Description

Smaller of two towing tank models of the experimental vessel Lucy Ashton. Built of thick wood lifts faired on the outside, creating a solid hull with three large rectangular cavities in the middle. Painted gray with the number '22' stenciled on the port bow and starboard quarter. Unpainted 'V's on either end of the cavities suggest that spray deflectors were removed.

The original Lucy Ashton was a paddlewheel steamer built in 1888 and operated on the Clyde River in Scotland. In 1950, she was purchased by the British Ship Research Association, fitted with jet engines, and used to test drag and water resistance. This work sparked a number of ongoing research projects, including the construction of this model at MIT.