26 replies to this topic

[Ssorg]

Greetings!

I love LEGO and I love airships, so what else could I do but to make a Lego airship!



When designing this with MLCAD, I first tried to make the envelope of plates and tiles, but wasn't satisfied with the results, besides it would make the model very heavy and expensive. So I decided to make the envelope of cut paperboard:



And I think non-Lego solution actually makes sense, considering how the envelope of real airships is sort of fabric. And thinking how the sails in Lego tall ships are usually made of canvas. We don't usually see them made of plates & tiles right?  

The airship is easy to handle and move around:



Very good swoosh-factor, even though airships aren't supposed to be very speedy...  

Made some minifigs to match this old-style means of travel:



The gondola has two doors and two opening wall sections, allowing you to access interior:



UPDATE: Click this to watch the video of her flying!

Would you like your minifigs to enjoy such a majestic ride? Well you can make it happen, since the airship is one of my projects on CUUSOO!

See MORE pictures (direct links to my Flickr images) and more information in the actual CUUSOO project!  

The whole thing is easily modifiable.
For example, the gondola is attached via three Technic pins and one can build almost any kind of gondola and connect it on the bottom of the envelope.
The paperboard is placed between studs of 1/2 Technic pins and 1x1 round tiles. One can replace those parts with many others, like plates or long Technic pins, allowing all kinds of add-ons on the envelope (imagine observation platforms or even weapons ).
In addition, the final product could come with templates of some sort making it easy for anyone to make their own envelope sheets of whatever color and with whatever decals/graphics.

I think one obvious customization would be turning this into steampunk!

P.S. If you really like this, please help me to spread the word!  

Edited by Ssorg, 18 June 2012 - 12:04 AM.
Indexed

[purpleparadox]

Wow! That's just plain huge and awesome! I'm impressed by all that Technic work going on inside the balloon. The paper and cardboard is a great solution, too. I'll support this!

[jFox]

Maybe it's the woman with the eyepatch (movies have taught me they're always dangerous), or all the men with sinister-looking mustaches, but this airship and it's passengers look like they're up to something!  Great looking airship, I think you did a great job on the framework.  Very symmetrical, methodical, and laid out well.   Great choice on the minifigures as well, made me smile as soon as I saw them.

What's in that case they're loading?  Is it some ancient artifact?  Some relic they stole from a dig site?  I feel like Indiana Jones is going to show up any minute now.

[soccerkid6]

This is really neat! I think your choice to go with paperboard was a good one. The technic frame is impressive  
I like that you did interiors as well  

[Ssorg]

jFox, on 25 May 2012 - 01:12 PM, said:

What's in that case they're loading?  Is it some ancient artifact?  Some relic they stole from a dig site?  I feel like Indiana Jones is going to show up any minute now.

LOL Yea airship like this just screams "adventure!"
That's a good question about the content of the box... I do wonder what's in there. In the CUUSOO project there's a link to another "cargo-carrying" picture with even a more illegal feeling to it.

[Tervlon]

This looks great! Supported!

Had my eye of creating an airship for awhile now, I really like the use of the card stock. Great job!

[Lyichir]

This is an amazing MOC; I saw it on Cuusoo. LEGO Airships can be hard to build, but this one looks quite sturdy without being too dense. The integration of a handle into the top feels very much like a consideration LEGO would make in their own sets.

[Nightshroud99]

I love your idea to use cardboard for the envelope and I think the cab is well build. Overall a very nice model that I wouldn't mind owning, so I supported it.  

[Peppermint_M]

A beautiful solution to a problem that has puzzled me for years! I salute you good sir!

*scurries off to start templating her own airship gasbag*

[RPGer]

Nifty!  This is the best airship I've ever seen!  

[LuxorV]

Great model.   One of the best LEGO airships I've ever seen.

P.S.: Could you please reduce the pics size to 800 pixels maximum, as per our Member Guidelines? Thank you.

[Ssorg]

LuxorV, on 25 May 2012 - 07:53 PM, said:

Could you please reduce the pics size to 800 pixels maximum

Oh sorry, of course. Ok, changed on all my MOC posts here! I pondered between 1024 and 800 when posting, should have picked the latter one.

LOL I may be sort of experienced at Lego building, but newbie here.

Edited by Ssorg, 25 May 2012 - 09:30 PM.

[L@go]

Wow, these are some great MOCs you're presenting here today. I'll support this - the scale and shape is perfect, and the use of cardboard is an inspired choice. Well done!

[Legocrazy81]

You are a very talented builder, Ssorg. This is quite an ingenious way to make the balloon. It's neat seeing it's inner frame. And I like how you made the inside accessible, much like CREATOR houses. What is that dastardly bunch up to?

[Ssorg]

Legocrazy81, on 26 May 2012 - 05:54 AM, said:

What is that dastardly bunch up to?

That's a good question! I too wonder that...

[LuxorV]

Ssorg, on 25 May 2012 - 08:27 PM, said:

Oh sorry, of course. Ok, changed on all my MOC posts here! I pondered between 1024 and 800 when posting, should have picked the latter one.

LOL I may be sort of experienced at Lego building, but newbie here.

Thank you.

[Asper]

Great MOCs from you! I really like this airship. Great idea making the hull with cardboard.

[Miss Kyle]

I'm utterly in love with your airship! I'd love to cast a shrkining spell on myself, put on my Steampunk attire and hop on for a flight! Great work, and I really like the paperboard solution. Well done!

[Hikaro Takayama]

Man, I can't believe I missed this one! (and I call myself a steampunk....)  I just love this, and your paperboard/cloth type solution for the gasbag is the best that I've seen for getting around using the old Adventurers' blimp piece (which goes for something like $30-$50 each on Bricklink).

I also kinda like the rather "disreputable" air your minifigs give the set, and agree that it would go quite nicely with either Indiana Jones, the original Adventurers or the newer Pharaoh's Quest and Monster Fighters sets.

[LegoCityMann]

This is one of the most beautiful creations I've seen in sometime. Depending on Price Point (I'm assuming $60-$75) I'd buy 2-3 of these. Supported and posted on facebook.

~LCM

[Damaximus]

Just amazing!!

Very nice idea for making the balloon!
Also great detailing of the cabin

[Ecclesiastes]

This is amazing! You did a great job building the frame and putting the right minifigs into it!

[Ssorg]

LegoCityMann, on 28 May 2012 - 05:49 PM, said:

This is one of the most beautiful creations I've seen in sometime. Depending on Price Point (I'm assuming $60-$75) I'd buy 2-3 of these. Supported and posted on facebook.

Thanks for the FB coverage, very much appreciated! :)

Due to my still-going-on vacation almost in the middle of nowhere it's been hard for me to access Internet or have enough time on-line, but it's great to see this warm welcome by all! And thank you everyone for your most kind compliments.

[Axis600]

Saw this yesterday on CUUSOO. I like it! The technic skeleton is well done, the gondola looks good to go, and...everyone has pretty much said what I wanted to say about the minifigures.

[Larrynautik]

Impressive airship Ssorg  

The envelope made of self-dimensionned white paper appears to me as a good choice, as a brick-built one would have been less esthetic, and also because here is no Lego sail that could be used for such a design.

The structure of the upper part looks strong and light. The little handle on top of it make it easily swooshable.

The gondola is a great success too, as it fits perfectly with the enveloppe above. The gondola even get functionalities like the entrance door and the accessible interior.

The minifigs are a great seletion too !