Tugs, Tugs, Tugs!

A few months ago, we published an article about the Museum’s desire to acquire a selection of key, WWII-era aircraft tugs. The impetus behind this decision arose, in part, because our present, 1980's-era US Navy tugs will need overhauling soon. If we needed to devote precious resources into that endeavor, surely it made more sense to aim higher and put the money into something more representative of our collection's primary theme. After all, being able to move our WWII aircraft around the Museum's ramp with period-correct vehicles will broaden the authenticity of visitor experiences and help retell the stories of our Greatest Generation in greater depth.

A B.F. Goodrich advertisement from WWII describing the advantages of the company's rubberized tank tracks which enabled the Cletrac to service and tow U.S. bomber aircraft on semi-prepared airfields.
A B.F. Goodrich advertisement from WWII describing the advantages of the company's rubberized tank tracks which enabled the Cletrac to service and tow U.S. bomber aircraft on semi-prepared airfields.

Indeed, we have already been working towards that aim with the restoration of our former US Army Air Forces CCKW 353 Fuel Truck. And it hasn’t taken us long to get the ball rolling on the aircraft tugs either; we acquired a pair of very rare, former U.S. Navy Ferguson Moto-Tugs in August. These tugs, which the U.S. Navy used aboard Aircraft Carriers during WWII, will provide a perfect method for moving the Museum’s naval aircraft around, like our FG-1D Corsair, FM-2 Wildcat and, when its ready, our SBD-5 Dauntless. Both Moto-Tugs are presently under rework to return them to fully-operational condition, and we look forwards to providing progress reports in the near future. 

However, as already alluded to, the Museum is also seeking out other kinds of aircraft tugs and support vehicles. As such, we are now happy to report the acquisition of two Clark Clarktor 6 aircraft tugs and eight ‘Cletrac’ M2 High-Speed Tractors, both types being high on our list of desirable vehicles.

A factory worker using a Clark Tractor Clarktor 6 aircraft tug to move a freshly-built B-25 Mitchell at a North American Aviation manufacturing plant circa 1942.
A factory worker using a Clark Tractor Clarktor 6 Heavy Duty aircraft tug to move a freshly-built B-25 Mitchell at a North American Aviation manufacturing plant in Kansas City, Kansas circa October 1942.

Clarktor 6

The Clarktors both came via Larry Kelley’s marvelous Delaware Aviation Museum Foundation, which operates B-25J Mitchell Panchito and other historic types on the air show circuit. Larry is a longtime friend, and I noticed - purely by chance - that he had listed these two tugs for sale on a Clarktor-specific Facebook page. After a brief conversation, Larry offered them to the Museum at a very generous price. He wanted them to go to a good home, and knew that the Military Aviation Museum would provide that haven. While we weren’t 100% certain that these tugs were both manufactured in WWII at the time we agreed to purchase them, they were definitely the correct model for that period, so it was too good an opportunity to pass up. Both came with fascinating, historical pedigrees as well; Larry had acquired one of them as surplus from Dover Air Force Base, while the other came from NASA’s Wallops Island rocket launch facility.

The two Clarktor 6 aircraft tugs loaded aboard the flatbed in Georgetown, Delaware awaiting the journey to the restoration shop. Before Larry Kelley's Delaware Aviation Museum Foundation operated them, the one on the right fulfilled its military career at Dover Air Force Base, while the one on the left served at NAS Chincoteague (Now NASA Wallops Flight Center).
The two Clarktor 6 aircraft tugs loaded aboard the flatbed in Georgetown, Delaware awaiting the journey to the restoration shop. Before Larry Kelley's Delaware Aviation Museum Foundation operated them, the one on the right fulfilled its military career at Dover Air Force Base, while the one on the left served at NAS Chincoteague (Now NASA Wallops Flight Center).

A quick inspection revealed that the former Dover Air Force Base example, while of 1946 manufacture, was virtually identical in design to its wartime siblings, so it was still appropriate for the Museum. We don’t know for sure whether it had served at Dover since new, when the base was known as Dover Army Air Field, but rumor has it that the build sheets for these tugs still exist, so it should be possible to match their serial numbers to their initial base assignments. The same will hopefully prove true for the Wallops Island example. That particular vehicle was of 1944 manufacture, so matches our needs perfectly. Interestingly, the airfield which now serves NASA Wallops Flight Facility was initially the wartime home of Naval Air Station Chincoteague, a WWII-era coastal defense station on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Former President George H.W. Bush served there for a period during late 1943, albeit just prior to our vehicle’s construction.

A rear view of the two Clarktor 6 aircraft tugs. Note that the example nearest the camera has only two wheels on the rear axle, whilst the other has four. This distinguishes the latter as a Heavy Duty variant of the tug.
A rear view of the two Clarktor 6 aircraft tugs. Note that the example nearest the camera has only two wheels on the rear axle, whilst the other has four. This distinguishes the latter as a Heavy Duty variant of the tug.
A nice front 3/4 view of the two Clarktor 6 tugs which the Military Aviation Museum recently acquired from the Delaware Aviation Museum Foundation. The example nearest the camera is the Heavy Duty variant which once served at NAS Chincoteague on Wallops Island, whereas the lighter duty version to its rear once served at Dover Army Air Field in Dover, Delaware.
A nice front 3/4 view of the two Clarktor 6 tugs which the Military Aviation Museum recently acquired from the Delaware Aviation Museum Foundation. The example nearest the camera is the Heavy Duty variant which once served at NAS Chincoteague on Wallops Island, whereas the lighter duty version to its rear once served at Dover Army Air Field in Dover, Delaware.

It will be interesting to see how much we will be able to discover regarding the history of our Clarktors. Both tugs are presently under assessment regarding their restoration, so we can plan out exactly what needs doing, and who is going to do it. The good news is that both tugs retain many of their hard-to-find pieces, so even though they were every-day workhorses for almost 80 years, they are still largely intact - such amazing, hardy beasts!

A marvelous image of the flightline at NAS Chincoteague circa 1947. Note the neat row of Grumman F8F Bearcat fighters at the left, the F6F-5K Hellcat drones in the middle and the pair of Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateers with a Douglas JD-1 Invader in between them. Note that there is also a Clarktor 6 aircraft tug at the lower left of the image. While we have no way of knowing for sure... it would be pretty cool if this was actually the Museum's newly-acquired example! (US Navy image)
A marvelous image of the flightline at NAS Chincoteague circa 1947. Note the neat row of Grumman F8F Bearcat fighters at the left, the F6F-5K Hellcat drones in the middle and the pair of Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateers with a Douglas JD-1 Invader in between them. Note that there is also a Clarktor 6 aircraft tug at the lower left of the image. While we have no way of knowing for sure... it would be pretty cool if this was actually the Museum's newly-acquired example! (US Navy image)
Loading three of the eight Cletracs onto a flatbed trailer for the journey to CAF Headquarters in early April, 2015. These vehicles were recently acquired by the Military Aviation Museum. (image by Keegan Chetwynd)
Loading three of the eight Cletracs onto a flatbed trailer for the journey to CAF Headquarters in early April, 2015. These vehicles were recently acquired by the Military Aviation Museum. (image by Keegan Chetwynd)

Cletracs Galore

As for the Cletrac hulks, these came via a generous collaboration with the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). Oddly enough, our Museum’s Director and CEO, Keegan Chetwynd, has a strong connection to these vehicles, as he was instrumental in acquiring them for the CAF back in 2015 while serving as the organization's Curator. The collection of Cletracs had been stored for many years on a farm in Burleson, Texas, and while in rough condition, they contributed significantly to the restoration of the CAF’s newly-completed Cletrac. The surplus horde recently became available, and will now form the basis for the Military Aviation Museum’s example. With a lot of help from CAF personnel and John Sprouse, two tractor trailer loads of Cletracs arrived at the Museum from Texas in early October. They are currently in temporary outdoor storage nearby our Cottbus Hangar, should visitors wish to see them before they move inside. Since Museum volunteers have just about finished the restoration of our Link C-3 Flight Trainer, they will soon be looking for another project… and this might be where they start next. The Museum is now accepting donations of Cletrac parts, so if anyone has any they wish to part with, we would be very interested to hear from you.

A pair of the Cletracs that the Military Aviation Museum recently acqured shortly after they were discovered by members of the CAF in Texas during 2015. (image by Keegan Chetwynd)

Two of the eight Cletrac aircraft tugs which the CAF discovered on a farm in Burleson, Texas during 2015. The Military Aviation Museum has just acquired this horde and will use it as a parts source to restore one of them to fully-operational condition. (image by Keegan Chetwynd)

A closeup of a data plates on one of the Cletrac aircraft tugs. (image by Keegan Chetwynd)

Four of the Cletracs on the lowloader shortly after its arrival at the Military Aviation Museum in early October, 2024. (image by Keegan Chetwynd)
Four of the Cletracs on the lowloader shortly after its arrival at the Military Aviation Museum in early October, 2024. (image by Keegan Chetwynd)
Unloading one of the Cletracs outside the Fighter Factory's hangar at the Military Aviation Museum during early October 2024. (image by Keegan Chetwynd)
Unloading one of the Cletracs outside the Fighter Factory's hangar at the Military Aviation Museum during early October 2024. (image by Keegan Chetwynd)

With Thanks!

Many thanks to Larry Kelley and the CAF for helping make these projects become a reality. We look forwards to reporting on the restoration work once it begins!