ISO small humpback whale plans

[ReynoldsSlumber]

I'm looking to build a couple humpback whales in 1/160 scale (N scale), to go with a tourism airplane model I've made. In search results, this model appears, and it looks perfect for what I'm looking for: "Papercraft Humpback Whale Paper craft DIY 3D template PDF"

Unfortunately it's no longer available on Etsy, and I can't find it anywhere. Does anyone know whether this "Paper Puzzle" model might still be around somewhere else?

If not, I've started to make a model by downscaling a 47" (120cm) plan to 3 3/4" (9.5cm)! It's challenging so far—takes tweezers and 2.5X magnifier glasses to work on it—but I think feasible, just a little more effort than necessary, heh.

[Texman]

Canon Creative Park has some whale models that might do what you need.

[SCEtoAUX]

If you don't mind low poly and doing some painting here is a page with some whales and a whale tale.
3D papercraft model of Whale | ペーパークラフト

Here is the main site with lots of low poly models. It is in Japanese.
3Dペーパークラフト | ペーパークラフト

[ReynoldsSlumber]

Thanks kindly Texman and SCEtoAUX (great user name by the way)! The person I'm making the model for is pretty darn discerning about whales, so I think I'll see how it goes with downscaling the big humpback model for now. If I ever do a blue whale though, the one on Canon Creative Park looks very realistic. Looks like the Super Coloring site's humpback model would be this one, a bit squared off but perhaps suitable for a really tiny model...

[Siwi]

At that scale maybe a papier mache technique might be more successful for a smooth organic subject.

[ReynoldsSlumber]

Hmm, papier mâché is a tempting idea, for smoothing out the facets on the model. Good thought...

[ReynoldsSlumber]

I went ahead with downscaling a big faceted model, as described above. So far, so good! It is pretty darn small, but workable. This one is the full-sized adult, so we'll see how I do when it comes to making the smaller juvenile whale next, with lots of little bits in the nose.

I relocated and enlarged the glue tabs on each piece relative to the plan. The flippers are solid with thick cardstock rather than hollow. Also I'm starting to make humpback-specific detail modifications, like the bumps on the flipper leading edges.

[ReynoldsSlumber]

More progress. Details to add next: chin bump, blowhole, and dorsal fin ridge, then coloring. After that, on to the juvenile.

In the size comparison to the 34-passenger airplane, a fully grown adult humpback whale is a pretty darn big creature!

[Siwi]

A 'whale airliner' is very Miyazaki. I'd be tempted to add a tiny Howl or Jiro Horikoshi riding on its back...

[ReynoldsSlumber]

OK, now I want to make a whale decorated as an airliner, perhaps in Air Rarotonga colors... as a flying indoor glider.