BSC2025 zemjw Caspian Sea Minnow

[zemjw]

Way back in 2019BC (Before Covid), I read an article on CNN about WIG/GEV planes - https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/caspian-sea-monster-ekranoplan-ground-effect-vehicle/index.html

I found some plans for the Airfish-8, (ST Engineering) and kinda/sorta started modelling one in 3d. However, my printer back then was not happy with things sticking to its small print bed, so the project fizzled. It didn't help that in 1/48, the thing is 36cm long, with a wingspan of 32cm.

This time I am going to try for something smaller, based on the Airfish-3



I say "based on", as the Airfish-3 only holds 2 people, and I want something to hold 4. I also couldn't find any blueprints for the Airfish-3, but I found some plans in Russian for something that looks similar, so I'll be basing it off that.

Dimension-wise, at 1/48, it will be approx 20cm long, with a wingspan of 17cm and a height of just over 5cm, which should mean none of the parts should be too big for my current FDM printer.

Gaming-use-wise, it will be pretty much a static scenery piece, for modern pulp and frontier science fiction set on a world that just happens to be at the tech level of early 21st century Earth.

There's a good chance I'll waterline it, but that should be fairly easy to do digitally

[Codsticker]

That looks like it could do double duty as a space craft.

[Lost Egg]

Nice! I've always liked the idea of WIGs.

[Burgundavia]

Lol at the Caspian Sea Minnow name, but awesome to see.

[AKULA]

Love it - look forward to watching this one

 

[Ragnar]

Very interesting idea.

[Gunbird]

Ooh, Ground Effect vehicles are fun!

[Wirelizard]

WIGs are right up there with dirigibles for "awesome vehicles a better world would have more of". Looking forward to this build!

[snitcythedog]

WIGs are right up there with dirigibles for "awesome vehicles a better world would have more of". Looking forward to this build!

You forgot autogyros.  Everyone could use an autogyro. 

[carlos marighela]

Forget the model, you need to build a 1:1 version. Imagine the envious looks at the local lake or beach.

Fuck you Mr Cabin cruiser! Fuck you Mr Jet Ski, Fuck you Mr Hovercraft! Who is king of the waves now, mother fluffers?

Nice concept but you know you really want to do a Lun Class, it's got rockets and it's huge! 

[zemjw]

Nice concept but you know you really want to do a Lun Class, it's got rockets and it's huge! 

My 6mm Cold War Gone Hot project stalled last year after painting a few British tanks and APCs. If/when I get back to it, who knows But I dread to think how big that thing would be, even in 6mm

[carlos marighela]

Takom do one in 1/144. It wouldn't be small.

[zemjw]

I have been working on it all week, but it's been depressing how rusty my 3d modelling is

However, here is the first, very crude block-in. It will change dramatically (I hope), but this should be roughly the overall shape.

[Burgundavia]

I have been working on it all week, but it's been depressing how rusty my 3d modelling is

However, here is the first, very crude block-in. It will change dramatically (I hope), but this should be roughly the overall shape.

Looks great. And yes, amazing how quickly your skills atrophy after disuse.

[Lost Egg]

That looks grand, very sleek.