DKM Tirpitz by bglithero - Revell - 1:350 - PLASTIC - Platinum Edition with Eduard PE

[bglithero]

Hey,

Long time lurker first time logger!

Inspired by the builds of RGL, I decided to revisit my childhood building plastic Airfix kits and hanging them from the ceiling and have a crack at a plastic warship.

Now, I started taking some photos with the intentions of compiling a build log when I was happy I wasn't going to embarrass myself. So the build went along but I stopped taking the in progress photos. Well today, I thought who cares about embarrassment, I'll pull my finger out and document this. So there are a few photos from the beginning and from today progress should be 'as it happens'

I am aware that I have taken some artistic license, particularly with the camo, Revell's artwork is incorrect as the blue should be green but I like the look with the blue. As I am Captain I ordered the green painted over, its winter anyway, no trees around! Also its a bit dirtier than it probably would have been as the crew didnt have anything else to do but helps disguise any incompetent building 😀

 

...obligatory box shot.

Ben

[bglithero]

A few photos of the kit parts. Firstly box opening, large, looks well packed but contents have moved under the sprues, one of the photoetch sheets got a little bent but shouldn't cause any problems.

Next the kit supplied etch and brass for the barrels, masts etc.

 

and finally the wooden deck.

I also bought the Eduard photoetch, set as the kit etch doesn't replace the boat supports on the hangar and has few other extra pieces, also a set of kreigsmarine portholes and doors from White Ensign.

 

This is my first experience with both plastic warships and photoetch so will be a learning experience....be gentle with me.

 

[bglithero]

The parts look reasonably well molded but there is a fair amount of flash to clean up. Some of the ejector pin marks on the reverse side of a number of parts obstructs the fit of other parts. Plenty of dry fitting highlighted these areas.

First up, clean the hulls parts which are in two parts split vertically so if you wanted to do a waterline model it would be a bit more work. Next drilled out the portholes.

..and on the stern. Eduard give you a guide to remove the ladder rungs and drill and replace. Looking at photos of the real vessel, these rungs do not project very far from the hull and even with a guide decided that any attempt my behalf to replace would look worse than the kit molded ones with a paint wash over then, in this scale anyway.

The fit of the hull inserts left something to be desired. Plenty of filling and sanding ensued.

This is where I started to get lax with my photo taking...

 

 

[bglithero]

After all the filling and sanding, the prop shafts and supports were added and the whole thing given a coat of primer.

 

 

[bglithero]

Missed a photo to show the poor fit at the stern.

[bglithero]

The hull then received black shading on the panel lines before being sprayed with hull red, masked, camouflage sprayed and then bootstrap. No photos I'm afraid. The hull was weathered and had a light spray of dark green at the bottom and dusting of white. This was kept low key as it was based in the cold North Sea waters.

Whilst I was working on this, I made a start on some of the superstructures. First off was the aft structure and hangars. After removing the kit plastic, photoetch was added. The boat supports came from the Eduard set.

The doors and portholes from the white ensign set.

 

The steel is from the kit etch.

Temporarily assembled.

 

[RGL]

Nice to know I can inspire (I annoy Cog), nice start old boy. 

[CDW]

Very nice start. Looking forward to following along with your progress. 

[bglithero]

Thanks.

That is the total of photos I have until today. So this is how it sits at the moment. Deck fitted, painted and wooden aftermarket deck attached. Lower structure detailed and painted etc.

 

 

[bglithero]

Painted rear structure and added decks.

And the next floor up..

I left the railings off to paint separately as I knew I would squash them or worse fitting the decks...

 

[bglithero]

Forward structure started.

[bglithero]

Working up the front structure, some sub assemblies with base coat.

 

[bglithero]

The funnel top was an exercise in nerve, having to remove the horrible thick kit interior.

The macro lens is a cruel mistress....

[bglithero]

Finally to todays work.

Added ladders and railings to rear structure. Struggling with these railings and my clumsy fat fingers. I didn't realise how bad my eyesight had become. Had to go and buy a laboratory microscope to work with this photoetch.

Added to lower structure.

And radar(?) added. I am leaving the aerial off as I know I will knock it off if I fit it now.

[bglithero]

Started to add the railings on this level. You can see where I broke one over adjusting the angle. Its hard to see without magnification so the gap will stay there. A few touch ups to do..

[Canute]

Good start. I'll tag along on this build.

[cog]

You did well. Revell isn't known for it's clean kits, at least by me, so you'll have some cleaning up to do as you stated. I'm not very fond of Eduard ship detail up. They are good at airplaines and should stick to it. But it comes in handy for spare parts , that's what I use the set I bought for. She is looking good

[CDW]

Maybe he's using Eduard as a generic term for photo etch. The Bismarck platinum edition as he is building here comes with it's own set of photo etch and other detail-up sets. I didn't see anything on my copy to indicate it was Eduard PE. Maybe I missed it?

[bglithero]

3 hours ago, CDW said:

Maybe he's using Eduard as a generic term for photo etch. The Bismarck platinum edition as he is building here comes with it's own set of photo etch and other detail-up sets. I didn't see anything on my copy to indicate it was Eduard PE. Maybe I missed it?

Hi,it was in that big block of text at the start, it does come with PE but it is missing the boat racks and the kit ones are hugely thick. I didn't want to pay a lot to duplicate the PE so got the Eduard set as well as it was the cheapest. It also has a few bits and pieces that aren't in the kit etch. The Eduard set also replaces the doors which interestingly the kit doesn't apart from a few higher up the structures.

[CDW]

Are you brush painting your camo? However you're doing it, it looks great.

I bought this same platinum edition kit when Squadron put them on sale a while back. I'll have to remember the shortcomings you mentioned in the photo etch and be prepared to use other sources for parts that aren't included.

[bglithero]

8 minutes ago, CDW said:

Are you brush painting your camo? However you're doing it, it looks great.

I bought this same platinum edition kit when Squadron put them on sale a while back. I'll have to remember the shortcomings you mentioned in the photo etch and be prepared to use other sources for parts that aren't included.

Thanks, its mostly airbrushed as long as I can mask it, some areas are brushed. Another thing missing from the kit etch is the smoke generator covers which is a bit strange as they are covered by the new deck. The Eduard instructions are terrible, no logic to the order of the drawings and don't show the shape of the part they are going on, so you have to keep checking through the part numbers and going back and forth through the tiny bits of paper! At least the kit stuff has photos.

[knightyo]

14 hours ago, bglithero said:

 

I started taking some photos with the intentions of compiling a build log when I was happy I wasn't going to embarrass myself.

 

This made me lol and lol.  I have a few of these projects as well.  😀

 

The ship looks great so far!

 

Alan