Have you seen any model airships on display?

[Charles Adams]

I have been scouring the Web and finding, much to my surprise, very few photos of airship models. I realize many of the larger models are to be found in museums around the world. Have you seen these models? I have seen only one or two and those were at the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

If you know of any large scale airship models, please post and tell us where you saw them. Heck, there are so few of these, tell us about any nice airship models you have seen. Also please post any photos of these models if you have them. I will post what I have been able to find so far (which is not much!).

[Charles Adams]

Here are some more. I finally found a large photo of a fantastic model of L31 on display in California. I need to reformat that so it can be posted and I will do that shortly. . .

[Charles Adams]

Here are two more. The model of L31 is spectacular! Anyone know more about this?

EDIT: More info in this post (http://www.airshipmodeler.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96&p=1313)

[Sparrowhawk]

I haven't personally seen the model, but here's a link to the restoration of a 12 foot long model of the Shenandoah on display at the Westerm Museum of Flight near Los Angeles, CA. When first built, it was apparently a flying model.

http://www.starksravings.com/shenandoah/shen.htm

hawk

[Charles Adams]

Cool! I wish the photos were bigger. Too bad there aren't more large-scale models like this! I think airships look magnificent in 1/72 and even 1/48 scale. :)

[Charles Adams]

Here are two more I just found. This Dave Straub seems to be a prolific airship modeler! :)

[McTodd]

Nice pics! There are several models of airships at the Science Museum in Kensington, London (including, IIRC, a large R101). I have no photos, but next time I'm there I'll try and borrow a camera beforehand!

[Astroboy]

Years ago, when the National Air And Space Museum had a lighter-than-air gallery, there was a big model (about 1/100 scale) of the Akron. If I remember correctly it had the earlier, longer fins that were not on the airships as completed. I think there was a cut-away section showing the internal structure. I have also seen two small airship models that were not displayed in the museum. One was a C class USN blimp, the other Santos-Dumont's No.9 airship. I think these were at the Silver Hill facility in display cabinets.

Bill Kastenmeier

[Andrew Gorman]

There's a full-scale replica of the Avitor at the Hiller museum in San Carlos, CA. There is a lousy picture on the museum website:
http://www.hiller.org/avitor.shtml
More detail at:
http://www.earlyaviator.com/archive/airships/1869.07.02.Marriott.Avitor.Hermes.Jr.jpg
And steam powered to boot!
Andrew

[McTodd]

Excellent! I've heard of the Avitor, I didn't know a full-size model was built. Astroboy, if you can ever find a photo of that model of Akron, that'd be cool. Meanwhile, here are some photos of model airships at the Science Museum I ransacked from the Ingenious website...

[McTodd]

...plus a few more (including a photo of a model of the R101 made by a Mr C Denton, a London bus conductor, taken in 1939!).

[Charles Adams]

Much better! Now we're getting somewhere. :) I saw the Akron at NASM. I thought it was much bigger, though -- more like 1/72 scale. I took pictures, but that was 20 years ago this year so I'll really have to dig to find them. I'll scan them if I do. I thought there was another big airship model as well, maybe the Hindenburg?? Memory is getting fuzzy. . .

:cheers:

[Digger]

Have you seen these?
http://www.ciderpresspottery.com/ZLA/fromreaders/letters.html
The 1:100 scale Graf Zeppelin has some intricate work, with nice pics.

[Charles Adams]

Yes! And very nice. But technically not on display except online. ;) There was also a huge Graf built by Eddie Chavez who passed away not long ago. This is on display at the San Franciso Airport in California (according to the article I found):


Because of the skills he developed in the service in making models, he gained national recognition for his handmade models that were on display at the famous Nut Tree Restaurant and Airfield in Vacaville, California until its closing in 1996, the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., and in several private collections across the United States, including a replica of the historic X-1 experimental jet aircraft that was made exclusively for General Chuck Yeager.

The great majority of the model aircraft Eddie created for the Nut Tree Restaurant and Airfield in Vacaville, California were acquired by the San Francisco Airport Museums in 1997. Mr. Chavez's relationship with the Nut Tree began in 1961 when Edwin I. Power, Jr., an owner of the Nut Tree, had his art director, Don Birrell, contact Mr. Chavez after seeing his model work at the Smithsonian. From 1961 to 1988, some twenty-seven Chavez models were commissioned by the Nut Tree, and for much of that period he modelled exclusively for Mr. Power. A few of the models were made with the assistance of Mr. Chavez's friend, Robert Fogg.

Eighteeen of these Chavez models were added to the San Francisco Airport Museums Aviation Collection in 1997. They became an important asset of the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, which opened as part of the San Francisco Airport Museums in 2000 upon completion of the new International Terminal at SFO. This is the largest collection of Chavez models.

[toddk]

There is supposed to be a 22 foot model of the Graf Zeppelin 2 in the Milwaukee airport.

[Rod Filan]

Great topic. Thanks all for contributing.
But I do have to protest the Avitor Hermes, Jr. on a technical foul. If it's full scale (http://www.earlyaviator.com/archive/airships/1869.07.02.Marriott.Avitor.Hermes.Jr.jpg), I'd rule it a replica airship. heh

1. Vaniman Atlantic No.1 model. Built 1912.
HTA/LTA to fly the Atlantic. Gauging from the chair in the lower left of the image, it appears to be about 10 feet high and approximately 15 feet long. Teardrop envelope, suspending a large passenger car with biplane wings, a box-kite tail, three propellers, and an enclosed flight-deck along the top. Lettering on the side the gondola reads: Airship Atlantic No.1

2. Unidentified Bot-Lallemand airship model. 1910.

VBR
Rod

[joshua]

Hello,

Here some pictures i found on the internet. Unfortunatly i found them on is no more.

Joshua

[Stephen Cunha]

I have been to several public displays of airship models on the west coast (USA), but several are gone now. Sneaking a ringer on you, in Santa Clara is Moffett field which still has the hanger where the Macon was moored. Unfortunately after 911 the hanger was put off limits to the public (NASA Ames Research Center is at the field). In San Leandro (Ca) there used to be a hobby shop that soon after the movie Zeppelin came out put up an almost perfect model of an R type Zeppelin in 1/72 scale. It was on display for about a year before the heat caused t to distort into an obscene sex toy.

Moving east we come to Vacaville (Ca). There was a tourist trap owned by a great aficionado of airships. The stop was called the Nut Tree and it had a huge gift shop and restaurant. At the entrance to the restraint was a humongous model of the Graf Zeppelin over twelve feet long. The model was perfect, but under detailed for its great size. There were also several small airship models including the Akron, all less than two feet long. The shop also contained a large collection of pictures and prints on airships and planes for sale. Unfortunately the business which was a landmark road stop went under after the owner passed away. I suspect the Graf Zeppelin model may be the one at SFO and will be checking this out.

In Tillamook Oregon there is the Blimp Hanger Museum. In spite of its name the two Hangers were built to house two Akron/Macon size airships. They were the largest wood hangers in the world. Part of the mane floor contains an aircraft museum and part of the floor is reserved for experimental LTA cargo lifters being used for logging. In the gift shop is a model of the Macon about 3-4 feet long. Originally the museum was to show off the hanger itself. The aircraft were added to broaden the appeal of the museum. There is only the museum hanger now; the other hanger was destroyed in a fire.

The Bremerton Navel Shipyard Museum (Wa) has a small piece of a girder from the Macon disaster.

My last site is the Museum of Flight in Seattle (Wa). In the original Boeing factory (The Big Red Barn) was a model of the Shenandoah about 3-4 feet log floating above one of the Packard engines from the ship. The model is missing since there last remodel (I believe they put it in storage)

I have Brownie style snaps from these places which I will try to locate, but I don’t think they will scan well.

Note for Charles Adams

1. Any info you have on the SFO’s Graf Zeppelin would be of great interest to me.
2. On what thread would I post this note. The Moffett Field Historical Society is trying to save Hanger One from the wrecking ball. http://www.moffettfieldmuseum.org/
Thank you.

[Charles Adams]

I've been to the Museum of Flight twice and never saw that! I'll have to ask them what they did with it, would love to have seen it.

The only info on the SFO model was that article, but it did mention the model was still on display:


Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, which opened as part of the San Francisco Airport Museums in 2000 upon completion of the new International Terminal at SFO. This is the largest collection of Chavez models.


Feel free to post your other note in the General Discussion forum in its own thread.

Thanks! :)

[Stephen Cunha]

Thank you Mr. Adams, this is exciting news to me. The information you posted made it possible to locate this model of LZ127. I always wondered what happened to the model at the Nut Tree. I will now be planning a visit to the museum. Below is a paraphrased caption for the model I found on a remembrance for Edward Chavez.


Graf Zeppelin LZ-127 Dirigible
model built in 1967
Model length 149" Scale 1:62 (~1?=19?)
Model maker: Edward Chavez
On display at San Francisco Airport Museums
Formally on display at the ?Nut Tree Restaurant and Airfield Collection?

[Charles Adams]

Please take good, detailed pics! Thanks. . . :)

:cheers:

[zoomar]

Unfortunately, I took no pictures (they aren't allowed), but the Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichschafen has a very thorough gallery of of large scale (I would guess around 1/144) models of just about every main rigid airship type, including US and British ships as well as the expected German ones. I also remember the wonderful Hindenburg which used to be in the NASM. Recently in Oklahoma City, at an IPM convention/show someone had an outstanding combined scratch built/plastic card Hindenburg in 1/200 scale, cut open to show the internal framework and gas cells - together with a stand alone model of the passenger accomodations. I suspect the basic kit measurements were based off a paper card kit.

[46rob]

http://naval.aviation.museum/exhibits/lighter_than_air.html

Also under restoration is the "Ghost ship" L-8's control car, and on display are lots of other artifacts, like a 'Ruddervator" from one of the last blimps, with "X" shaped tails, a wagon with a long, multi section extending ladder, built in Germany, to sevice Dirigibles, nose structures and much more.

I'm a vol at the museum--in the resto section, so I see all this stuff nearly daily.

[STC]

I was at the London Science Museum around the 70th anniversary of the R.101 crash. I took a lot of pictures of the R.101 model, girders, and Tornado engine for a book I'm writing. Unfortunately one whole roll disappeared and the other one suffered some kind of overexposure -- *only* on the R.101 pictures.

(Earlier in the week, I was at Fairlight near Hastings for a ceremony commemorating the crash. All *those* pictures suffered overexposure too. It's still creepy.)

Anyway, here are the two surviving R.101 pictures (complete with ghostly green light). I believe that this is the same model that was used at the court of inquiry in 1930 which can be seen in photos of that event.

http://www.avwrites.com/r101-lsm-1.jpg
http://www.avwrites.com/r101-lsm-2.jpg

[justimagine5]

There is a large model of the Macon with aircraft, as well as a Sparrowhawk airplane on display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Fla.

[46rob]

The Sparrowhawk was moved to the Smithsonian Air and Space museum this spring, but the N2Y, which was used as a trainer for airship hookups, is still at the museum, and displays USS Maon on it's sides.

The L-8's control car is now on display, although the original Jacob's (I think) radial engines are still in the shop being restored. They'll be attached as soon as the second engine is finished.

[jejeusn]

The model of the L-31 in at the San Diego Air and Space Museum (http://www.aerospacemuseum.org/exhibits/index.html) located in Balboa Park. I was there last month and the model is located in the WW1 area with some very beautiful WW1 replica aircraft. I don't recall the scale of the model but is was about 7-8ft long.

[justimagine5]

Thanks 46rob for the update on the National Museum of Naval Aviation update.
I used to live in Pensacola, but have not been back for more than 10 years now.
It's a superb museum, anyone going to the area should make plans to go.

[jejeusn]

here is a description about the model in the milwaulkee airport. have not found any pictures yet.

Graf Zeppelin II Model and The First Airliners Display
This 22 foot, 1/36th scale model suspended from the Gallery ceiling is one of a kind. Sister to the Hindenberg, the Graf Zeppelin II was one of the first airliners. Below the Zeppelin is a display of various Hindenberg and airship artifacts.

[Charles Adams]

Here's a group photo (http://www.airshipmodeler.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=431&d=1188145980) showing a bunch of Dave Straub's scratchbuilt models. I had seen this somewhere before but thanks to Snoopy1 for finding it. :)

[Majortomski]

Hi all! just seeing what's hiding in these threads.

YEARS ago 55 to 73 I lived in Akron Ohio. Somewhere on the east side of town east of the main Goodyear tire HQ building there was a guy who had an airship muse in his home. I recall several 6 foot models of ridgids each in a separate room, each room dedicated to that ship. He closed in the 70's out of a zoning problem with the city.

In the late 60's Goodyear displayed a big model of a proposed blimp airliner. It would run through start up, the gangway would retract , nav lights came on then reversed the process. I recall the bag was the size of an automobile, but have no idea what happended to this proposal.

Then two spare(?) two bladed propellers for the USS Akron were on display, one in the airport terminal at Akron Municipal airport, the other, oddly in the dining hall at the Camp Manatoc Boy Scout camp north of Akron in Penninsula OH.:WOW:

[JoeVanCleave]

I haven't yet visited the recently completed Albuquerque Internation Balloon Museum (http://www.balloonmuseum.com/balloonmuseum.shtml), just south of the Balloon Fiesta field, but I understand on display there's a (somewhat) scale model of the Graf.

Since I'll be attending the fiesta this year, I'll try and get some pictures to post. The website link above doesn't have very much to say about the exhibits themselves, it's mainly about the facility.

~Joe

[Charles Adams]

Dave Straub's models are on display there (looks like all of them). There are pics of his models and the huge Graf Zeppelin you mentioned here:

http://www.airshipmodeler.com/forums/showthread.php?t=328

[canvaswing]

Thats me in the blue T-shirt with Hank Applegate of the N.L.H.S behind my scratchbuilt ZR-1 Shenandoah on the Lakehurst high mast!

[Charles Adams]

Do you mean in this image?

http://www.airshipmodeler.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=175&stc=1&thumb=1&d=11 50998834


Very nice work! Why haven't we seen any pics of this posted here? C'mon, you holdin' out on us??? ;) Let's get a Gallery thread going on this. :D

[Charles Adams]

With regard to the San Diego Air & Space Museum (http://www.aerospacemuseum.org/), I found this (http://www.sandiegoairandspace.org/exhibits/artifact_may.html) on their website:


The Museum's collection of artifacts from the more notable airships and dirigibles has grown substantially in the last few years. We have a large collection of ephemera located in our Archives. Our collection of travel posters contains several related to the Graff Zeppelin and the Hindenburg. We also have a unique collection of artifacts currently on display in an exhibit case located in the International Hall of Fame. These include a piece of aluminum from the USS Akron, pieces of framework from USS Macon and USS Shenandoah, vials of engine oil from the Graf Zeppelin, fabric from the dirigibles Hindenburg and Graff Zeppelin, as well as a Christmas ornament from the Graf Zeppelin. Also included are several original instruments, including a barometer that belonged to Count Von Zeppelin and pitch and bank indicators from a World War I attack Zeppelin. Also on display is a 1/400 model of the Hindenburg, built and donated by Henry Cord Meyer.

I'm still looking for info on that big Zeppelin L 31 model. Member Andreas Horn said it was built by a "Jere Robinson" (sp?). Anyone know more about this?

[Charles Adams]

I found an old archived thread on the Aerodrome Forum (http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/2001/10683-model-zeppelin.html) where someone ("Wolfenbill") from Houston, Texas posted this:



I am presently building a 1/48th scale model of the L-30 for the Pioneer Flight Museum at the Old Kingsbury Aerodrome. It's a damn big sucker, more than 14 feet long. I'm making it of plywood, basswood strips and Silkspan.


The post is located here (http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/2001/10683-model-zeppelin.html#post111274). Anyone know if this was ever completed and put on display?

[jejeusn]

Here is a small picture of the L31 at the San Diego Air and Space Museum, the bigger shot is of the 3d model for a group project.

[Charles Adams]

Stay tuned, I just got some great pics of this model that I will be posting soon. . . :D

[Frankyboy5]

here is a description about the model in the milwaulkee airport. have not found any pictures yet.

Graf Zeppelin II Model and The First Airliners Display
This 22 foot, 1/36th scale model suspended from the Gallery ceiling is one of a kind. Sister to the Hindenberg, the Graf Zeppelin II was one of the first airliners. Below the Zeppelin is a display of various Hindenberg and airship artifacts.

Andreas Horn just posted images of this incredible model, built by John Mellberg:
http://www.airshipmodeler.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4715#post4715

[NewmansOwn]

The 22 foot model of the Graf Zeppelin II at Milwaukee's Mitchell airport is fantastic. I'll post some of my photos of it. One of the best pieces of work I've seen. They also have some cool artifacts in display cases beneath it. Sorry if I've repeated info already here, I just wanted to throw in my two cents.

[Andreas Horn]

First, I noticed that Charles "promised" (announced) to post some more pictures of the "L 31" model on display at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. Here they are...

In addition, there are two pictures of an LZ 127 "Graf Zeppelin" cut-away model (unfortunately without a gasbag) which is shown in the "Verkehrhaus der Schweiz", Lucerne, Switzerland. The "Verkehrshaus der Schweiz" (Swiss Transport Museum) is the most successful museum in Switzerland.
The model of the LZ 127 and the "Ville de Lucerne" (Astra "Transaerienne II") have been built by Henry Wydler - an executive of the museum - in the late 1970's. Both models are in the scale 1/40, therefore the LZ 127 is 5.9 meters (over 19 feet) long.
Unfortunately, these pictures are the only ones I have and they do not show the excellent detailing of the model.

Andreas

[Charles Adams]

I've been working full time on a non-airship modeling project for many months. So long, in fact, I can't remember anything else I was doing. I guess that's what happens when you start to get old! :eek: LOL

I'm not sure I have any more pics of the model in San Diego, unless someone sent them to me. I'll have to look.

I will be working on my other project for a couple more months still. So, I will be away for a while longer. . .

[Majortomski]

Hi again all, had a computer failure that had me away for a while. The EAA museum in OSHKOSH WI has a small LTA display. I'll see if I can find my pics from 2008.

[whatisart]

Building a non-rigid is always going to be a challenge – and look at all that rigging! This picture cropped up on Wikipedia. Picture by MilborneOne