted April 14, 2018 Here's a detailed virtual view of a PBY-5A 'Black Cat' with its wing removed for corrosion inspection prior to a decision to either restore for display or restore to airworthiness. http://vintagetin.net/PBY-5ACatalina/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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