Just wondering which Loco folks thought was the prettiest/toughest/best looking from the steam era?So far for me, it would have to be the Stirling 8 ft. single which ran in the UK - it was 4-2-2 and known for its pulling power and speed.....also known as a Spinner due to the single main drive wheel. I find it just so quirky that I love it.link here: the Australian "S" class was for me, an absolute stunner, though I may not have thought so when I was a lad. Its streamlined coachwork just does it for me .....I am currently searching for examples of both to either buy or build..... the Stirling was never produced as a kit or RTR other than a static (plastic) in OO gauge. I bought one yesterday from England (I am in Australia)The "S" class has been made by a firm called JDH (?) in the UK in HO gauge I was told and is currently available from Steam Era Models, here in Australia. It's $650 as a diecast kit! I will need to see one of those before I shell out that kinda cash! I have posted on the Aussie newsgroups to see if I can see one completed. to you guys n gals ....... which locos get your votes as the stunners?CheersSteveKilmore, Victoria, Australia

Pennsy T-1 Duplex - hands down best looking (at least til they startedleaving off the skirting). Runner-up - maybe the NYC Dreyfuss Hudsons forthe 20th Century Limited - very pretty, but short on toughness. Gary Q>

>> Wow! This sounds fascinating, Dan. Any idea how the envelope was >> constructed, and how it was made gas-tight? I presume the lifting >> gas was helium? >> > It was known as the ZMC-2 metalclad dirigible, and was built in 1929. > Ford was involved in it's construction. The skin was aluminum alloy. > It had only a minimal interior skeleton ... mostly the skin was > stressed to serve as a rigid balloon. Most books on the history of > airships mention it and have photos, some more than others, but I > know of no single source of information that's extensive. It was > scrapped sometime in 1941.(snip)Great stuff! Thanks very much, Dan. If I was still into aircraftmodelling, this would be one I'd love to build.All the best,Mark.

Mark, there's a book 'Sky Ships The Akron Era' by Thom Hook, publishedin 1976, no ISBN, probably long out of print, which while dealing largelywith the USN airship 'Akron' has some details on flying the ZMC-2. Z Ithink was the USN code for lighter-than-air machines, MC stood for 'metalclad'. Another unusual feature of this airship is that it had eight fins,instead of the usual four. Regards, Bill.

> Mark, there's a book 'Sky Ships The Akron Era' by Thom Hook, > published in 1976, no ISBN, probably long out of print, which while > dealing largely with the USN airship 'Akron' has some details on > flying the ZMC-2. Z I think was the USN code for lighter-than-air > machines, MC stood for 'metal clad'. Another unusual feature of this > airship is that it had eight fins, instead of the usual four.Thanks, Bill, I'll keep an eye out for it.Cheers,Mark.

What was the most beautiful?

Dec 30, 2004 123 Replies

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Mark Newton 21 years ago

(snip)

Great stuff! Thanks very much, Dan. If I was still into aircraft modelling, this would be one I'd love to build.

All the best,

Mark.

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William Pearce 21 years ago

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marknewton 21 years ago

Thanks, Bill, I'll keep an eye out for it.

Cheers,

Mark.

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mark_newton 21 years ago

Amen to that. Of all the PCC variants, I think the Muni "Torpedoes" were the best looking, with the PE 5000s running a close second...

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