Beyond The Sprues
Modelling => Completed GBs => Group and Themed Builds => Falklands War/Guerra de las Malvinas 30yr Tribute GB => Topic started by: Brian da Basher on May 17, 2012, 06:56:45 AM
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While the success of the British passenger airships R-100, R-101 & R-102 are legendary, little known was the Royal Navy's combat airship R-99 built in secret until it played a crucial role in the 1934 Falklands Crisis.
A shepherd with a short-wave ham radio was able to get word back to Britian that the Falklands had been taken. Immediately, the Royal Navy ordered the aircraft carrier Ark Royal diverted from exercizes off the coast of Greenland to deal with the invasion. Knowing it would take almost a week to arrive, the Royal Navy also ordered the combat airship R-99 launched.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_airship_001.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_airship_002.jpg)
Fortunately, the R-99 carried a Siskin Mk. X biplane which would prove a huge surprise to the invading Argentines.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_airship_003.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_airship_004.jpg)
continued...
Brian da Basher
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After three days' flight, the R-99 hovered 75 miles off Stanley, waiting for dawn. When the sun rose, the R-99 launched its Siskin biplane and swooped in to expel the invaders.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_airship_005.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_airship_006.jpg)
The Siskin strafed all the Argentine "Balboas" until they were burning hulks and the R-99 bombed the Argentine army's camp. Before long, a white flag was seen and Special Air Service paratroops jumped from the R-99.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_airship_007.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_airship_008.jpg)
continued...
Brian da Basher
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When the SAS paratroops landed, they were stunned to find all the surrendering Argentine troops almost too ill to stand. As it turns out, the real British secret weapon wasn't the R-99 nor it's Siskin Mk. X, but Bovril. This horrid staple of English cupboards had sickened the invading Argentines to the point of prostration. In fact, to this very day, it is illegal to import Bovril into Argentina and this is one of the few remaining crimes where the death penalty applies.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_airship_009.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_airship_010.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_airship_011.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_airship_012.jpg)
By the time the Ark Royal showed up, the situation was well in hand, to the great amsement of the Royal Marines who expected to meet fierce resistance and not a green, barfing mass of Argentines.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_airship_013.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_airship_014.jpg)
Brian da Basher
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This project began over a week ago when I was looking at two sets of Airfix Trafalgar-class sub upper hull parts that the always generous Jeffry Fontaine sent me:
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/hullsprues.jpg)
I added a gondola made from a small 1/72 scale bomb. The fairing connecting it to the envelope is actually a Stuka landing gear strut. Next I cut fins from card stock and added engine nacelles made from bits of sprue. I really liked the look of some sub screws so I decided to use them as propellors.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_prog_01.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_prog_02.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_prog_03.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_prog_04.jpg)
The gun turrets on top and bottom are actually small wheels and I added a smaller turret under the gondola and another gun in the tail.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_prog_05.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_prog_06.jpg)
Brian da Basher
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Brilliant as usual!!
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I've always been fascinated by airplanes "hooking on" to airships and wanted to build one in model form. This one's pretty small and might be the tiniest model I've ever built.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_bipe_01.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_bipe_02.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_bipe_03.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_bipe_04.jpg)
Brian da Basher
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I'm going to close out with a few detail shots. I forgot to mention that the entire model was brush-painted by hand with Model Master acrylics and the decals came from spares. I had a whale of a time participating in this group build and I encourage everyone to join in the fun!
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_detail_00.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_detail_01.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_detail_03.jpg)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/R-99%20airship/R-99_detail_04.jpg)
Brian da Basher
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That hull certainly looks better now than it did before I packed it up and sent it off to you. Glad to see it turned into something useful. Good use of the propellers too.
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Ingenious as always Brian. Excellent backstory & build.
Regards,
John
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A great idea, nicely executed (naturally). Honestly looks the part.
But that tiny biplane on a penny! Well, that's just nuts. All the way. And, let me guess, for that little biplane, you never even stooped to using magna-goggles like me and Eddie have to, did you?
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Fantastic! Model, backstory, all... (http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m309/ChernayaAkula/Emoticons/worship.gif)
Seriously, they should make a film with this storyline. (http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m309/ChernayaAkula/Emoticons/ukliam2.gif)
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That's just great!
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Yes --- "Fantastic! Model, backstory" "Ingenious as always Brian." Does have makings for a movie, TV special, etc....
Love the imagination and quality build. Cool 8) 8) 8)
Care to claim a scale? 1/700 ish ?
Bill
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BdB,
Your creativity just never ceases and never ceases to amaze. :)
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Great build
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Fantastic! Model, backstory, all... ([url]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m309/ChernayaAkula/Emoticons/worship.gif[/url])
All true. And the hooked Siskin is the icing on the cake ... hmmm, Bovril-flavoured icing :-X
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Amazing work and very creative.
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WWWOOOOWWW
Creatively beautiful. And that tiny fighter ... with Spats. :)
A marvel
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best Zep yet, Brian!
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Good grief man...that thing is epic; a zeppelin in temperate camo!!! :o 8)
Wonderful use of an old sub kit and I agree, those sub screws look great as props! Love that tiny parasite fighter, is it completely scratch built and does it resemble any particular plane?
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Why it's supposed to resemble a Siskin Mk. X of course!
The British actually used the real Siskin for launching and recovery experiments in the 1920s. I envisioned an improved, spatted version. It was entirely scratch-built from spare parts. The fuselage was a bit of sprue and the wings were landing gear doors. The spatted landing gear are nameless sub kit parts.
Glad you enjoyed the R-99! I had a lot of fun building it.
Brian da Basher