Author Topic: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub  (Read 10857 times)

Offline Brian da Basher

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TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« on: January 28, 2012, 09:52:02 PM »
Here's something I've been working on for the last week. The base kit is a 1/350 HobbyBoss Han Class sub kit which should look like this:



Oops.

The fins were swiped from a Glencoe U.S. Navy blimp kit and the gondola is from a Revell Hindenburg kit. The winky little engine nacelles were made from small bombs and bits of sprue.











Brian da Basher


Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2012, 09:54:45 PM »
Here's some shots after a few coats of paint.











Now to get all the decals on.

Brian da Basher

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2012, 10:40:58 PM »
You know what might really look good?  A spatted landing wheel mounted under the gondola and another one on the lower fin. 
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Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2012, 02:54:04 AM »
You know what might really look good?  A spatted landing wheel mounted under the gondola and another one on the lower fin.

Don't encourage his addiction... ;)
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Offline sotoolslinger

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2012, 06:21:46 AM »
You are on an airship roll my friend :-*

Offline apophenia

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2012, 07:43:02 AM »
Looking great Brian!   :)

Don't encourage his addiction... ;)

We all know how this works. First you think "it's only two spats, where's the harm?". The next thing you know, it's six ... then eight spats. Where does it all end!  :o
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Offline Doom!

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2012, 07:53:28 AM »
I really like this latest addition to your aerodrome  :)   
Doom!
Jeff G.

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #7 on: February 01, 2012, 06:47:53 AM »
With the sudden, tragic and catastrophic failures of the Boeing 307, Douglas DC-4 and Lockheed Constellation prototypes, airlines were desperate for a way to service their long-haul routes. Fortunately, TWA found a solution in lighter-than-air dirigibles. After the successful trans-Atlantic runs of the two new state-of-the-art German airships LZ-130 Hiddenberger and LZ-131 Graf von Seppellenen in 1938, TWA solicited bids for their own trans-continental airship. The leading contender, the Goodyear Co. out of Akron, Ohio submitted a bid that bordered on extortion. Fortunately, the B.F. Goodrich Co. from Charlotte, North Carolina proved a bit more reasonable and construction began in December, 1938. The B.F. Goodrich airship had a successful maiden flight from Charlotte to St. Louis in March, 1939. It was delivered to TWA just in time to inaugurate cross-country service for the opening of the 1939 World's Fair in New York City.









continued...

Brian da Basher
« Last Edit: February 01, 2012, 07:26:28 AM by Brian da Basher »

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2012, 06:54:59 AM »
Staffed with a crew of ex-U.S. Navy airship professionals led by Capt. Terrance Auveur and filled to capacity with 250 passengers and freight, the inbound trip from St. Louis to New York was uneventful. However, on the return flight, Capt. Auveur and most of the flight crew unfortunately ate some tainted Missouri Sea Bass with devastating (and messy) results. It was up to a former blimp pilot from the Great War, Ned Piker and a stewardess, Florine Pickerson, to bring the ship safely home. With help from the ground, the TWA airship made a perfect one-point landing at the mooring mast in St. Louis. Ned Piker and Florine Pickerson became instant heroes. B.F. Goodrich's airship division also became successful until the introduction of flying cars in 1959 which made all forms of mass air transport obsolete.









Brian da Basher
« Last Edit: February 01, 2012, 08:49:24 AM by Brian da Basher »

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #9 on: February 01, 2012, 07:00:23 AM »
Well I finally got the decals and prop discs on. The decals were all from my spares and I want to thank Jeff Fontaine for sending me the big TWA markings. The gondola windows are stickers from the Polar Lights Star Trek Enterprise kit and the long cabin windows are from a sheet Frank3k ran off for me a while back. I hand-painted white stripes to frame the windows. The prop discs are cut from clear plastic. I hope you enjoyed this little airship and the story as much as I enjoyed bringing them to you. Here's a couple of shots as she flies off on another trip.





Brian da Basher
« Last Edit: February 01, 2012, 08:59:01 AM by Brian da Basher »

Offline Logan Hartke

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #10 on: February 01, 2012, 08:02:33 AM »
I love the backstory.  "The life of everyone on board depends upon just one thing: finding someone back there who can not only fly this airship, but who didn't have fish for dinner."

Cheers,

Logan

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #11 on: February 01, 2012, 08:12:17 AM »
I love the backstory.  "The life of everyone on board depends upon just one thing: finding someone back there who can not only fly this airship, but who didn't have fish for dinner."

Cheers,

Logan

And unfortunately, the Otto pilot was still working for Lufthansa at the time.

Now, about that "drinking problem"....

Brian da Basher

Offline Logan Hartke

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #12 on: February 01, 2012, 08:16:43 AM »
"What kind of airship is it?"
"Oh, it's a big pretty white one with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big Tylenol."

Cheers,

Logan

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #13 on: February 01, 2012, 09:00:01 AM »
"What kind of airship is it?"
"Oh, it's a big pretty white one with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big Tylenol."

Cheers,

Logan

Surely you're kidding.

Stop calling me Shirley.

Brian da Basher

Offline Logan Hartke

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #14 on: February 01, 2012, 09:19:10 AM »
"Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue."

Cheers,

Logan

Offline Alvis 3.1

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #15 on: February 01, 2012, 09:54:53 AM »
"There's trouble on the Airship? What is it?"
"It's a large, gas filled lighter-than-air vehicle that carries passengers, but that's not important now..."

Alvis 3.1

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #16 on: February 01, 2012, 01:12:33 PM »
Sweet.
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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Offline JP Vieira

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #17 on: February 01, 2012, 07:34:47 PM »
Very good. Congrats

Offline finsrin

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #18 on: February 02, 2012, 08:53:46 AM »
Is Cool  8)
Can see it doing 2 or 3 day sight seeing tours over national parks or round trips along East and West coasts.

Offline Frank3k

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #19 on: February 04, 2012, 03:22:33 AM »
Great model, Brian! The front end makes me think that Hugh Hefner might be interested in flying it...

Offline taiidantomcat

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #20 on: February 04, 2012, 06:22:19 AM »
 :-* :-* :-*

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Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #21 on: February 04, 2012, 07:41:48 AM »
Great model, Brian! The front end makes me think that Hugh Hefner might be interested in flying it...

Funny you should say that, Frank. I considered painting the tip of the nose red to match the rudders but thought better of it. Odd to have to think about such issues when building airship models.

I've got another one almost ready for decals. This time it's a smaller airship made from a HobbyBoss Yuan sub. Hope to have something up in a few days.

Brian da Basher

Offline finsrin

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #22 on: February 04, 2012, 01:58:43 PM »
Frank3k has an interesting point.  You know what,,, there could be a sister ship to this operated by and done in Playboy club paint scheme.

Offline Tophe

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Re: TWA airship from a HobbyBoss Han Sub
« Reply #23 on: February 04, 2012, 11:10:16 PM »
Wonderful model once more :-*