73 replies to this topic

[Iain (32SIG)]

The year is 1906 and the Admiralty has it's sights set on the air and builds an airship 'for the Dreadnought age' using the recently discovered unobtanium* - by far the lightest (and newest) element in the periodic table - to provide sufficient boyancy to an airship built from gargantuan amounts of British steel, aeronautical grade brass, copper, timber, fabric and stiff upper lip...

*Recently brought back from the Moon following the first Moon Landings of 1896 (as documented by H G Wells - although the discovery of 'unobtanium' was still secret at the time so absent from his narrative).

After much research by the author (that'll be me ) and a few wee drams, we now have enough information to construct a remarkably accurate representation of this once mighty ship of the air.

And, in a shocking revelation, it appears that Trumpeter may have created their most accurate kit yet, cunningly 'marketed' as a Russian 'Kilo' class submarine in order to get around the implications of the Official Secrets Act which applies to these craft to this very day. But we know differently - don't we children!

To be continued shortly (after another dram!)...

Iain

Edited by Iain (32SIG), 04 June 2012 - 12:28 PM.

[Deacon]

Very good sir.

Looking forward to the next installment.

Deacon

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

I fear Sir, that you may be inadvertantly divulging details to agents of the Kaiser, who as we all know seeks his own Staffel of Luftheerschiffen. I have dispatched a certain Mr Hannay to guard your person, and your work.

Beware of anyone in a Homburg hat, with a limp, or calling himself Mr Blackstone.

regards

Scudders

[mrvr6]

haha im looking forward to this

[Iain (32SIG)]

Now, I'm about to share some information of a very sensitive nature (even more so since the unfortunate 'Ralgex Incident') that could put us all in great peril if disclosed to agents of the Kaiser, Imperial Russia, or certain News International publications...

So, in the spirit of the extremely high levels of security that surrounded the development of these aeronautical behemoths at the time, I would ask you to limit access to any un-authorised personnel and obey the following strict security rules at all times:

List of personnel cleared for operation Dali: You and me, BMers, obviously. Admiral DeMontfort-Smythe, Admiral DeMontfort-Smythe's wife, Admiral DeMontfort-Smythe's wife's friends, their families, their families' servants, their families' servants' tennis partners, and some chap I bumped into on the forums the other day called Bernard.

So, Maximum Security...

Back shortly!

Iain

Edited by Iain (32SIG), 06 February 2012 - 12:35 AM.

[Iain (32SIG)]

Now that we've got that little security nastiness out of the way I feel I can share some of the forthcoming re-creation with you:



After much fermented barley powered research it has, as written in the introduction, become apparent that Trumpeter did indeed base their 'Kilo' class submarine on the 'Fearnaught' class of Airbattleships and I'll post conclusive proof of this in a moment. As part of this research it has also become apparent that, in further attempts to obfuscate the sources of their information, they mis-quote the scale of this alleged 'submarine' as 1:144 - when, as we are all too aware - it's actually 1:350!!!

As you can see we've found a few more elements for the build - remarkably HMS Hoods' main armament was, indeed, pioneered for Airbattleship use! Other items will need to be sourced, including perhaps a few elephants...

And the categorical proof of which I spoke?

I give you a previously unseen image showing the basic shell of 'Fearnought' under construction:



And who could possibly argue with that?

Iain

Edited by Iain (32SIG), 04 June 2012 - 12:29 PM.

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Why didnt you mention you knew Bernard? He's a member of the same club as I. Does the Times crossword in under 4 minutes, and is a proper Englishman.

yes - Bernard Rorsach von Hindenburg Hohenzollen Schutter und Felzen Smith is a man I'd' trust with my life. He's most defintiely One of Us.

Jonners

[Iain (32SIG)]

Ah - you know Bernard eh?

Tell me - did he ever spill the beans on the German air-to-air coaling experiments? I'm told it was a black art...

Iain

Edited by Iain (32SIG), 05 February 2012 - 10:39 PM.

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Ah - you know Bernard eh?

Tell me - did he ever spill the beans on the air-to-air coaling experiments? I'm told it was a black art...

Iain

He mentioned something of it over dinner with the Archdukes attaché, Colonel Redl. They had distracted themselves with a bout of turkish wrestling ( Good old Bernard had Redl in a most unconventional back lock he'd learned from a Jack Tar at Portsmouth, so he claimed), but in between towels, he did let on that the new belt-conveyer was proving a smidge unwieldy, and apparently claims from Sunderland of anthracite falling from the skies have been dismissed as confused magpies.

Will you be fitting your modelkit representation out with Fearnoughts latest "wotnots" then? or will you do her as per the plans we let that annoying Holmes fellow give to the Texicans a few years back?

Yours, as ever

Jonners

[Iain (32SIG)]

Ah, yes, I'm glad you should ask that...

Fortunately, after the death of a certain Grand Duke, a number of images have come to light showing the operational fit of 'Fearnought' whilst serving with the Royal Naval Airbattleship Service and before being sold to China.

These rare images are currently being digitally 'enhanced' and I hope to bring you further images as the build commences - not that anyone could possibly be questioning the absolute accuracy of this project. As can be seen from the image posted above my sources are un-impeachable!

However, if anyone has any further information regarding things like early British air-to-air coaling, use of elephants as ballast and the Simpkins patented five stage recirculation steam turbines I'd be most grateful.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant

Iain

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Ah, yes, I'm glad you should ask that...

However, if anyone has any further information regarding things like use of elephants as ballast
Iain

I beleive Sir - that the intial problem was solved after it was discovered that when jettisoning said pachyderms, there was a need to ensure that the Mahout was firmly strapped on before the actual jettison occured.
That way there was someone "aboard' to deploy the float parasols to allow the noble beasts to enjoy a safer landing.

The unfortunate incident onboard HMS Indauntable was finally traced back to a mouse.

Yours

Jonners

[Iain (32SIG)]

Who told you about the mouse? I thought it was just Czarist propaganda?

Iain

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Who told you about the mouse? I thought it was just Czarist propaganda?

Iain

Bernard


of course

J

[Kallisti]

Sirs,

I must humbly request that you cease and desist this prattle concerning His Majesty's Secret Air Flotilla at once!
All this loose talk of "unobtanium" is clearly a reference to Cavoirite, invented by that delightful if rather deranged chap Cavor.

Oh and do be careful with the Elephants, I have promised the Selenite Ambassador a ride on one....

Yr faithful Servant

Dr Marmaduke Kallisti, 4th Earl of Eris

Edited by Kallisti, 06 February 2012 - 01:03 AM.

[Iain (32SIG)]

Shhh...

Maximum Security and all that!

You've obviously seen through the subterfuge - but lets keep it amongst ourselves eh?

Cavourite is the alloyed state, pure unobtanium being the element released following reaction with Oxygen in combination with certain overplayed ebay item descriptions of the period. Something not fully understood and certainly not reported at the time!

Iain

Edited by Iain (32SIG), 06 February 2012 - 02:25 PM.

[Deon]

Hi guys,
thought you might be interested in this letter which I found in the War Museum Archives...

Sirs,
Clearly the Admiralty is in its usual state of stores confusion. As you well know, the amount of unobtainium for your Fearnaught far exceeds the capacity of the moon mining expeditions despite the ease of refinement of moon deposits. The vast majority of unobtainium held in naval stores was that stripped from my late father's (Admiral Woolley-Cardigan RN Engineers - Geology Sect.) Excelsior Landship project, derived from meteoric unobtainium from northern India and Tibet in 1896. It is the unique nature of un refined meteoric unobtainium due to the high temperatures it experiences that it is so light, indeed it is quite repellent of any normal material and almost unmanageable. It was the addtional demands of your somewhat ambitious project that has led to the current (and costly) expedition to Tibet, which I am about to join despite the protestations of my man-servant.

On arrival I will be commanding a sizeable detachment of Marines using the latest landing boats which are reported to lay an ingenious metal carpet ahead of themselves. It is these very boats that will be bringing back the next shipments of unobtainium for Admiralty use, since Tibet is very much closer than the moon and Marines are a good deal more plentiful than Lunarnauts.

I trust in your usual discretion and look forwards to seeing the launch of your ship in person,

Major A Woolley-Cardigan Jnr. ( Royal Marines Light Infantry )
21st June 1906


There are several other documents that I am currently researching and I shall publish these in a separate thread but I thought this one might interest you as the reference to Fearnaught may be the one and same, despite the different spelling.

Cheers
Deon

Edited by Deon, 07 February 2012 - 10:53 AM.

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Hi guys,
thought you might be interested in this letter which I found in the War Museum Archives...

Major A Woolley-Cardigan Jnr. ( Royal Marines Light Infantry )
21st June 1906
[/i]

There are several other documents that I am currently researching and I shall publish these in a separate thread but I thought this one might interest you as the reference to Fearnaught may be the one and same, despite the different spelling.

Cheers
Deon

Is that THE Major A Woolley-Cardigan Jnr? Holder of the Emerald Sceptre first class, as presented to him in 1895 for services to the Raj by the Pullovah of Macramay?

I thought he was off up in Scotland working at Loch Ness on some contraption of other?

Jonners

[Madam I'm Adam]

I say, keep it up,



You lot are bonkers...



Adam Giggly- Finknottle

[Iain (32SIG)]

Sanity is soooo overrated Adam...

Iain

Edited by Iain (32SIG), 07 February 2012 - 02:13 PM.

[Andrew Jones]

Dear Sirs,

Please continue with your intriguing correspondence, I find it eminently fascinating and feel it may have the makings of a rather good novel.

Your obedient servant ,
Herbert George Wells