CHAPTER 12

AIR SHIP

Air ships were the first form of controlled and powered air transportation and were very popular in the early 1900s. Although there are quite a few types of air ship, they all use a large bag filled with a gas that is lighter than air to fly. The bag is typically elongated, like the ellipsoids described in chapter 2, and a passenger cabin is attached to the bottom of the gas bag. Follow these steps to build your own air ship.

1. Build the first frame.

Build the central frame for the balloon. First, use dirt to build a column at least 25 blocks high that will mark the bottom center of the balloon. Then build a cross as a frame for the center of the balloon. This frame will be used to build a circle later. Each of the four arms of the cross should be 6 blocks long. Use a different colored block to mark the circle’s center. Here, I’ve used wood planks.

2. Build the second frame.

Build the center of the circle out horizontally with 10 blocks. I’ve used different wood planks to help in counting. Use the tenth block as the center to build the frame for a circle with four arms that are each 5 blocks long. I’ve used different colored wool for each crossed frame, to help distinguish each one, but you can use any blocks you like.

3. Build the third frame.

Build the central beam out another 3 blocks. Using the third block as a center, create a crossed frame with arms 4 blocks long.

4. Build the fourth frame.

Build the central beam out another 3 blocks. With the third block as the center, build a crossed frame with arms 3 blocks long.

5. Build the fifth frame.

Build the central beam out another 2 blocks. On the last block, build a frame with arms 2 blocks long.

6. Build the sixth frame.

The sixth frame is right next to the fifth frame, with arms that are 1 block long.

7. Finish the framing.

Repeat steps 3 through 7 to build the frames for the other side of the balloon. The final balloon skeleton should look like the picture below. You can now use these frames to create circles, duplicating the circles in the same way as when you make a sphere. You can use this same process—building a series of frames for circles—for building ovoids of any size.

8. Build the first circle.

Build the first circle around the central frame as shown. The long sides of the circle, at the end of each arm, are 5 blocks long. Here, I am using colored wool to match the frame, but you can use white wool or any wool color you want for the finished balloon. The black wool blocks show where the circle touches at the end of the four frame arms.

9. Build out the central circular section.

Extend this central circle on both sides 9 blocks out to the second frame on either side.

10. Build the second circular section.

On the second frame on each side, build a circle as shown and make it 3 blocks deep. The long side, at the end of each arm, is 5 blocks long.

11. Build the third circular section.

Build the third frame’s circle as shown and make it 3 blocks deep.

12. Build the fourth circular section.

Build the fourth frame’s circle and make it 2 blocks deep. The long ends are 5 blocks long.

13. Build the fifth circle.

Build the fifth frame’s circle as shown. The long ends are also 5 blocks long.

14. Build the sixth circle.

Build the sixth frame’s circle. The long ends here are 3 blocks long.

15. Fill in any gaps.

You may see that there are some holes in the surface. Fill these in so there are no gaps leading to the interior.

If you have used white wool for the balloon, it will look like the following figure.

16. Add a frame to the balloon.

Now use wood blocks to create a frame around the balloon that will support the passenger cabin. The two screenshots show the side and the bottom of the frame.

17. Add hanging supports.

Add 3-block-high columns at the four bottom corners of the balloon’s wooden frame. The passenger “ship” will hang from these.

18. Shape the bottom of the ship.

On one end, build the outer shape of the ship.

19. Build out the ship bottom.

Extend this ship to the two columns on the other end.

20. Create the curve for the ship’s ends.

Build the curve for the end of the ship.

21. Build in the ship’s end.

Complete the ship’s end by filling in the blocks, curving toward the tip of the ship.

22. Build the other end of the ship.

Repeat this on the other end of the ship so that both ends of the ship are closed in.

23. Add a frame for a propeller.

First add a supporting frame made of wood blocks around one side of the ship as shown. Add a 2-block extension for attaching the propeller.

24. Build the base of the propeller.

Build out the propeller shape, 1 block deep in a dark wood plank.

25. Add detailing to the propeller.

On top of the base propeller shape, build the inner propeller shape, one block deep, in a lighter wood. Use dark wood for the center, and place a wood button in the center.

26. Customize your air ship.

Finalize your ship by adding detailing, modifying the ship’s shape, and installing lighting. Here, I’ve enclosed the center part of the ship and added a roof, windows, and doors. I added stair blocks for detailing and used fence posts for the ship’s tether to the ground.