1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

[Herr Doktor]

Haven't been about for a while, but I have been busy:

Inspired by this picture:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

And this picture:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

I set about making a large model of a giant, airborne 'steampunk' warship, with a metal superstructure built around a large hydrogen envelope, so I started with a length of 4" ABS tube, some plastic hemispheres, and the odd disposable plastic wineglass:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

this is where it was after a day or so of playing around, a length of round tube on the base, and a length of square section on the top, with a 19th century style prow (harking back to it's supposed Victorian origins), the outrigger envelopes are lengths of plastic waste pipe with hemisphere ends and styrene strip details, the holders at each end were surplus ends from fluorescent tube light fittings.

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

The start of the superstructure, slabbed up from sheet styrene, along with some girderwork bracing:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

Another view, with the command decks in place.

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

Adding gun emplacements, small acrylic spheres to suggest that the guns swivel in any direction.

First tentative steps in railing attachment, using photoetch Royal Navy railings:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

Adding some tanks to the sides, with lots of piping via a distributor:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

Also gave some thought to the rear control surfaces, after finding an interesting arrangement on an an early twentieth century dirigible, I went with this style:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

Along with a propeller that would be about 70 feet across in real life!

I eventually decided to add two smaller props. on the outriggers:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

Plastic wine glasses for the shrouds, turned 'cylinders' moulded in silicone and cast, the props. themselves are from a car air freshener.

Then there's the guns:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

This is partly why I chose to build it to 1/350 scale: the amount of accessories available! 

One of the features on this model is a large 'cloudbuster  gun' on the brow, to clear clouds and possibly enemy ships from it's path:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

Started on more of the finer details, such as walkways with railings:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

Added three hardpoints on the base tube: could be for docking with other airships, or mooring towers:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

Or, just possibly to hide the three large screws that hold it together...

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

I'm aiming to get this finished by the third week in April: I only started in April 2010, I want to get it done before it's second birthday!

[wittmann]

 

Wow!!
A Victorian partner!! 
Stunning  (and huge!) work!!!
Really nice look.....
I love those pics!

[thejurasikfrank]

This looks awesome

Can't wait to see the outcome!

Cheers

[FichtenFoo]

Oh sweet! I knew you were working on it... just didn't know if you stopped or not. Looks great!

[Hemish]

Thats looking so impressive, can't wait to see this finished

[kat69]

Wow! Thats a huge amount of work! It was nice to get a big chunk of pictures like that so I did not have to wait around for updates to come through. It was great to be able to see where it started and flick through your progress. That detail is coming along great. I can't wait to see the next stage in your build.

[MGmodeler]

WOW very very impressive scratchbuilding work.  I love the piping and the photoetch handrails.  Saved for future reference!

[Herr Doktor]

Thank you for your interest! Had some time to put some more work into it:

When I first started this model, someone commented that they 'would miss the smokestacks', which I agreed with, so, instead of them, I've added two upright tanks on the superstructure:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

I've also carried on with railings, and added some more detail behind the upper tanks:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

Just some styrene tube and plastic BBs, but it looks the part!

More to follow!

:)

[Hunter Rose]

Looking seriously nice dude, nice railing!

[Grail]

Wow! Can't wait to see how this turns out.   

[Herr Doktor]

Not going to get it done for the weekend. Oh well, just have to get it done for the next show I'm doing- MCM Expo at Excel, London at the end of May- another month!

Meanwhile, I have started putting paint onto the finished parts:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

The keel is a dark red, the mid parts dark blue, and the envelope silver- all from auto rattlecans. I also airbrushed many panels onto the envelope, using a darker silver/black mix, with Post-it notes as quick masks. Once dry, I airbrushed over all the shading with a thin silver mix to tone down the paneling- it now sort of 'hides' until it catches the light, very pleased with the effect, you can see it better here:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

Sealed it all with Citadel Miniatures "Purity Seal", or, as most would call it, Satin Varnish.

More soon!

[FichtenFoo]

Looking great!

[e47art]

WOW! Very excited to see the final piece, and more of your WIP!

[JohnLogan]

That looks great. I like those scrolls at the bow.

[Herr Doktor]

The scrollwork is from a set of stickers that Hobbycraft sell for scrapbooking! I 'borrowed' the idea from someone on Brass Goggles- it was a fair trade he borrowd my method for doing rivets! :)

Still getting on with it, finished the outrigger balloons and mounts, and got on with the photoetch doors and portholes:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

I didn't really have a plan for the large windows on the bridge, so finding a 1/100 scale ladder that did the trick was fortuitous! :)

I'm starting to think about markings, and a name- large Union flags on the tail, and perhaps the "HMAS LEVIATHAN"?

[Hunter Rose]

Looking sweet dude, those doors and portholes look pretty damn fiddley!

And I think Leviathan is a spot on name for this cool beast 

[The Inner Geek]

I've had a soft spot for airships ever since watching the anime Last Exile a few years ago. This one does not disappoint!

[Herr Doktor]

Making inroads on the topcoat of paint:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

And I realised that it really needs some sort of power unit, so had a root through all my bits and pieces, and found some engine/power generating style 'things':

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

Also some smokestacks which may or may not remain as smokestacks

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

It sits behind the bridge assembly looking dangerous.

[Sharkdog]

This thing is quite big, but it's looking great. I love the overall style of the airship, and particularly that 'panel' trick you applied for the paint.

[Herr Doktor]

Thank you very much! It's just about three feet long, one of the biggest models I've made, been a fun journey!

And now it's in the final stages:

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

1/350 scale Steampunk "Aerial Battleship"

Need to sort out a few small details- more markings, maybe some deck guns, rigging and a base that isn't MDF for a start...