DKM Graf Zeppelin by RGL - FINISHED - Trumpeter - 1/350 - PLASTIC

[cog]

resin kits, all, are extremely expensive!

[schooner]

Greg, just got thru with the first page of this build only to find you already have 10 pages posted! Its amazing how much ground you cover in just 3 months.

 

Interesting choice for a build. I've read a ton of naval history but never gave this ship much attention since she was never completed. I had no idea she was so big, I just assumed as Germany's first carrier that they would have started off with something small to learn the tricks of naval aviation. Guess they must have thought "Ach, how hard can it be?" Given Germany's huge problems with inter service squabbling its interesting to think what problems they would have run into if she had become operational. I'm sure they would have made the RN's problems with RAF control of carrier plane design and acquisition seem minor by comparison.

 

Your scratch building and weathering are, as always, the top of the game. 

Now, back to page 2 of your build!

[amateur]

The interservice squabbling was one of the major reasons she was never finished.....

[S-boat 55]

On 7/18/2019 at 1:24 PM, mtdoramike said:

I'm curious since you are about done with her, would this model be a decent candidate for Radio control conversion? Is there enough room for the motors, servos, batteries and would it float high enough in the water to keep from getting soaked?

 

mike 

Not wanting to jump in but there's a kinda low quality video example of an RC converted Graf at 1/350 on you tube, 

 

 

The issue with carriers is always stability but where there's will there's a way, stripping out any bit of plastic that can't be seen helps but often there isn't much you can save, but have seen a 1/350 Kaga conversion as well which was a bit unstable but okay if it was a very still bit  of water,

 

The build by the way is phenomenal, I'm just getting back into the hobby after ten odd years and experimenting with photo etch, yet to brave weathering but this is certainly a motivating example of what can be achieved,

 

 

[knightyo]

The planes will definitely be a challenge.  It will also take a lot of time to install the appropriate RC gear so they can all be individually flown and landed on the flight deck..

 

Alan

[Dan Vadas]

14 hours ago, amateur said:

You can ask @Dan Vadas to build some out of paper   

JSC has a german catapult-ship that includes the B&V 138 at scale 1:400. Some rescaling at the photocopier, and you're done

certainly cheaper than that kit

 

Jan

Yeah, no worries. As long as you can afford my rates of $150 per hour (kidding   ). Fenten's in Brisbane have the Bussard/Falke kit with 5 B&V 138's (in 1/250 scale) for $AU16.00 plus postage (about $8.00). Just a thought, the ship itself looks interesting. Hmmmm.......

 

Danny

[mtaylor]

Is that price for just one airplane?  

[popeye the sailor]

......an ungodly bird........I've never seen one before

[CDW]

2 hours ago, mtaylor said:

Is that price for just one airplane?  

For that price, it should come with an airplane ride and the pilot's autograph. 😎

[cog]

2 hours ago, Dan Vadas said:

Yeah, no worries. As long as you can afford my rates of $150 per hour (kidding   ). Fenten's in Brisbane have the Bussard/Falke kit with 5 B&V 138's (in 1/250 scale) for $AU16.00 plus postage (about $8.00). Just a thought, the ship itself looks interesting. Hmmmm.......

 

Danny

A new challenge Dan ... Wood .. paper .. plastic ...?

 

2 hours ago, mtaylor said:

Is that price for just one airplane?  

No, you re missing shipping ... about the same price, you could build it at the shop and fly it over to your own place, but you need something to shrink  

 

1 hour ago, popeye the sailor said:

......an ungodly bird........I've never seen one before

That's as far as the likeness with birds go

[amateur]

Hi danny,

 

Yeah, that'svthe one I meant. You wouldn't like the kit, though. 

It is JSC design, with all its problems. The 1:250 B&V looks convincing, though.

Bussard was an interesting ship: it was the German answer to the fact the after WW-I treaties didn't germany allow for a carrier. (Shen ended a bit out of her original purpose after the war, as a dredger in Rotterdam....)

 

Jan

[RGL]

Would’ve looked cool on the crane 

[GrandpaPhil]

Would filling the bottom with lead weights for ballast help?

 

 The other thought is that since you can’t see below the waterline, what about using a keel plate hung below the model?

[amateur]

You'll need the rescaled paper version

cut, glue, ready

or cut glue, spray, filler, spray again, base colour, oil canning, spray again, chipping. Done.

 

You can do it, and the bv 138 was a sea plane. Not designed for carries: it had no landinggear, it was mainly in use on those catapult ships: in the water, until loaded onto the launch platform, shot into the air. No need for wheels.

 

 

[RGL]

That would be a great model! I’m not going to transfer over to paper though...

 

I was  wondering how they would retrieve fliers if the landed in the sea (thus the Schnellboots) as you would not last long in the water up that end of the globe, 

[amateur]

Btw tommodelworks has them

3D printer in 1:700.

perhaps they can scale up one or two for you?

 

Jan

[RGL]

There is a special place in hell for me having to do this. MAsking and doing the camo up for the aircraft 

Edited July 22, 2019 by RGL

[cog]

You are quite good at it. The masking that is.

 

Love how the airplanes are turning out

Edited July 22, 2019 by cog

[RGL]

This is where the H&S .15mm nozzle will come in handy. 

[Beef Wellington]

Don't envy you Greg, think the monotonous tasks just vary by ship and modeling medium 😞  Question though, would the plans have been painted with a land or naval camo?  Thinking greens/browns for the former, and greens/blues for the latter?  I could see it being either consider the GZ's situation.

[cog]

I wonder if they ever used naval colours at al Jason. German planes passed most of their time above land

[amateur]

Perhaps no naval colours, but for a number ofaircraft, they used a winter/ summer scheme, and they also had night/day schemes for thier bombers.

 

Those little planes look good. (And why is there a special place in hell foryou? Perhaps it will be heaven, as a reward for doing a great job)

 

Jan

[Canute]

Some of the German bombers were used over water. See the FW200 Condor and JU188 paint schemes. True most fighters didn't spend much time over water.

[BANYAN]

Nah, you'll go straight to heaven Greg - you have done your penance already doing the cammo.  My vote would be a naval cammo if it is not too late.  This ship was intended for sea operations; the only reason we see their planes over land all the time is that they rarely went to sea.  The exceptions being the seaplanes and maritime patrol aircraft  (especially the 'Condor'); the latter had a grey colour scheme if I remember back from my youth making plastic planes - the memory cells just ain't what they used to be

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited July 23, 2019 by BANYAN

[RGL]

Base coats done, now to weather

[Old Collingwood]

The man is mad  - weathering a 1/350 scale plane  - amazing work.

 

OC.

[mtaylor]

1 hour ago, Old Collingwood said:

The man is mad  - weathering a 1/350 scale plane  - amazing work.

 

OC.

 

Well see how mad he is if he does such things as "oil leaks".  

[RGL]

[amateur]

And the scribing of the various parts of the fuselage

I tried to turn a piece of ,5 mm copper wire round a piece of evergreen this weekend, and my eyes went cross. I cant even think how just plain painting can be done on these flysize thingies.....

 

Jan

Edited July 23, 2019 by amateur

[cog]

7 minutes ago, amateur said:

And the aciving of the various parts of the fuslage

I tried to turn a piece of ,5 mm copper wire round a piece of evergreen this eeekend, and my eyes went cross. I cant even think how just plain painting can be done on these flysize thingies.....

 

Jan

with a very small brush!