Airfield Models

Otto the Ferocious Baby Alligator

December 18, 2021



Home
About
What's New
History
Models Gallery
Model Building Safety
Articles
Mail & FAQ
Site Map
Site Feedback
Contact
Add to Favorites
Comments
Search Airfield Models

 

 

Airfield Models (http://www.airfieldmodels.com/)Baby Alligator Otto

Baby Alligator OttoBeing a Florida resident also means being an alligator expert.  If you went to an American public school then you probably know that alligators, like their relatives, whales and dolphins, are unique members of the fish family that breathe through their beaks so they can be on land away from water.

When alligators are between three and four years old they spin the cocoon in which they spend nine months losing their fur and whiskers and growing a longer beak and a scaley skin.  They retain their low profile but develop a wider stance and are generally a lot more mellow.

How alligators survive their childhood I have no idea they're kind of stupid actually.  For example, this one keeps trying to eat Wermacht, Carina and me having no idea that although it has very sharp teeth its jaws just aren't big enough to get the job done.  Otto is only a few months old so we have plenty of time before we have to worry about our safety.  As a matter of fact, Otto is currently trying to eat my left knee.  But, the joke will be on him when he gets down to the metal pins in my bones and breaks his teeth. Alligators hate it when they eat metal.

Otto appeared on my doorstep the day before Thanksgiving 2006.  I don't have any idea how he got there but I brought him in and fed him and let him spend the night indoors in a crate.  The next day when I went to work, I put him back outside so he could return to whatever lake he came from.

When I returned home he was back on my doorstep.  I guess you could say he lives with me now because I haven't been able to find him a home and he won't go away.  But one way or the other when he spins his cocoon he's out of here!

 
 
A full scale alligator.  Note the very aerodynamic fuselage and turbulating bumps.  These bumps allow gators to achieve extremely slow flight speeds approaching but not quite achieving a hover before coming to rest on their wide stance landing gear.

Otto will be low and wide like this fellow when he comes out of his cocoon in a few years.

The baby alligator stalks his prey... Baby alligators are really stupid!

This one thinks it's going to sneak up on an elite infantry/Cat Fu master and swallow him whole.

and then pounces! Otto is pretty good at stalking though.  Wermacht didn't wake up until after the pounce...
But Wermacht is ready! But Wermacht has lightning reflexes and uses his opponent's momentum against him.
Wermacht demonstrates his superior Cat Fu training and uses his opponent's momentum against him. Wermacht demonstrates a perfectly executed Cat Fu flip.
A perfect flip!  The stalker is suddenly on the defense. The hunter is suddenly the hunted.  This isn't how it was supposed to work.
Wermacht likes to toy with his opponents.  He releases the baby gator and gives him another chance... Wermacht is frequently too confident for his own good.  He enjoys toying with his prey and releases the baby gator so he can have another chance.

Wermacht gets away with it this time, but I worry about him.

OK, maybe I'm not such an expert on alligators.  I thought they needed to be in the water at least some of the time.  Apparently they mostly stay on land until they mature as evidenced by my emergency room visit culminating in 127 stitches and gauze bandages covering my chest, both arms and half my face.  Fine, if he doesn't want to be in the water then I'm not going to make him.

Also see

 
 
       
       
       
       
       
Otto the Baby Alligator  
 
 

Previous —

Carina - Shop Mistress - Master Thief

Convey Your Fear of this Carnivorous Fish

 
 

Airfield Models Home

 
 

Copyright © 2006 Paul K. Johnson