I found this picture of tug 'Fortunate' on your site and immediately realised it was an important vessel. This is what I know about her from my tugs database:
1943 EMPIRE GRIFFIN, 1947 FORTUNATE
UK Navy Empire tug, Modified Warrior/Roach-class
Registered: LR56-57: 60461 /LR66-67: 511850 /(GBR)ON 168763
258 GRT, L114'0"'(105'0"), B30'2", D11'11,5"(13'6")
1 scr, T3cyl by "Plenty & Son Ltd" at Newbury, oil fired, 1000ihp
1943 -24/04: Launched by "Scott & Sons" at Bowling (YN 368)
1943 -10/06: Completed for the UK Admiralty, handed over to "Pedder & Mylchreest Ltd" at London for onward delivery
1947 -xx/09: Sold to "Condor Ltd" at Glasgow, renamed FORTUNATE
(LR56-57: 60461 /ON 168763, call sign MFMC)
1959: ownes restyled to "Condor (Shipping) Ltd" at Glasgow
1961: To "Cory Hermanos SA" at Santa Cruz de Tenerife (ESP)
(LR66-67: 511850)
1974: reported sold to shipbreakers
As these 'Empire' tugs are scattered over the world, it is difficult to find pictures of them to document their history. And that is why I am so happy finding this one.
May I ask if you have more of these? The fact is, somewhere in my life I fell in love with tugs and the men working on them, though I have nothing to do with the marine world. Some years ago I started building a tugs database, focussing on their historical facts, tracing them from launch to scrapyard. Next to the Belgian tugs, my favorites are the WW2 built UK Empire and TID tugs, from which I havy already quity some info, but the blancs are outnumbering the completed ones.
This to explain my happyness and my question for more pictures (or information). I am very active on the UK based tugs forumhttp://www.tugtalk.co.uk. If you are interested, please pay us a visit. There's a lot of interesting people and dear friends there.
You can always consult my database by downloading it (free) from my website:http://users.skynet.be/sky42086, by clicking the "Get It" button below in the left menu. It is made in MS-Access 2000, but can be converted correctly to Access '97 too.
In the hope you can help me a little, please accept my friendly regards,
