Bel Geddes Airliner No. 4 from Fantastic Plastic

[ABU625]

Here's the "prototype" build of the new Bel Geddes Airliner No. 4 in 1:288 from Fantastic Plastic Models. The 38-piece kit was patterned by Marc King and cast by Acme Design, Inc. Even in 1:288, the model has an impressive 22-inch wingspan!

The plane was designed by famed industrial designer Norman Bel Geddes, perhaps best known as the designer of the "Futurama" exhibit at the 1939 New York World's Fair. It was designed to carry hundreds of passengers from Chicago to Europe in cruise liner-like style. If it had been built, it would have been more than 150% larger than the Spruce Goose!

Info on the model can be found here:

http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/BelGeddesAirlinerNo4Page.htm

 

[flateric]

holy bananas!!!

 

[SAustin16]

Beautiful job on the model ABU.

What a wonderful time in aviation history when anything seemed possible.

It would have really been something to fly.

 

[jzichek]

While visiting the blog of Manchu, a terrific French sci-fi illustrator, I stumbled across this beautiful illustration of the Bel Geddes Airliner No. 4:

The rest of his artwork is also worth exploring, though it is more sci-fi/fantasy oriented. Check out his site at http://www.manchu-sf.blogspot.com/.

-Jared

 

[OM]

....You know, I wonder if the old farts at Langley ever tooled up a basic shape of the No. 4 just to see if it really was aerodynamically sound ???