Observation balloons

[former user]

oh, now I understand why sphere doesn't work


if You don't want to use some bottle, two sphere halves and a cardboard tube should do. there are also plastic eggs available from hobby shops, in different sizes.
The main problem should be the scale creep- if it is too small, it will appear tiny and unconvincing, the closer it gets to the real proportion, the larger one must then make the zeppelin....
Personally, I would go to 2-3 x the length of the truck, and I woul make some kind of armoured gondola

[Hammers]

i imagine the challenge is, to make it look really good and  convincing, to have the gas filled fabric 'p our out' in the squares in the rope grids wrapping the balloon. I guess there is no way  but to sculpt that onto whatever basic shape you would build.

[former user]

here is another model


and WOW, look at that fricking french balloon truck

[grant]

They are small, bit what about the Wings of Glory ones? There's two that were made.

[Elbows]

Being 28mm, unless you have them "on the ground" you could definitely mess with the scale a bit - after all they're in the air, far above. 

[Ignatieff]

Have got a late 19th c one off ebay,  Happy 

[OSHIROmodels]

Pictures?

cheers

James

[Ignatieff]

I'm not home for a few days, but its basically a Jules Vernes affair.  Round papier mache ball in a convincing string bag, with a 28mm scale sqaure basket beneath it.  Handy hole at the top to apply a hanging hook.  Just need to work out whether I paint the blue stripes out of the balloon and make it khaki/field grey, or just stay with the full panto effect.  Will make an appearance in a game soon.

[H.M.Stanley]

I'm not home for a few days, but its basically a Jules Vernes affair.  Round papier mache ball in a convincing string bag, with a 28mm scale sqaure basket beneath it.  Handy hole at the top to apply a hanging hook.  Just need to work out whether I paint the blue stripes out of the balloon and make it khaki/field grey, or just stay with the full panto effect.  Will make an appearance in a game soon.

I saw one of those in a shop window during a trip to Stratford last week. All sizes included one which was bang on for 28mm.

"what the hell do you want a toy ballon for ..." and then "oh, right" was my beloved's response.

Alas the shop was shut. There was also a rather neat small statue of an Indian(?) Elephant God

[Yankeepedlar01]

... its basically a Jules Vernes affair.  Round papier mache ball in a convincing string bag, with a 28mm scale sqaure basket beneath it.  Handy hole at the top to apply a hanging hook.  Just need to work out whether I paint the blue stripes out of the balloon and make it khaki/field grey, or just stay with the full panto effect.  Will make an appearance in a game soon.

Sounds exactly like mine there, as in the picture I mentioned in my earlier reply. Great find!

[tin shed gamer]

Hi I've been asked by two companies to solve this problem.which I have.so I can give you a few tips.
1. Don't get suckered into making a scale model.(it wont look right on a table,nor will you provide a stable enough base)
2.detail.how much,or how little?
keep the focus on the ground and the basket.
3.Structure .how do make it strong and practical.If you make it in two parts,ground with hoist vehicle and balloon with basket.for artistic and structural strenght I would hide the base of your balloon stand in a ruined tree.next to your hoist vehicle.
4.construction,the simple way to construct the balloon would be to use two plastic pop bottles removing the base from both.cut the bottle necks off level at the rounded shoulder.join them together a collar or card made from a cereal box,use what ever tape you have.the lower wing can be made from two pieces of cereal card with a rolled piece of paper between the card(makes the rounded edge.)
use the white paper decorators tape to cover the whole thing cutting the tape to match the fabric pattern on the real balloon.Do this in small areas and cover with pva glue as decorators tape will curl at the edge as it dries this will happen even if you paint it unless you seal it with pva.
As for a base lorry I've made a thornycroft lorry for 1st Corps Miniatures,that should be strudy enough for your needs.There is a Daimler lorry with a shorter wheelbase due out for Salute.
I can help with the rigging later if requested(as I've killed my lap top and I've posted this from my phone seemed like a good idea when I started,now not so much)

[dampfpanzerwagon]

Somewhere - I have scale plans for a German observation balloon (and the cable controls). I can't promise that I can lay my hands on it. But if I do I'll post again.

Tony

[Johnnytodd]

I would suggest papermache applied over an inflated balloon twisted to appropriate sausage shape (ala balloon dog); balloon pops but papermache stays rigid. Use wire to simulate ropes attaching basket - and then the wire becomes something of a rigid frame as well.