I'm shocked - T@B design is not an original

Olena · April 2019

Am I the first or last to find out that the T@B shape I love so much is copied from the first Airstream (the 1935 Torpedo)? I can see that Airstream used the shape of the front for their new Basecamp, but the back is 100% T@B. Does anyone know the history about the T@B design? I guess Airstream didn't have it copyright protected! There is also a link below to a site that shows more pics of the Torpedo.

http://w

ww.doityourselfrv.com/oldest-airstream/

1968Healey · April 2019

I’m sure everybody knows this, but the T@B is some sort of licensed design from this company: https://www.tabme.de/

They even have amazing comic books of Tabetha taking her Tab to a concert.

ChanW · April 2019

Cool! It's home-made!

This following link talks about the first 'factory' Airstream, vs that 'plans' built Airstream. http://www.vintagetrailercamp.com/oldest-factory-manufactured-airstream-still-existence/

Sharon_is_SAM · April 2019

They have a forum available from that site. Non-members can access a page that details the history starting in 2001. Wish I could read German. Did anyone catch the TaBman cheesy comics?

Olena · April 2019

My sister reads German, I'll send her the link and get her on the case.

Olena · April 2019

The Torpedo is now in Texas (the article calls it the Tornado?). Any forum members in Texas can go see it and let us know how "T@B" the shape of it is!

https://www.dallasnews.com/life/texas-travel/2017/03/16/owner-retro-cool-texas-rv-museum-wants-people-remember-road

I took a look at the German site (I have some rudimentary German) and they are not detailing any information about the source of the design.....maybe they don't want to admit it!

ScottG · April 2019

If you search around, there are some discussions here (one of them quite recent) about the history of the T@B and its migration to America. They are still made in Europe by the Knauss-Tabbert caravan company, a merged entity that incorporated the company founded by Mr. Tabbert.

U.S. T@Bs were based on the original European design, though the North American brand was separately owned by Dutchman. It was acquired by Pleasant Valley Trailers (now nuCamp) after Dutchman dropped production.

The design copying thing still goes on. For example, there are quite a few R-Pod knockoffs right here in the U.S. that bear a much closer resemblance to the original than the T@B does to that old Airstream. There's only so many shapes to work with and I suspect unless something is an exact duplicate it's pretty hard to prove copyright infringement. I'll bet a nickel it's been tested, however! ;-)

Sharon_is_SAM · April 2019

Very soon I am traveling to Amsterdam and I may check to see if the dealer there has an TaBs! They may not have them in stock, so I will check it out.

GreatWhiteNorth · April 2019

The T@B is a license built German design. Our T@B T2, although registered as a 2004, was built Dec 2003, first year of production at Dutchmen. The Al-Ko frame was European sourced, as was the door and windows.

https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/q2/mxjg1wbt9oov.pdf

jgram2 · April 2019

@Sharon_is_SAM Although it should go without saying-photos or it didn’t happen.🙂

Sharon_is_SAM · April 2019

👍

Arwen · April 2019

Knaus Tabbert T@B page:

https://www.knaustabbert.de/en/brands/tab/

T@B Brand Page:

https://www.tabme.de/en/

RCB · April 2019

1927.....the shape has been around awhile.

larrygon · April 2019

Check out the T@B comic!
https://www.tabme.de/en/#a2

Photomom · April 2019

I’ve read that the teardrop design came from the shape of airplane wings, and some early teardrop campers were made from repurposed sections of retired WWII airplanes.

GreatWhiteNorth · April 2019

Arwen said:

Knaus Tabbert T@B page:
https://www.knaustabbert.de/en/brands/tab/
T@B Brand Page:
https://www.tabme.de/en/

The German T@Bs have evolved a bit differently, sure have a different back end.

Michigan_Mike · April 2019

Teardrop trailers have been around for a long time.

https://www.theteardroptrailer.com/history

If any of you get to Amarillo there is a trailer museum there at the local RV dealer, Jack Sisemore that is free and worth a visit. Very well done for a private museum too and he has an Airstream Torpedo on display as well.

http://www.rvmuseum.net/

Sharon_is_SAM · April 2019

The RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum in Elkhart, Indiana is a fun visit, too!
http://www.rvmhhalloffame.org/index.cfm

jgram2 · April 2019

@Sharon_is_SAM Somehow the idea of Mae West camping in her very own “house car” makes me smile. Talk about zombies!

Sharon_is_SAM · April 2019

We took my, at the time, 85 year old Mom and she got a kick out of it. However, that long drive on the Indiana turnpike west, was hands down, the most boring time of my life! And the straightest road, too.

TNOutback · June 2019

It is interesting to look at the current European 400 model compared to NuCamp’s. It is essentially the same design and features, except it appears the Europe model has a cassette toilet, which is the norm over there. I would choose a cassette toilet system over the holding tank in a heartbeat! So many places to camp that don’t have dump stations. Also, the Europe model has this cargo/bicycle shelf or rack on the back as an option. It looks like it might interfere with the opening of the window, but I’d prefer bikes on the back than over the tongue given the tongue weight challenges for some tow vehicles.

Sharon_is_SAM · June 2019

The European model may have a different frame to support the weight of bikes on the back. Also, their roads are a LOT better than ours in general and they tow at slower speeds. Maybe factors that allow a rear rack.

Emma62 · June 2019

The plastic trim so many of us have cracking issues with is different on the European models.

RCB · December 2022

A little more teardrop history at. https://www.rvhistory.com/

DukeHewett · December 2022

The Newest Air-Tow Airstream:

I'm shocked - T@B design is not an original

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