Beyond The Sprues
Modelling => Completed GBs => Group and Themed Builds => Informal Lockdown/COVID-19 GB => Topic started by: Frank3k on April 17, 2020, 10:28:13 AM
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Albert Robida was a great French illustrator from the late 1800s. I'm sure most of you have seen his artwork.
This will be a 1/35 scale flying vehicle inspired by some of his artwork. The first illustration isn't his - it dates from 1828 and depicts Mr. Charles Golightly flying on his steam powered rocket:
(https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/17oed9p0lfrvfjpg.jpg)
The story for the artwork (in its various forms) is described here (https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-rocketeer-who-became-a-19th-century-obsession-5914803)
Albert Robida drew his views on life in the year 2000 as well as war in the 20th century. I'm using the drawings below as inspiration:
The mailman:
(https://miro.medium.com/max/3632/1*ZuJS1g03LPfHZdc5wIohGA.png)
War in the 20th Century:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Robida_-_La_Guerre_au_vingti%C3%A8me_si%C3%A8cle.pdf/page1-2133px-Robida_-_La_Guerre_au_vingti%C3%A8me_si%C3%A8cle.pdf.jpg)
This is what I have so far:
(https://i.imgur.com/32mqaX7.jpg)
The main body is from a 1/72 V-1 rocket, split in two. Mr. Jameson is riding on a cylindrical part from a 1/12? scale Star Wars speeder bike. The tail is from an old Seaview model, flipped upside down. The ring in front of ol' Jim is the cowling from a 1/72 plane. I used a strange tubular part from (I think) a Star Wars snow speeder. The wings swivel.
I've since added a probe (or whatever the rods are on the red flyer) and I'm debating on adding a prop.
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great source of inspiration ! :smiley:
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Got to love a large spare parts box! Looks quite Steam Punk too,
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Loving this one already.
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I've made some progress. Here's Jimbo riding his mechanical flying stead:
(https://i.imgur.com/808Dd1n.jpg)
It looks more like a steam punk cruise missile, since I haven't built or added the seat/saddle and controls:
(https://i.imgur.com/vINAB2o.jpg)
I popped a wing off to get a side view:
(https://i.imgur.com/SamAqef.jpg)
The wings and tail feathers were completely redone - using tape to simulate rib tape was a good idea in principle, but not in practice...
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Beautiful!
In the 1880's I guess "steampunk" would be the main sci-fi "trend". The model reflects it perfectly!
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very good !
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This is looking very cool, looking forward to seeing the finished model :-* :-*
Mog
>^-.-^<
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Thanks guys. I have no idea on how to add landiing gear/legs/skids to this. I guess the originals were just meant to float a few feet off the ground.
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...I popped a wing off to get a side view...
But it looks like, when that wing came unstowed, Jimbo fell off and is now plunging earthward :o
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Yeah, the 1880s were long before OSHA...
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I think this one's done:
I stole borrowed took inspiration from all three of the original drawings. Mr. Golightly's rocket, Robida's mail delivery and Robida's War in the 20th Century:
(https://i.imgur.com/RE1JubO.jpg)
The tank behind Jim is the mufler from a Tamiya 1/35 M3 tank.
The steering wheel and the wing angle adjusters are wheels from a 1/72 Sd.Kfz. 251 that Jeff sent me. For the steering wheel, I just opened up the spaces between the supports. The handle/knobs are just styrene rods with putty:
(https://i.imgur.com/asade2l.jpg)
They're hard to see in this picture, but each of the small tubes contain the green radium tubes and electro-atomic lifting coils. I think the part is from an MPC snow speeder:
(https://i.imgur.com/UnAG9R0.jpg)
The steering wheel is free turning, so I could position the handle/knob into his hand:
(https://i.imgur.com/cKlj8lw.jpg)
Jim had a previous engagement, so he's not in the following pictures. The seat is part of a ski from the Trumpeter 1/35 Gaz-98 Aerosan:
(https://i.imgur.com/q2IxPUV.jpg)
The control stick is a styrene rod. It not only provides control, but also adds extra mayhem in case of a crash:
(https://i.imgur.com/h4RAlv9.jpg)
This was a fun little kitbash/scratchbuild. Parts used:
Mac 1/72 V-1 fuselage
Tail fin from either an Aurora or Polar Lights re-pop of the Seaview (it came in a box of parts)
Unknown bits from an MPC speeder bike and MPC Snowspeeder
Wheels from a 1/72 Sd.Kfz. 251
Muffler from a Tamiya 1/35 M3 tank
Part of a ski from a Trumpeter Gaz-98 Aerosan
Engine cowl from a Mikromir plane disaster
Styrene sheets and rods.
Mr. James Jameson borrowed from my last build.
Tanks for looking and commenting!
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With rider in saddle of Albert Robida inspired flyer (see the connection) there is possible Hollywood movie application. Has so much character. Is movie prop waiting for a movie.
Way cool scale-o-rama combo. 8)
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I'll confess ignorance of Rodiba's work before this thread and went googling. This guy provides enough material for his own dedicated Group Build (https://www.google.com/search?q=Albert+Robida&rlz=1C1APWK_enUS802US802&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjzxZGegPzoAhVjmXIEHbNzAkcQ_AUoAXoECBYQAw&biw=966&bih=496).
La Guerre Infernale ("The Infernal War"), a 1908 serial adventure novel for children that appeared weekly every Saturday. Robida contributed 520 illustrations. The novel is set in the future and features uncanny parallels to World War Two, including an attack on London by Germany and a conflict between Japan and the United States. It was subsequently republished as a book. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Robida)
Compare (https://unexplainedland.tumblr.com/post/88031984374/la-guerre-infernale-the-infernal-war-written) and Contrast (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4u7vvsMiAU)
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The finished craft does not disappoint, Robida would have been impressed.
Love it ! :-* :-* :-* :-*
Mog
>^-.-^<
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:smiley:
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Okay, I think we've reached a whole new level here :smiley: Amazing, inspired stuff Frank ... that parts list alone! :D
Wonderful work ... and I love Story's idea of a GB ;)
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Thanks guys! It was a fun build and I didn't have to repaint - which a rare thing for me.
Jim saying goodbye to his horse:
(https://i.imgur.com/GnWNOWI.jpg)
Based on this cartoon:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/2216/1903050006_0d6f8c001c.jpg)
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Marvellous work.. great source of inspiration
Sort of a Steampunk version of Slim Pickins riding the bomb from Dr Strangelove
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Dr._Strangelove_-_Riding_the_Bomb.png)
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Frank, that is one cool looking flyer you’ve built! I don’t know why this never occurred to me before but Hiyao Miyazaki must’ve also been highly influenced by Robida.