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Testors Vac Form Graf Zeppelin

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  • Member since
    March 2005
Testors Vac Form Graf Zeppelin
Posted by philo426 on Monday, August 2, 2021 1:27 PM

Challenging kit as the plastic is so thin that in order to retain its shape I had to put a flat central keel to attach the halves to.Extensive work will be required to obtain an acceptable result.   

  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: New Braunfels, Texas
Posted by Tanker-Builder on Monday, August 2, 2021 3:56 PM

My Gosh!

    Did you have it in stash or did you recently acquire it? I built one Years ago Before it was a Testors product. I believe it was originally Hawk. It was a rude surprise and yes, it was thin then.

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Monday, August 2, 2021 4:15 PM

A guy on one of my Facebook groups offered it to me for the price of postage...could not pass it up !Tanker,do you have any pics of it?

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Monday, August 2, 2021 6:25 PM

Cool project.  Takom just came out with 1/144 P & Q class zepplins

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Monday, August 2, 2021 6:49 PM

Sweet. That kit reduced 10 year old me to tears.

I put so much Squadron Green on the hull seams, that it probably became my first real shelf queen. And tthat for a kid who could put together an airplane between homework and bed.

 

Bill

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Monday, August 2, 2021 7:04 PM

Main weakness is the thinness of the plastic.

  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: Orlando, Florida
Posted by ikar01 on Monday, August 2, 2021 9:06 PM

That can be fixed with strips of plastic from companies like Evergreen, scrap plastic, or even pirces of sprue from other kits.  If you have flexible pieces, run them lengthwise and then connect the strips together to form a rigid brace.

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 7:06 AM

Yes that is the plan.

  • Member since
    June 2021
Posted by rocketman2000 on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 8:58 AM

keavdog

Cool project.  Takom just came out with 1/144 P & Q class zepplins

 

Wow, I will look into those!

I'm a big airship fan.  Testors also did a cast styrene version of the kit.  It came out great.  I had it hanging from the ceiling in my den for a few years.  Then something happened and it crashed down!

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: New Braunfels, Texas
Posted by Tanker-Builder on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 9:37 AM

I Wish! Philo!

 Between Transfers to other Bases(Military) and Ships it did not survive the many moves. Plus, My childhood involved many moves because Child Custody Thingies!

 

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 10:53 AM

Bummer!  

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 10:54 AM

Here is the frame for my scratch built airship I plateted with dozens of individual styrene plates.

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 10:58 AM

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 12:29 PM

Interesting that those Takom airships are model warship scale. They'd display nicely with an ICM Konig or Grosser Kurfurster.

 

Bill

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 1:30 PM

1/700?

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 1:49 PM

1/350!!!

 

50 CM long!

 

Bill

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 3:18 PM

19 inches ok but this one is 38 inches long!

  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: New Braunfels, Texas
Posted by Tanker-Builder on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 7:50 AM

Hello;

       Hey, I did do one about twelve years ago for a school project. Adults were invited to the school(Volunteers, of course!) What I did for a science group was in two days. While the class payed attention(Yeah,can you believe that?) I built a airship out of balsa and That covering paper for planes. Then Hung a tea lamp( Candle) under it and after it got full of enough Hot air it floated around the room.

       Those Kids, Surprisingly, were blown away ! The principle was impressed too. All I told him was I was going to do a science experiment for the seventh grade Class! I have always been fascinated by the great airships of the past,The " Graf Zeppelin, The Hindenburgh and the Shenandoah, the list goes on!  We have an airship that visits every year for Schlitterbahn and Wurstfest. It's the Snoopy airship and it stays at our local airport at night. That is only 1/2 mile away!

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 2:14 PM

That is cool !I live in NE Ohio and the Goodyear Blimp will occasionally pass over head! 

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 2:27 PM

I grew up in the shadows of the hangars at Naval Air Station Moffett Field , home of the Macon. But of course I never saw her. Good submarine patrol aircraft unti you fly into a storm.

 

Bill

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 6:37 PM

I had to add ballast to the gondola so that she would hang properly.  Added a couple aluminum plates.   

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 6:38 PM

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Thursday, August 5, 2021 8:50 AM

Looks pretty good from here, Philo! 

When I saw your first post the other day, I wondered whether adding "latitudinal" ribs would help support the vacuform shell, like in a real dirigible.  That is, circular pieces of styrene sheet, cut to fit at intervals from the nose to the tail.

I've had an idea in the back of my mind for many years, to make a model of a Zeppelin using the stick and tissue method. I've pictured that kind of rib structure-rings supporting longitudinal ribs, using basswood.  Your build makes me think more about moving that forward.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Thursday, August 5, 2021 9:32 AM

Good idea!as expected,it is a real putyy monster!  

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Thursday, August 5, 2021 9:33 AM

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Thursday, August 5, 2021 6:06 PM

Despite its 38 inch length,the Zep weighs just under a pound!  

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Thursday, August 5, 2021 6:06 PM

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Friday, August 6, 2021 7:48 AM

philo426

Despite its 38 inch length,the Zep weighs just under a pound!  

 
Lighter than air!  Big Smile

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Friday, August 6, 2021 8:06 AM

Since it is so long,I opted to habg it frim a line and use rattlecan red oxide primer.    

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Friday, August 6, 2021 11:55 AM

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