| Phase Two |
| By the spring of 1997, the Jules Verne group had hired a firm to develop professional drawings of the the dirigible. This company was DPH, aka Digital Phenomena. John Kirby of DPH created the designs in Figures 5, 6 and 7. The forward glass window was given a more Victorian style, and a little mini-blimp and a larger propeller were added. There was no lower forward balcony, just an upper balcony and lower side balconies. Below the front glass, and above the "feet" at the front is a structure from which a harpoon can be shot. So these designs were packing some firepower. |
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Figure
5: Early
concept from DPH, John Kirby, April 1997 |
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Figure 6: Early concept
from DPH, John Kirby, June 1997 |
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Figure
7: Aurora
design, March 18, 1998 |
| Rick Overton reviewed the drawings and suggested changes. He commented that the propellers must be larger to create the thrust that was needed in air. The power would be electric, instead of steam, so the smoke stack was removed. And the forward windows looked too modern, so they were replaced with windows of a more gothic look and with thicker bracing on the arched windows for strength. A ventilation pipe was added and the nacelles were made larger. The bowl-like structure at the bottom of the bag was put in for deflated bag storage. |
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Figure
8: Aurora
design, March 19, 1998 |
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Figure
9: Aurora,
Back, showing Rick Overton's suggested nacelles |
