In the Elvington Museum near York they have a 1/72 model of a Wellington sitting on top of a display case in the Barnes Wallis Hut, which is full of all sorts of stuff that he designed. It has a note by it that says something like 'This Wellington bomber was built using the geodetic construction techniques used by Barnes Wallis to build the R100 airship. There's a model of the R100 above you, to the same scale as the Wellington.

Hanging in the roof is a model of the R100 that's TEN FEET long!!!!!   

Quote from: PR19_Kit on March 05, 2025, 03:03:33 PMIn the Elvington Museum near York they have a 1/72 model of a Wellington sitting on top of a display case in the Barnes Wallis Hut, which is full of all sorts of stuff that he designed. It has a note by it that says something like 'This Wellington bomber was built using the geodetic construction techniques used by Barnes Wallis to build the R100 airship. There's a model of the R100 above you, to the same scale as the Wellington.

Hanging in the roof is a model of the R100 that's TEN FEET long!!!!!   

How in the world did they design and build such things back then? Would there be an actual drawing for every little part and connection in such a structure?

Quote from: kerick on March 05, 2025, 03:08:06 PM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on March 05, 2025, 03:03:33 PMIn the Elvington Museum near York they have a 1/72 model of a Wellington sitting on top of a display case in the Barnes Wallis Hut, which is full of all sorts of stuff that he designed. It has a note by it that says something like 'This Wellington bomber was built using the geodetic construction techniques used by Barnes Wallis to build the R100 airship. There's a model of the R100 above you, to the same scale as the Wellington.

Hanging in the roof is a model of the R100 that's TEN FEET long!!!!!   

How in the world did they design and build such things back then? Would there be an actual drawing for every little part and connection in such a structure?

Yes.  Along with tonnes of paper.

But something like the R100 was made from lots of parts, many of which were the same. In fact Barnes Wallis designed a special joint part for the R100's struts and longerons that could be used anywhere on the airframe by rotating it and using different connecting points for different tasks.

I doubt they had an overall 1:1 scale plan for something that was 720 ft long full size though. 

Quote from: scooter on March 05, 2025, 03:27:49 PM

Quote from: kerick on March 05, 2025, 03:08:06 PM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on March 05, 2025, 03:03:33 PMIn the Elvington Museum near York they have a 1/72 model of a Wellington sitting on top of a display case in the Barnes Wallis Hut, which is full of all sorts of stuff that he designed. It has a note by it that says something like 'This Wellington bomber was built using the geodetic construction techniques used by Barnes Wallis to build the R100 airship. There's a model of the R100 above you, to the same scale as the Wellington.

Hanging in the roof is a model of the R100 that's TEN FEET long!!!!!   

How in the world did they design and build such things back then? Would there be an actual drawing for every little part and connection in such a structure?

Yes.  Along with tonnes of paper.

Better environment than your average cubical!

Quote from: kerick on March 05, 2025, 04:31:20 PM

Quote from: scooter on March 05, 2025, 03:27:49 PMYes.  Along with tonnes of paper.

Better environment than your average cubical!

And dress code.

When I started in the motor industry in 1961 they still did full size body layouts on steel sheets about the same size as those tables there, some even larger. The draughtsmen would kneel on the sheets, crawling all over them scribing out the panel shapes, while wearing felt over-shoes so they didn't leave small scratches on the sheets.

Quote from: scooter on March 05, 2025, 05:21:40 PM

Quote from: kerick on March 05, 2025, 04:31:20 PM

Quote from: scooter on March 05, 2025, 03:27:49 PMYes.  Along with tonnes of paper.

Better environment than your average cubical!

And dress code.

And I bet you didn't have to listen to someone blather on about their screwed up personal life either.

Quote from: jcf on February 28, 2025, 08:38:32 AMThe axle of the paddle of a sidewheeler is supported by the timber, iron or steel frame of the sponson.
Damage to the sponson frame was an issue for the sidewheelers and could occur due to rough seas as
well as in port, banging up against the quay or another vessel etc. Knock the outboard bearing out of
alignment by a few inches and you've got problems.
The axle and the structure of a sternwheeler is much more robust. Armouring one was straightforward,
as is shown by the river fleets of the US Civil War.
The biggest issue is that they don't really work in the open water of seas, the ocean and large, deep lakes
due to the need for a shallow draft, which is not a good idea on open water. The big wheel works best with
the paddles just below the surface as it rotates. In order to work on an ocean going battleship, it'd require
some sort of tunnel hull, a well, or perhaps a catamaran. Maybe a really daft ship designed to operate at
sea, littoral zone and rivers that has several retractable stabilizing fins on a flat bottom hull. All the way down
for open water, retracted half way for the littoral zone and fully retracted for a river. It would also be required
to be very wide in order to support heavy guns in turrets due to the shallow draft. Exaggerated tumblehome,
beyond that of even the French ships would, of course, be required.

So you mean something like Fulton's Demologus, a rather practical design, especially so early in the development of steam ships.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_floating_battery_Demologos

While grovelling through The Loft for bits for my EE Dalgety entry I came across two kits that could be built OOB as entries for this GB.   

#1 The Short Seamew

#2 The Focke Wulf Triebflugel.

I might do one of them too. 

Quote from: PR19_Kit on March 06, 2025, 03:53:50 PMWhile grovelling through The Loft for bits for my EE Dalgety entry I came across two kits that could be built OOB as entries for this GB.   

#1 The Short Seamew

#2 The Focke Wulf Triebflugel.

I might do one of them too. 

A three winged ..jet powered tail sitter..hell yes     

Quote from: PR19_Kit on March 06, 2025, 03:53:50 PMWhile grovelling through The Loft for bits for my EE Dalgety entry I came across two kits that could be built OOB as entries for this GB. 

#1 The Short Seamew

#2 The Focke Wulf Triebflugel.

I might do one of them too. 

Short Seamew...yes bad idea in a box. Built the old Contrail kit. Just reminded me that I really need to have another tossing out cull of built kits that will never see the light of day again.

Still struggling for an idea to join the GB. A couple of thought bubbles, but nothing that has prompted a "now where about is that then" in my stash moment.
Next step is to set up a chair and just Zen stare at the box ends until something goes "pick me"

I have had a bad idea for a 1/35 build but have been hesitating due to the need to look after Mrs z.  She is healing nicely so I should be able to  start something.
I've dug out the kit boxes but before i commit fully I need to have a play with parts to make sure what I want to do will work (but only in a "do the parts fit" way).

in the meantime here are some previous bad ideas from zenrat industries.

Jet DH2.

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=51911.msg1017559#msg1017559

Ta 154 based (yes, really.  Somewhere under all that filler) Gunboat.

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=39906.msg665007#msg665007

Captain Fat Hamster's Hesperus.

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=40136.msg671612#msg671612

Sky Pirates Kawanishi.

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=44462.msg799281#msg799281

Sorry? What bad ideas?

I just see four shining examples of awesomeness!      

The best built bad ideas ever!
I'll be looking forward to this bad idea of yours.