Here's a few shots of my latest, the W.W. II patrol airship of the Macon class, the U.S.S. Bacon.
The idea is that the U.S. Navy was forced to bring back rigid airships to counter Axis subs in the Battle of the Atlantic.
I figured it'd probably take a couple of years for an airship to get into service after Pearl Harbor, hence the red bordered 1943 markings and 3 color scheme.
Here's a picture of Hellcats in that scheme:
The tail of my airship should probably be the lighter middle shade, but it just didn't look good that way. Fortunately, there seems to be room for interpretation given how that paint job could vary in the field.
I'd like to thank Mr Fontaine for sending me the sub hulls that made this all possible.
A spare Me-109 pylon was drafted into service as the gondola and cast-off landing gear legs were used for the prop shafts & struts. The tail feathers were cut from card stock. The radar nose is actually the spinner for a 1/72 Nieuport 17 biplane. Decals are a mix from the decal dungeon. The U.S. Navy titles are from a Matchbox Devastator and might be older than I am. Those eye-catching 1943 markings are from a sheet by Eagle Strike.
I was hoping to get this done in time for the
The Snoops, Sensors, Spooks, & Spies GB, but no luck.
Work was busy and this project fought me every step of the way. I sanded and re-painted it twice and even the stand was an issue. I wanted to put a U.S.S. Bacon decal on it cobbled from spare letters but most of them folded and those that didn't remained stuck fast at odd angles. So even the doggone stand was sanded and re-painted. *sigh*
Still, I'm glad it's done and now you see what a 1943 Macon class airship might look like.
I'd tell you how long I spent on this, but that's still a touchy subject...
Brian da Basher
