Tuesday 9 January 2018

VSF One Man Dirigible

This screw powered one man dirigible is a VSF delight to battle foes in the Back of Beyond, over the Red Planet or as some sort of diesel punk version of the Gyro Captain from Mad Max 2! I found this kit in the depths of the Man Cave where had lurked since purchase. The Flight bonus round gave me the impetus to give it the attention it so richly deserves.
The model is a resin and metal casting from Tobsen Miniatures in Germany, who do some fantastically crazy and wacky stuff: https://shop.tobsen77.com/en/  (https://www.facebook.com/Tobsen77.de/) He also sells the characterful pilot figure and the customer service is excellent (including overseas postage & handling). Maxim gun and the backpack/ammo pouches are from my spares box.
The countersunk magnet in the base made for a very neat connection

I spent an overly long time trying to be clever by magnetising the base for easier storage, to reduce damage and so I can use the flying base for a multitude of other models.  I had mixed results but at least it is serviceable and (mostly) stable.  Probably a good height for lighter plastic models but I'll make some shorter tubing for metal contraptions like this one.

So lots of fun and this model is highly recommended!

6 comments:

Captain Darling said...

Tally Ho Chaps! Bandits at 3 O'Clock oh and beware the Steam Blimp in the Sun!
Top notch work Ol' Man, looking forward to this flying contraption entering the fray on your tabletop!
Wow magnets nice work indeed, I just drilled a hole in the bottom of mine and jam the home made stand in :-)!

Fitz-Badger said...

Very cool! Well done on the model and paint job!

Made me think of Professor Fate's flying machine in the movie, The Great Race. But that is a more exposed 2 person pedal-powered dirigible.

Terry Silverthorn said...

Always a pleasure seeing these non-mainstream kits! Well done!

Phil said...

Wonderful, love the model, the paint job and the base...Congrats!

J Womack, Esq. said...

I've wanted to buy from this fellow (Tobsen) for a long time. Perhaps 2018 is the year? Smashing work on the blimp, old fellow - not that it comes a s a surprise to any of us.

Major Thomas Foolery said...

Cool little kit and you've done an excellent job on the painting and base effects!


An exploration of debauchery, vice and other reasons to be a man!

An exploration of debauchery, vice and other reasons to be a man!