Pictures: Bringing Back a Blimp Control Car

001Source: ctnow.com

The Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car that has been undergoing complete restoration for the past 21 years at the New England Air Museum. A group of devoted volunteers have logged close to 24,000 hours to date working on the rare airship. This is the only WWII configured K28 blimp car in the world.

All Photos courtesy of Stephen Dunn – Hartford Courant

John Craggs of Marlborough, one of the volunteer aircraft restorers, sits at the controls of the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car that has been undergoing complete restoration for the past 21 years at the New England Air Museum.

John Craggs of Marlborough, one of the volunteer aircraft restorers, sits at the controls of the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car.

Russ Magnuson of Southington, left, and John Craggs of Marlborough, right, inside the cockpit, work on the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car that has been undergoing complete restoration by volunteers for the past 21 years at the New England Air Museum.

Russ Magnuson of Southington, left, and John Craggs of Marlborough, right, inside the cockpit, work on the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car.

Russ Magnuson of Southington, right, works inside the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car. When the restoration began, the interior was stripped. Magnuson and his volunteers designed and fabricated accurate reproduction parts to bring the ship back to life.

Russ Magnuson of Southington, right, works inside the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car. When the restoration began, the interior was stripped. Magnuson and his volunteers designed and fabricated accurate reproduction parts to bring the ship back to life.

Russ Magnuson of Southington, is fabricating the sheet metal pieces that will be the new engine cowlings on the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car.

Russ Magnuson of Southington, is fabricating the sheet metal pieces that will be the new engine cowlings on the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car.

John Craggs of Marlborough, left, and Russ Magnuson of Southington, right, work on fabricating new engine cowlings for the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car.

John Craggs of Marlborough, left, and Russ Magnuson of Southington, right, work on fabricating new engine cowlings for the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car.

The cockpit control panel inside the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car. When the restoration began, the interior was stripped. Ther volunteers designed and fabricated accurate reproduction parts to bring the ship back to life.

The cockpit control panel inside the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car. When the restoration began, the interior was stripped. Ther volunteers designed and fabricated accurate reproduction parts to bring the ship back to life.

A group of devoted volunteers have logged close to 24,000 hours to date working on the rare airship. This is the only WWII configured K28 blimp car in the world.

A group of devoted volunteers have logged close to 24,000 hours to date working on the rare airship. This is the only WWII configured K28 blimp car in the world.

Russ Magnuson of Southington, holds a photo from 1947 of the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car and the giant gas envelope that holds it up. Magnuson and a small group of volunteers have been restoring the blimp car for the past 21 years at the New England Air Museum.

Russ Magnuson of Southington, holds a photo from 1947 of the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car and the giant gas envelope that holds it up. Magnuson and a small group of volunteers have been restoring the blimp car for the past 21 years at the New England Air Museum.

A painting of the 1942 Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp. Its Control Car that is undergoing restoration at the New England Air Museum.

A painting of the 1942 Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp. Its Control Car that is undergoing restoration at the New England Air Museum.

The interior of the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car looking forward contains a cot, a small galley, a radio station and massive helium tanks to control the envelope above. Practically everything inside was fabricated from scratch since no parts are available for such a rare craft.

The interior of the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car looking forward contains a cot, a small galley, a radio station and massive helium tanks to control the envelope above. Practically everything inside was fabricated from scratch since no parts are available for such a rare craft.

This is what the 1942 Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car looked like when it arrived at the New England Air Museum in 1980.

This is what the 1942 Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car looked like when it arrived at the New England Air Museum in 1980.

The engine housings and struts sit out in the Boneyard before restoration began on the 1942 Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car at the New England Air Museum in 1993.

The engine housings and struts sit out in the Boneyard before restoration began on the 1942 Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car at the New England Air Museum in 1993.

This is what the 1942 Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car looked like as the long restoration process began at the New England Air Museum in 1993.

This is what the 1942 Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car looked like as the long restoration process began at the New England Air Museum in 1993.

A photograph of a K-class Navy blimp with the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car attached.

A photograph of a K-class Navy blimp with the Goodyear ZNPK-28 Blimp Control Car attached.

All Photos courtesy of Stephen Dunn – Hartford Courant

Source: ctnow.com

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