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TFT cover art speculation

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TFT cover art speculation
Post by PeterZ   » Sat May 26, 2018 12:28 pm

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Ok,I don't think anything can be a spoiler since everything in the series has been out for a while. We are all speculating and not divulging anything that isn't readily available.

So, the art looks like it epects blimps rather than dirigibles. That sort of makes sense since aluminum will be expensive to make without electricity if not impossible with current Safehold tech. Steel will require too much lift to allow for enough cargo in any but the largest crafts. Even then the amount of material and maintenance the airship requires in relation to the cargo it carries is simply too high for commercial use. Even VIP transports would struggle to make an operating profit let alone provide an adequate return on investment. This doesn't even get into the static elecyptrical aspects of steel. Solving for that is lightning strikes is possible, but steel still risks sparks from physical contact.

I wonder how big a wooden derigible can be and how much cargo such a frame can support? I suspect not very big at all, but senough for military scout duties. It's possible to construct the frame without metal nails, using wooden pegs, glue and steel thistle straps to provide additional support. That is labor intensive construction, which means expensive to build. Still, such a craft is viable.

Now back to the cover art. Those look like blimps carrying cargo from tethers. The gondola with the props and engine hangs from other straps. If this accurate, the blimp can't retain shape well enough to move really quickly. That argues it is for short hauls only.
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Re: TFT cover art speculation
Post by dobriennm   » Sat May 26, 2018 3:46 pm

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PeterZ wrote:Ok,I don't think anything can be a spoiler since everything in the series has been out for a while. We are all speculating and not divulging anything that isn't readily available.

So, the art looks like it epects blimps rather than dirigibles. That sort of makes sense since aluminum will be expensive to make without electricity if not impossible with current Safehold tech. Steel will require too much lift to allow for enough cargo in any but the largest crafts. Even then the amount of material and maintenance the airship requires in relation to the cargo it carries is simply too high for commercial use. Even VIP transports would struggle to make an operating profit let alone provide an adequate return on investment. This doesn't even get into the static elecyptrical aspects of steel. Solving for that is lightning strikes is possible, but steel still risks sparks from physical contact.

I wonder how big a wooden derigible can be and how much cargo such a frame can support? I suspect not very big at all, but senough for military scout duties. It's possible to construct the frame without metal nails, using wooden pegs, glue and steel thistle straps to provide additional support. That is labor intensive construction, which means expensive to build. Still, such a craft is viable.

Now back to the cover art. Those look like blimps carrying cargo from tethers. The gondola with the props and engine hangs from other straps. If this accurate, the blimp can't retain shape well enough to move really quickly. That argues it is for short hauls only.


It's also only cover art. Hit or miss on on how accurate it portrays what's in the forthcoming book. Could be an artist's interpolation from the dirigibles in the last book.

Also, maybe they could do composite materials using steel silk instead of carbon fiber (think fiberglass boat hulls) like they use in aircraft to replace aluminum

For those of you who missed the link, from another thread


Dauntless wrote:for those struggling to find said cover art

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780765325594
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Re: TFT cover art speculation
Post by Randomiser   » Sun May 27, 2018 11:17 am

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Looks to me, more like a man-carrying basket than a cargo crate, which suggests an observer, probably spying, possibly doing a bit of bombing. Possibly even fire control if they can work out how to pass messages quickly and accurately enough. It looks to be tied to the body every which way for stability.

The actual gondola seems to be fixed to the airframe though - no matter how much I blow up the left most aircraft, I can't see any gap between the gondola and the skin.

Of course it is only cover-art and this obsessing is just a symptom of loss and of yearning for real new material
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Re: TFT cover art speculation
Post by Joat42   » Mon May 28, 2018 6:55 am

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The blimps has gondolas with windows so we can assume they are manned and it's clearly crates hanging below the blimps.

Also, you don't need a rigid internal structure for all types of blimps. If I remember correctly you have an inner and outer bladder. In simple terms, you inflate the inner bladder with helium or hydrogen to regulate lift while keeping the outer bladder at a constant pressure. I think you need to consider the temperature of you lifting medium too.

---
Jack of all trades and destructive tinkerer.


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Re: TFT cover art speculation
Post by isaac_newton   » Tue May 29, 2018 4:59 am

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I wonder if there is any significance to that city in the lower left side?

probably just a generic tower I guess.
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Re: TFT cover art speculation
Post by PeterZ   » Tue May 29, 2018 2:05 pm

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isaac_newton wrote:I wonder if there is any significance to that city in the lower left side?

probably just a generic tower I guess.

That could be Silkiah or the North Shore of the Gulf of Jahras. Might be some sort of humanitarian lift effort. Doesn't look like a military effort.
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Re: TFT cover art speculation
Post by Randomiser   » Sat Jun 02, 2018 9:33 am

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in the Through Firey Trials. Safehold book 10 up for preorder thread tjthw8s wrote:While at MantiCon this past weekend, Himself did mention a few details about TFT.

Himself specifically mentioned 'steam powered zeppelins air-dropping arms and supplies to the peasant rebellion in North Harchong'. And, honestly, just that one statement has me practically beside myself in anticipation.

I can hardly wait.
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