Current and Finished Projects > Aero-space
The Baron von Blimpen story - a deflating tale
Brian da Basher:
The airship frenzy took hold in Germany just before World War I. One of the great innovators of that age is all but forgotten today. Baron Bernhardt von Blimpen was a former Lt. Col. in the Untergrund Uhlans who retired to Ulm. There he became fascinated by aerodynamics. The Baron Bernhardt von Blimpen was a blunt man and so his approach to aerodynamics was blunt as well. After seeing Count von Zeppelin's L 4 1/2 "Zinkenzee" crash on Lake Constance due to a hydrogen leak, the Baron knew he could do better.
The First World War greatly accelerated airship development and gave the Baron von Blimpen the break he needed for his unique design to take flight. His BL (Blimpen Luftschiffe) 1 & 2 were paper projects only but unfortunately, were eaten by his dog, Schweinhund. The Baron's BL3 made it past the dog only to be accidentally used to sop up spilled coffee at the Idflieg R&D bureau. Fortunately, the BL4 was much more successful. The generals at Idflieg were impressed with the BL4's enormous bomb bay and how the gondola was done away with, flight stations being enclosed inside the envelope itself. Armed with four auto-cannon turrets in dorsal and ventral positions and window-mounted light machine guns, the airship seemed well set to meet any opposition. Its eight engines provided a top speed of 106 m.p.h. and a long range. Accepted immediately after trials in May, 1917, the BL4 was immediately assigned a mission to bomb Great Britain.
Continued...
Brian da Basher
Brian da Basher:
Now known as the Von Blimpen Großbritannien Bombenangriffluftschiff, the BL4 left Germany on the night of May 20, 1917 with the Baron himself in command. The mission started according to plan, but just off the coast of Ol' Blighty, the Von Blimpen Großbritannien Bombenangriffluftschiff was set upon by flocks of seagulls whose insistent pecking caused the ship to leak precious hydrogen. All ballast was tossed overboard with little result so finally the Baron ordered "Bombs Away!" and the great ship's cavernous bomb bay opened and the bombs dropped offshore not far from Clacton-on-Sea.
The BL4 made it safely back home, but deflated completely upon landing and the airship never flew again. However, jettisoning the bombs near Clacton-on-Sea caused one of the greatest fish kills ever and the Kaiser awarded the Baron and crew of the BL4 the Fachmännischer Fischmörder Order of Merit. The Baron died in his sleep on Nov. 10, 1918 and all that remains of his legacy are this desk model of his Von Blimpen Großbritannien Bombenangriffluftschiff and numerous fakes of the Fachmännischer Fischmörder Order of Merit which features a leaping fish being menaced by an airship.
GTX_Admin:
Has a distinct Sperm Whale look.
Doom!:
--- Quote from: GTX_Admin on January 19, 2012, 04:13:45 AM ---Has a distinct Sperm Whale look.
--- End quote ---
I'll bet a good Harpooning would have a similar effect. :o Looks Great BDB!!! Really like the look. :)
Brian da Basher:
This project has been in the planning stages for a while, but only took about two weeks to build. The base kit is the Hobby Boss Song Class sub kit which should look like this:
Oops.
I added the teeny-weeny engines and props from two Revell Hindenburg kits and new fins and rudders cut from card stock. The gun turrets were left-over from a 1/144 B-29 kit and decals were from my spares except for the crosses which were from a sheet for a 1/72 Fokker D.VII.
Here's some final shots of the Von Blimpen Großbritannien Bombenangriffluftschiff BL4 as she flies off into the mists of forgotten almost-history.
Brian da Basher
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