I had posted this eons ago, back when Planeman was on here a lot (what happened to him?). It's a super-lux twin-hulled Italian flying boat from between the Wars I and II.
It definitely needs some tweaking -- I would be building it in Strata 3D.
So is that twin hulled like the SM55, but with the control cabin up at the high level? And does it have FIVE engines?
I like that idea, I bet Tophe does too! :lol:
I decided that the previous design was too darn small... now it's 257 feet long, 84 feet keel to top of engines (all twelve), with a 471 foot span.
It has a restaurant, a casino, and a dance floor on the middle sponson (when docked). ;D
Oh and I stole the Piaggio hydrofoil plane's water prop...
PR19_Kit: Yeah, the Captain's quarters are in the top wing.
Oh goodness -- bigger than the Spruce Goose, per Wikipedia:
Specifications (H-4)
Performance specifications are projected.
General characteristics
* Crew: 3
* Length: 218 ft 8 in (66.65 m)
* Wingspan: 319 ft 11 in (97.54 m)
* Height: 79 ft 4 in (24.18 m)
* Fuselage height: 30 ft (9.1 m)
* Loaded weight: 400,000 lb (180,000 kg)
* Powerplant: 8× Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major radial engines, 3,000 hp (2,240 kW) each
* Propellers: four-bladed Hamilton Standard, prop, 1 per engine
o Propeller diameter: 17 ft 2 in (5.23 m)
Cool - don't worry about the size: just keep adding engines......
Speaking of the engines, why not have them in oversized torpedo-shaped pods with an engine room between each pair, access being via a ladder up the inside of the pylon?
I hope those guard rails are retractable and the promenade decks closed in flight: even with the likely "stately" performace, the ladies will still lose their parasols and handerkerchiefs, and young gentlemen might be inclinded to put themselves at risk retrieving them... ;D
Weaver, I was debating about the engine pods -- maybe they should enclosed in fairings. I need to crack open my old 'Conquerors of the Air' to get better reference, especially for the paint.
I found this Frenchsite with three view drawings of various seaplanes:
http://pagesperso-orange.fr/j.s/hydravions/index2.htm
Been working on profile drawing for the flying boat... Does anyone have info on the insignias on 1930's Italian Flying Boats?
The Savoia Marchetti S-55 in the previous images were to show scale... The new plane is a bit bigger than the Dornier DO-X -- about 180 feet long.
I finished the engines here -- they are Fiat V-12s, producing about 1,000 H.P. each (there are nine now).
Very Cool !!!!
What a Marvel............... :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:
Thanks for the compliments! I have been building it with Strata now. Here are a couple of progress shots.
Major geometry worked out! Now need to apply paint and put in scene... My ambition exceeds my ability. I want a night time scene with revelers crowding the decks, and party lights strung on the plane.
What a glorious looking shape...fine work indeed... :thumbsup: :bow:
Would the passengers be able to walk through the wing connecting the hulls?
Thank you, Zeke!
Tanktastic43, yeah, that was my intention. The slanting pylons holding the wing have ladders inside to go up and polished slides to come down, for the captain and crew to visit below.
very nice !
Been adding fiddly little bits like actuators. I threw on a rough white gloss and deck color, as well as a fake ocean surface to get a feel.
View from deck
I am still learning how to do reflections properly and predictably... That plane is supposed to be white, but there is a weird black reflection from something.
I've been toying with another idea, a Savoia Marchetti sequel to their smaller models like the S-55. This one has a huge passenger lounge roofed in glass, with tables, sofas, potted palms, a grand piano, a fountain of Asti Spumanti... The captain/pilot's cabin is on a conning tower for better visibility of other traffic. The front decks of the pontoons are open for promenades at mooring, and berths are in wings -- or maybe in pontoons to avoid engine noise (slightly!).
BTW, the bumps on the bottom seen in front view are ship to shore launches, also life boats.
Working on paint and rivets -- wow! Makes a difference!
beautiful !!!!!!!
More renders -- did the engines, pretty painless.
Finally got ribs to show on rudder - -control surfaces are fabric.
Wow, this is some pretty serious stuff :o
Great modeling and texturing work on this beautiful model! :wub: :bow:
EB
This is brilliant material.
:cheers:
Daryl J.
Wow, thanks for the compliments, guys! I promise to get back on this after some other current distractions!
ElectrikBlue, such words from you are praise indeed -- your planes are awesome! What software are you using? I have Strata, because that's what we use at work. I curse at it every day.
That's one nice and shiny flying boat there! :thumbsup:
Quote from: kitflubber on April 22, 2009, 08:45:01 PM
Wow, thanks for the compliments, guys! I promise to get back on this after some other current distractions!
ElectrikBlue, such words from you are praise indeed -- your planes are awesome! What software are you using? I have Strata, because that's what we use at work. I curse at it every day.
Don't curse too much at Strata... I have always been frustrated by modeling software!
(I must confess that I am a former 3D developer. :banghead:).
Now I only use a low-poly freeware modeler called Metasequoia, it's too simple to allow complex modelling, bump-mapping or realistic rendering.
Keep up the good work! :cheers:
EB
Quote from: PR19_Kit on April 09, 2009, 01:51:48 PM
I like that idea, I bet Tophe does too! :lol:
I do love this too, while I almost missed it, not visiting every GB...