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greetings dakkanaughts,

Im thinking of starting a steampunk IG arm after xmas, I have lots planned, but I grinded to a halt with a valkyrie.
I wanted a steampunk airship for it, I've got my eyes on airfix classical ships on eBay, but I don't know where to get the balloon from.
I also wanted boat hull hanging underneath it, rather than one like the hindenburg with the compartments attatched to the bottom of it's hull.
I'm not going to make one from scratch, and I want a slightly stubbier one, rather than the long, skinny hindenburg type ones.
I have seen quite a few paper ones around, like this: http://www.schreiber-bogen.com/cat.php?ac=3&t=206
But still, waaaay to skinny for me.
I was thinking more like this:


http://www.airfix.com/airfix-products/ships/classic-ships/a50044-wasa-gift-set-a50044/

Using the Wasa as the hull, and then just throwning random steampunky bits on like parts of a steam tank

So I just want to know if any of you know of a cheap (under £15 preferably) slightly stubbier hull that would fit in with the Wasa (roughly the same length)

Thanks

Toy boats...

Because of the sizing, you generally need to go with something chunkier than what you will find in scale models. There are normally a few to choose from in Toy Stores and discounters - and eBay is a good source of cheap ones from China (often knock offs of movie related toys like Pirates of the Caribbean series).

not sure i can help with the hull the boat seems cool maybe some turbine engines off the ork bomber or the valkrie set added on would be cool.

but for the air bag simple n really cool way is blow up a balloon to the desired size and shape cover it paper mache and then when its dry add patches of thicker paper and tissue same way as paper mache when this layer has dried add little details such as stitching with tiny pits of green stuff.

paint it up then pop the balloon inside you got yourself a super light airbag that looks like its made from patches of material. there is then two ways to attach it to the hull either with thin plasticard rods glued to it then add netting from a bag of oranges over it to look like the air bag is held in by the net and paint the plasticard to look like ropes (might be a good idea to add the netting to the air bag before painting lol) . another way is to have the masts of the ship going into the airbag so it looks like it is attached around it if the mast came out the top a crows nest up there would be cool.

Call me crazy, but what about something like this:



or



For the hull/body anyway!

I suppose that using a toy ship would maybe look stubbier and more cartoonish, which is what I want. I did think about papier mache, I just thought that it would be the wrong shape, but if I glue 2 halfes of the same end Together it would look better. Nice idea for the flying submarine, might use that for something else though, not sure what yet though.... :L
thanks for the ideas guys

I suspect that if you had the right size/shape balloon you may be able to add the "constricting" effect of the ropes with elastic bands, or string, before you applied the paper mache.

So... like.... squish it with the string/rubber band before hand, then apply the pm? Nice idea!

It seems that most toy boats are more than airfix ones on ebay :( Im probs going with the cutty sark 1:130 kit or the wasa one.