Think You're The Tugmaster? Think Again

In order to become a master of something, you need to be "of consummate skill" in whatever it is that you claim to be a master of. I feel confident in my experience with tugging, given that I was a rower, I tugged on oars and ergometer handles for eight years, and I even had a dog named Tug Boat, but I wouldn't claim the title of tugmaster. One vehicle that has duly earned the title of Tugmaster is the Douglas-Kalmar TBL-280 Tugmaster. It's a 35,000-pound airliner supertug, and Car And Driver's latest 'from the archives' article is a review of this funky looking goliath. If, like me, you've always wondered what it's like to drive one of the coolest and hardest-working airport vehicles, you're gonna want to read it.

The article was originally published in the August, 2000 issue of the magazine, and it was written by Ken Purdy Award-winner John Phillips. For any young'uns reading this, a magazine is a typically monthly-published book-like thing with lots of pretty pictures printed on glossy paper that people used to pay monthly subscriptions to get delivered to their homes.

This long, low-slung, torque monster was designed to handle some seriously heavy loads on a daily basis. We're talking about something as large as a 660,000-pound Boeing 777, here, 24-hours a day, seven days a week, and it wasn't even the most powerful tug made at the time, that went to the 53,000-pound TBL-400. The TBL-280 is powered by a 7.1-liter turbodiesel inline-6 that sends 255 horsepower and 698 lb-ft of torque through a three-speed, manually shifted automatic transmission. That's enough to tow a fully loaded DC-10 at speeds up to 22 mph, but it's not strictly business; it also features a heater, air-conditioner, and electric defrost system, as well as a 180-degree swiveling instrument panel and seat.

Naturally it doesn't use the typical tow hitch you find on the back of any old pickup truck, or even one you find on a semi-truck. Instead, it actually locks around the front landing gear of the plane, and hoists it into the air so the operator can steer the plane. It has the ability to operate with front-wheel steering, four-wheel steering, crab steering like the Hummer EV, or rear-wheel-only steering for maximum maneuverability, and of course it can be driven in reverse.

Phillips offers a condensed version of the instructions for lifting an aircraft, which sounds rather stressful, but the tug has the tech to make it simpler. Of course there are some great photos as well, even offering the POV of what it looks like to look back and see the jumbo jet being towed. It's a great read, and I'm so jealous of Phillips's opportunity to experience such a specialized piece of equipment. Check it out on Car And Driver's website!