Japanese Kabuto

The Samurai kabuto (helmet) took many forms over the centuries, but the general shape and construction was fairly consistent. This model is based on the Suji Bashi style from the Muromachi period (1336 to 1573.) These helmets were typically elaborately decorated, especially on the detachable front ornament; in this example a stylized moth. The crown is made of 26 ridged iron plates riveted together and lacquered.

#Japanes #Samurai #Kabuto #helmet #Blender #Cycles

 

Roman Imperial Helmet

 

This model is based on the Niedermörmter helmet, described by Wikipedia:

“The Niedermörmter helmet, classified by Robinson as Imperial Italic H, is one of the best-preserved Roman Imperial helmets to have survived from antiquity. Made of bronze (an iron version reportedly resides in a private collection), the helmet is heavily decorated and has a neck guard which is far deeper than usual. The cross bracing across the skull is actually embossed, rather than applied, and there is a rather unusual dome-shaped knob where the braces meet at the crown of the head. This helmet is typically dated to the late Antonine or Severan eras, c. AD 180–235, but the find context of the helmet is unknown and the dating is based solely on its typology (i.e. it looks about 40–60 years down the evolutionary trail from the Italic G).” (Wikipedia)

 #Roman #helmet #Niedermörmter #Blender #Cycles

Attic Type Helmet

The Attic type Greek helmets date from the Fifth and Fourth Centuries BCE. They were characterized the open face and visor which protected the soldier’s face from downward sword strikes. They were commonly made of bronze, but iron was also used. This model is based on a bronze helmet dating from 300 to 250 BCE.

One of the fun things about my hobby is the research into the history of the subject and how it works mechanically. During this short project, for example, I stumbled on the fact that this style of helmet became very fashionable among senior Roman military officers during both the republic and the empire periods.

I would like to thank CgAlpha for the corroded bronze material

#Greek #helmet #Attic #bronze #Blender #Cycles

Tante Ju

The Junkers JU-52/3M model g7e (also known as “Tante Ju”) was built by Junkers and 
two foreign licensees from 1932 to 1952 for a total of 4,485 planes. It was powered
by three 574 kW (770 hp) BMW 132, nine cylinder radial engines (licensed from Pratt
& Whitney with some refinements by BMW.) It was used by 12 different commercial
airlines for passengers  and freight and by the Luftwaffe during WWII as a troop
carrier and transport plane.

The aircraft was 18.9 m (62 ft.) long with a wing span of 29.25 m (95 ft.) It had room
for 18 fully-equipped soldiers or twelve stretchers in air ambulance configuration.
plane was flown by two pilots and a radio operator. The Kettenkrad half-track motorcycle
was specifically designed to fit inside the JU-52.2,804 JU-52/3m planes were delivered
to the Luftwaffe between 1939 and 1944.

The Tante Ju was extensively flown in the Denmark-Norway, Netherlands, Balkans, Soviet
Union and North African campaigns. These planes had very little defensive capability:
some were equipped with one or two light machine gun turrets mounted on the top of the
fuselage. During the North Africa campaign in 1942 and 1943, the Luftwaffe flew as many as
150 flights a day from bases in Sicily to Tunisia. By April, 1943 the RAF and the USAAF
organized Operation Flax , during which they destroyed more than 140 JU-52/3m’s in two
weeks with air interceptions and bombing raids on German air fields.

The model here represents one of the planes involved in the air supply operations to 
the Afrika Corps in April, 1941. This plane belonged to the III./KGrzbV 1, III
Kampfgruppe (Special Operations Battle Group.) The white stripe on the rear of the
fuselage indicates the trans-Mediterranean supply. The Z3F on the rudder shows that
it was in 10 Staffel (squadron) although it was serving with the 11 Staffel (the red
paint on the letter F on the side of the fuselage.) The fate of this particular plane
isn’t known, but there is a photo of it in flight over the Med: IZ+FJ. 

#Junkers #JU-52/3m #Luftwaffe #WWII #North_Africa #transport #Blender #Cycles

Sd.Kfz.2 (Kettenkrad)

 In the film Saving Private Ryan, there is a scene where American troops in Normandy after D-Day are driving a German Sd.Kfz.2 half-track motorcycle; better known as the Kettenkrad. This vehicle was designed by the Wehrmacht to pull heavy loads, travel over rough ground and fit inside a JU-52 transport plane. The crew was one driver and up to two passengers.

 8,345 of the vehicles was built by NSU Werke AG From 1941 to 1944. It saw action in the Soviet Union, Italy, North Africa and Normandy, France. It was powered by an Opel 1.5 liter, four-cyclinder, water cooled, gasoline engine. Typical of German half-track vehicles during WWII, the Kettenkrad had overlapping, interleaved wheels. This arrangment was thought to provide a smoother ride over very rough terrain. Its top speed was 70 km/h (44mph) and it could climb 24°slopes.

 My model carries the marking of a reconnaissance unit of the  91 Luftlandedivision (air tansported division) that saw extensive action in France after the Normandy invasion.

U.S. Army Intelligence made a contemporary analysis and description of the Kettenkrad, which is available at: http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/ttt07/kettenkrad.html.

#WWII #Wehrmacht #Kettenkrad #motorcycle #half-track #Blender #Cycles

Novelty Steam Engine

 The great lightness of this engine, (it is about one half lighter than Mr. Stephenson’s) its compactness, and its beautiful workmanship, excited universal admiration; a sentiment speedily changed into perfect wonder, by its truly marvellous performances.  It was resolved to try first its speed merely; that is at what rate it would go, carrying only its compliment of cote and water, with Messrs Braithwaite and Erickson to manage it.  Almost at once, it darted off at the amazing velocity of twenty-eight miles an hour...

Mechanics Magazine, Vol. 12 (1830).

 

The Novelty locomotive was built by John Braithwaite and John Erickson at Braithwaite’s workshop in London specifically to be entered in the Rainhill Trials for the new Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1829. Unfortunately, they only had seven weeks notice of the trails in which to built their engine. While the Novelty was admired for its speed, engineering and workmanship, it suffered several breakdowns during the trials and never completed the competition.

#Novelty #steam #engine #Liverpool_and_Manchester_Railway #Blender #Cycles33

Catch Me Who Can

Seven years ago Susan and I visited the Welsh National Museum in Swansea to see the full-sized, operating replica of Richard Trevithick’s 1804 steam locomotive, the first steam engine to run on rails. I took a lot of photos of the engine and built a model in Blender. This summer I discovered that Trevithick had designed another locomotive in 1808 named Catch Me Who Can. This engine pulled a couple of carriages for passengers who paid one shilling to ride the train on a circular track in London. It was a popular attraction until there were two derailments due track failure. The collapse of the project contributed to Trevithick’s eventual bankruptcy.

 The locomotive was built at the Rastrick and Hazledine foundry in Bridgnorth, England. Today a restoration of the original loco can be seen at the Bridgnorth station of the Sever Valley Railway.

#Catch_Me-Who_Can #steam #locomotive #Trevithick #Severn_Valley_Railway #Blender #Cycles