The Labor of Love That Gave a ‘Graf Zeppelin II’ Model Lift

The scratch-built 1:36 scale airship hanging in the EAA Aviation Museum took 17 years to construct.

Friday, May 10, 2024 at 02:30 PM ET

Verified

The LZ130 Graf Zeppelin II that hangs from the ceiling of the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was built as a flying model to a scale of 1:36. [Courtesy: Meg Godlewski]

Key Takeaways:

John Mellberg spent 17 years meticulously scratch-building a 1:36 scale model of the LZ-130 Graf Zeppelin II, driven by a lifelong passion for airships.
The elaborate construction involved extensive historical research, custom plans, balsa wood, Dacron fabric covering, and collaboration with numerous volunteers.
Now displayed at the EAA Aviation Museum, the impressive model represents a significant piece of aviation history, illustrating the era of early commercial air travel alongside a Douglas DC-3 model.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Full disclosure: Dirigibles, in particular zeppelins, are part of my interior decorating. The ceiling of my home office looks like an airshow—with no fewer than five airships on display.

They adorn the tops of bookcases, and photographs, paintings, and prints are framed on the wall. They range from the Graf Zeppelin to the Zeppelin NT, and are kitbuilt. So imagine how impressed I was by the scratch-built model of the LZ-130 Graf Zeppelin II hanging from the ceiling of the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.