Coastlines 1/1250 CL-M591A Tacoma as a tender to Graf Spee 1939-40
Tacoma (1939-40) was a combi-liner operated by HAPAG to ports all around South America which was taken over by the Kriegsmarine in October 1939 while in lay-up in Chile to service German warships in the South Atlantic. This model is a 1/1250 scale, waterline, resin model made and painted by Coatlines Models catalogue number CL-M591A.
Tacoma sailed from Chile to Uraguay where she was laid up once more. Photographs of the ship show that the funnel band had been painted out leaving a yellow funnel with a black top band and cap and the superstructure had been darkened. The German Liner Columbus adopted this livery for her attempt to break the British blockade to return home and is referred to in German souces as "Darkening ship". After the Battle of the River Plate, the Pocket Battleship Graf Spee and anchored near the Tacoma. When Graf Spee left port, Tacoma collected the crew of the Graf Spee and was nearby the warship with two Argentine tugs when the scuttling charges exploded. Graf Spee's crew were landed in Argentina. Tacoma returned to the channel leading to Montevideo and two weeks later, Tacoma was arrested and interned in Uraguay. Two years later, the Uraguayans took over the ship and she was still in their service until the early 1970s. In 1974 she was reported to be in use as a prison ship. see Coastlines Model CL-M591B for the post-war liner.