BUENA PARK : Ripley’s Buys Man’s Hindenburg Model

A scale model of the ill-fated German zeppelin, the Hindenburg, built in the garage of a man here is being purchased by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum.

Vern Koenig spent about 3,000 hours building the model. What “started out as a challenge” ended up as a labor of love that took four years, the 50-year-old Koenig said.

The professional model-maker and aviation enthusiast said he became fascinated with the Hindenburg’s past as one of the largest luxury airships ever flown. Built in 1935, the blimp crashed May 6, 1937, at a naval air station in Lakehurst, N.J., killing 36 people.

“Of all the airships, the Hindenburg had the prettiest line. She was a draftsman’s delight because of her curvatures,” said Koenig, who built the model in his Norwalk garage.

“It’s a beautiful piece of work,” said Mark Edwards, general manager of Ripley’s and the Movieland Wax Museum. “There’s not another one like it.”

The scale model, which is 16 feet, 9 inches long, has a 32-inch diameter and weighs 175 pounds, will be unveiled today in a noon ceremony at Movieland Wax Museum, 7711 Beach Blvd.

The actual Hindenburg was 852 feet long, more than 14 stories tall and carried about 100 passengers, Koenig said. Koenig will be presented a check for $20,000 at the ceremony, Edwards said.

The unveiling is part of daylong festivities at Movieland to kick off the local tourist season. Also featured will be an exotic car show, knights and Indian dancers. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot and is free to the public.

Koenig said he didn’t start out building the model in 1987--the 50th anniversary of the Hindenburg disaster--with an intention to sell it. He had hoped to donate it to an aviation museum. But when Ripley’s was interested, Koenig was thrilled.

“For me, it’s a feather in my cap to be recognized by Ripley’s,” he said, adding that he is a fan of the famed museum.

Edwards said the scale model will be on exhibit at the Buena Park museum until mid-April. Then plans are to fly the model to Thailand to display at Ripley’s newest museum there, he said.

The Hindenburg model is expected to make the rounds to other Ripley’s museums worldwide, he said.