Interactive 3 D model of the Chaperon

Jens,

This is absolutely awesome!

I though it´s better to move your answer and start a new thread for this.

Carmen

Carmen,

Thanks, I'm going to do that.

Virtual tour of the Green River steamboat CHAPERON

Carmen suggested that I post this as a new thread:

For the last couple of years I have been working on a 3D model of the CHAPERON using the open-source modelling software Blender. You can explore it at the Verkehrsmuseum Dresden (Museum of Transport) or on my website at https://www.jensmittelbach.de/steamboats/chaperon/ . I also provide image downloads at https://www.jensmittelbach.de/steamboats/chaperon/resources.html that might be used by model builders.

The virtual model is based on scale model plans by John A. Braynaert. Since these are rather incorrect I used photographic evidence from the Murphy Library at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. There are some photos of the CHAPERON (and the J.C. KERR respectively) and I was able to identify some formerly unidentified ones as CHAPERON or KERR photos. Most notably there is a photo of unknown crew members on a forecastle that must have been taken on the J.C. KERR.

John Fryant took notice of my work and wrote a short article about it in the December 2018 issue of the S & D Reflector. He gave me some advice as to the coloring and some technical detail. There are, to my knowledge, no photos extant of the interior of the CHAPERON (the supposed cabin view of the J.C. KERR at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County shows, to my mind, the interior of the EVANSVILLE). So my version of the CHAPERON's cabin is based on the EVANSVILLE's. Alan Bates' The western rivers engineroom cyclopœdium was a main source for modelling the boilers.

Jens, Your 3D model is EXCELLENT !! Wunderbar!

Did you use a specific CAD software to create the geometry, then import into Blender? Or was it all done in Blender?

Steve, All done in Blender. Also the texturing for Blender's rendering engine Cycles.

Some things remain obscure. The ladies' restroom arrangement is rather unclear to me. I assume it must have been similar to the TELL CITY's. This photo allows a glimpse into the rear part of the boiler deck. No indication of any cubicles at the very end. Instead you can see a window in the aft bulkhead. So I assume the lady's restroom must have been in the prolongation of the state room aisle, eg. starboard (whereas the laundry might have been on the port side)?

Ok, thanks. So I assume Blender has CAD features built into it for drawing the 3D model, then applying textures.

Well, Blender is not, technically, a CAD software. Modelling is based on polygons. But that said, you can model almost anything in Blender. And it's free, so have a go: https://www.blender.org

This is amazing! I really enjoyed it, EXCEPT!!! I want to see the engine room!! 🙂

David,

Thanks, and I share your passion for the engine. However, the engine room really is a challenge that I haven't dared address yet. It's not just the engine itself (and the question of its exact type) but also the numerous auxiliaries that make the setup very very complex. While in my Blender file I set up an animation of the wheel movement (cf. https://jmiba.tumblr.com/post/145953200096/animated-stern-wheel ), the engine room remains largely empty for now.

I have a question....I know that James Hines as a young man was pilot on the CHAPERON...was his brother Duncan Hines, of cake mix fame? I know they were kin, but not exactly sure how. James would go on to found Hines Towing which was bought out by ACBL sometime in the 80's.

Jim, Barry Griffith might know. I'm not sure if he is still on this forum. You could post and reach him on my Gas & Diesel Sternwheel Boat group on facebook. He worked for Hines.

HI JIM: Duncan Hines was the brother of James G. Hines, who was on the Chaperon. As to the Hines boats as you and I know, that was James R. Hines who was the son of James G. Hines and the nephew of Duncan L. Hines.

Jim: I think I reversed the James HInes. James R was on the Chaperon and James G was who we knew for the Hines boats in our time!!! I think now I got it right.

Thanks Bill......as you might remember I built the model of the CHAPERON from the kit several years ago. Nobody, except a steamboat nut, ever heard of the CHAPERON but when you tell them the boats pilot was Duncan Hines' brother, the story becomes a lot more relevant. Everyone knows the name Duncan Hines.

I understand--it's a lot more complicated than a cabin or deck! Hope you can get to it someday though.