Towing Collection (#6)

Paddle tug, Gleaner towing a sailing ship clipper on the river

Steam tug gleaner towing clipper, hand coloured

One of the first successful steam boats, Jonathan Hulls steam tug, 1737. From The Book of Ships, published c. 1920
One of the first successful steam boats, Jonathan Hulls steam tug, 1737. From The Book of Ships, published c.1920

Sailing ships United States Steamships Oregon
Sailing ships of the United States, Steamships of Oregon, Portland, Oregon, 1906, Ore. Towing on the Willamette River

Towing Reed Peter Henry Emerson British born Cuba
Towing the Reed; Peter Henry Emerson (British, born Cuba, 1856 - 1936); London, England; 1886; Platinum print; 22.2 x 27.1 cm (8 3, 4 x 10 11, 16 in.)

Paresev 1-B in tow flight, October 19, USA, 1968. Paraglider Research Vehicle experimental aircraft. A normal flight was a takeoff on the Rogers Dry Lakebed at Edwards Air Force Base

Canal boat drawn by horse
Canal boat drawn by a horse, led by a man along a towpath. circa 1905

Junkers Ju 90 -shown towing a giant Messerschmitt Me 232 troop glider

Hawker Henley -started life as a light bomber, but relegated to target towing

Bristol Beaufighter TT Mk. 10 RD867, Rockcliffe, Canada
Built as a Beaufighter TF.X (Torpedo Fighter version) RD467 was converted to a TT.X, for target towing. Seen here in bad condition at Rockcliffe Airport in Ottawa, Canada

A Belgian artillery unit setting up the LG1 105 mm / 30-calibre towed howitzer
Army Base Leopoldsburg, Belgium - A Belgian artillery unit setting up the LG1 105 mm/30-calibre towed howitzer. The howitzer is towed by a Unimog vehicle

Breakdown lorry lifting car from basement area
The breakdown lorry, from Lambeth fire station being deployed to raise a car from the basement area after it crashed through the railings

NFS (London) towing unit and trailer pump, WW2
A unit from Lewisham Sub-station (37 F 2 Y) at Lewisham Bridge School, Elmira Street. SE London attending a training exercise in the locality

LFB fire towing unit and trailer pump in bomb crater, WW2
Quite a few London Fire Brigade vehicles came to grief during the Blitz raids. This Commer towing van and trailer pump have ploughed into a bomb crater in Southwark Bridge Road just south of

Tug Anglia and Obelisk Ship Cleopatra, off Ferrol, 1878
Engraving showing the steam tug Anglia (on left) towing the obelisk ship Cleopatra, off Ferrol, 1878. The Cleopatra, which was a cylindrical vessel, was built around Cleopatras Needle

Antarctica, Wiencke Island, Port Lockroy. Towing the ship Expedition ship Clipper Adventurer garaged in sea-ice

Penlee lifeboat towing stricken yachts to Newlyn, Cornwall
Penlee lifeboat towing stricken yachts and their passengers to Newlyn, Cornwall. Date: circa 1970s

Cartoon, British Tars, towing the Danish Fleet into Harbour; the Broadbottom Leviathan trying to swamp Billys old Boat, & the little Corsican tottering on the Clouds of Ambition, by James Gillray

Two boys and a dog in rubber dinghies
Two boys in a large rubber dinghy, towing along a smaller dinghy containing a small dog. Date: circa 1960s

Armstrong Whitworth AW 41 Albermarle-seen here towing a Horsa glider, where they took part in the Normandy landings

Albatros DVa towing-out D7343-17 - Photo by Hugh W. Cowin - Old Warden

Towing vehicle and light trailer pump, WW2
Two AFS men with a towing vehicle and light trailer pump. Date: 1940s

Dennis breakdown lorry, demonstrating wrong method
Firefighters operating a Dennis breakdown lorry (commissioned at HQ on 3 April 1936), demonstrating the wrong method of lifting and towing the front axle

Emigrant ship St Vincent
The emigrant ship St Vincent, bound for Sydney, Australia, being towed out. The ship left Deptford, south London, preparatory to sailing for Plymouth, then Cork in Ireland

Napier aeroplane, 1916
A Napier aeroplane en route to the army authorities, towed by a car with a large trailer. Date: 1916

Couple water-planing on a wooden raft
A couple water-planing (or planking) on a wooden raft -- the photograph has been taken from the motor boat which is towing them. Date: 1914

British soldiers towing captured German gun, WW1
British soldiers towing a captured German gun along a road on the Western Front in France during World War One. Date: circa 1916

Illustration of sonar system Gloria sending out sound pulses across sea bed, picking up echoes bouncing back from features on the sea bed and communicating them to on-board computers

Illustration of red jeep towing yellow car on road

Illustration of broken down car and tow truck towing car

Illustration of jeep towing small boat

Illustration of a space shuttle with a piece of a space station in tow

Illustration of tow plane pulling glider into the air by cable

Curtiss H12 Large America, 8681, aboard a towing lighter

Curtiss H12 Large America, 8681, about to be warped aboa?
Curtiss H12 Large America, 8681, about to be warped aboard a towing lighter

A Curtiss H12 Large America in a towing lighter adapted ?
A Curtiss H12 Large America in a towing lighter adapted to be a floating dock for flying boats

Towing lighter adapted to be a floating dock for flying ?
Towing lighter adapted to be a floating dock for flying boats. In the background is Curtiss H12 Large America, 8670

Illustration of a blimp towing a sensor through liquid ethane on Titan
A manned blimp tows a sensor through one of Titans many bodies of liquid ethane in search of new discoveries. A blimp would be an efficient form of transportation given Titans combination of high

A light armored vehicle being towed at a military base in Afghanistan
Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 5, tow a light armored vehicle at Forward Operating Base Payne, Afghanistan

Curtiss C-46E in flight towing a Waco CG-15A glider
September 28, 1950 - Curtiss C-46E in flight towing aWaco CG-15A glider

An M-88 recovery vehicle begins to tow an M992 field artillery ammunition supply vehicle
March 6, 2007 - An M-88 recovery vehicle begins to tow an M992 field artillery ammunition supply vehicle after a mechanical breakdown during a convoy at Ft. Stewart, Georgia

Underwater view of a MK-8 Mod-0 SEAL Delivery Vehicle
A MK-8 Mod-0 SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV), wet submersible, is towed midwater by the buoy line connected to the Dry Deck Shelter (DDS), deep submergence system

Ex-USS Vincennes is towed out of San Diego Bay, California, by USS Kalmia, 1969
October 7, 1969 - Ex-USS Vincennes (CL-64) Is towed out of San Diego Bay, California, by USS Kalmia (ATA-184). Assisting are the harbor tugs Muskegon (YTB-763), alongside Vincennes

Source Size = 5018 x 1899
The " lord Warden" Towing the " lord Clyde" Off the Island of Pantellaria

Source Size = 3770 x 3329
Towing the " dreadnought" Hospital Ship to her Last Berth

Source Size = 3366 x 2394
TOWING OUT

The Late Collision Off the Lizard: H. M. s. Terrible Towing the Calcutta into Plymouth
The Late Collision Off the Lizard: H.M.s. Terrible Towing the Calcutta into Plymouth, 1869

British soldiers towing a motor vehicle in Italy during WWI (b / w photo)
XJF441999 British soldiers towing a motor vehicle in Italy during WWI (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; English, out of copyright

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"Towing: A Testament to Strength and Resilience" Towing, a practice as old as time itself, has been an integral part of human history. From the iconic painting "The Fighting Temeraire" depicting a majestic ship being towed away by a steam-powered vessel in 1839, to the infamous Medusa Raft -1 that was left adrift at sea until rescued by another ship, it has proven its worth in dire situations. During World War II, the Short Sunderland flying boat showcased its towing capabilities when it successfully pulled damaged aircraft out of harm's way. Similarly, the Jackup oil drilling rig in the treacherous waters of the North Sea relied on towing vessels for stability and safety. In moments of peril, even unexpected heroes emerge. The heartwarming story of being saved by a female bather illustrates how human kindness can extend beyond land and into water rescue operations. The Douglas Dakota picking up a glider during Normandy's Second World War invasion exemplifies teamwork and resourcefulness. This act not only symbolized hope but also demonstrated how different vehicles could work together towards a common goal. During London's Blitz in World War II, auxiliary towing vehicles played an essential role in evacuating people from danger zones swiftly. These unsung heroes ensured that citizens found solace amidst chaos. From land to air travel advancements came hand-in-hand with towing innovations. The Humber Vintage Car proudly towed Humber-built Monoplane – marking Britain's first all-British aviation achievement – showcasing how diverse modes of transportation can come together harmoniously. As society progressed post-war era saw leisurely pursuits like caravanning gain popularity; captured perfectly by an unknown creator who immortalized a 1937 Hillman 14 effortlessly pulling along a caravan through picturesque landscapes. Even military forces recognized the importance equipment such as Bristol Beaufighter TT Mk. 10 RD758 stationed in Bahrain during World War II.