Z-25 by RGL - FINISHED - Trumpeter - 1/350 - PLASTIC - German destroyer April 1945

[Egilman]

5 hours ago, RGL said:

I’m going to say maybe? By the end of the war they were pretty much used non stop to evacuate troops and people from the Soviet army and give fire support so I suppose they would not have had much maintance. Of course the photos after the war show her in a better condition but I doubt if the crew just walked away (but they may have) and it was eventually given to the French as the Hoche. 

Yeah that's the Hoche in 1952 (ex German z 25)

 

A good reference of the type can be found in Seaforth Publishing - Shipcraft 25 - German Destroyers

 

She had 8 sisters, only four survived the war, the Z-23 & Z-25 went to France... (Z-23 as a wreck salvaged by the french & Z-25 as the Hoche) One was seized by Norway and was turned over to the British, (Z-30, ws scrapped in '49 after being used as a target ship) and Z-29, Siezed by the British, she was given to the US Navy in '45, the Navy surveyed her in Boston and found her in poor mechanical state, so they sailed her back to Britain in an attempt to return her to the British, but they refused her, so she was scuttled in December '46 off Jutland....

 

The only thing we have documented comparable is the Z 29's photos from 1945 when she was turned over to the US Navy and underwent inspection in Boston Navy yard...

It appears to me she was in pretty good shape paint wise, (last pic being the worst, taken shortly before she was rejected after trials) She spent the last years of the war confined to the baltic due to lack of crew issues so they really didn't see much action in the latter half of the war, same as Z-25.... 

 

She had the same fit as the Z-25, a modified Type 1936A....

Edited March 18, 2021 by Egilman

[Egilman]

Correction;

That last pic is of DD-939, (ex Z 39) before she was turned over to France in 1947.... The US Navy used her to test her high speed machinery, the French used her for spare parts....

[RGL]

Yes I studied these photos, as did flyhawk I’d say as the bridge windows for the upgrade seem to be the same and different to Z25. The previous images in the log I found on a Russian site and have not seen them elsewhere 

[RGL]

A full 2 days of cutting and bending, the infill required for the ships smaller details. 
 

haven’t started on The guns etc yet. 

[Old Collingwood]

1 hour ago, RGL said:

A full 2 days of cutting and bending, the infill required for the ships smaller details. 
 

haven’t started on The guns etc yet. 

Pass all that "bling"  off as gold on flea bay  - you would be a millionair mate.

 

OC.

[lmagna]

I know that in the end all of that stuff will make for a fantastic ship Greg, but right now it just looks mind numbing tedious!😵 

[Old Collingwood]

5 minutes ago, lmagna said:

I know that in the end all of that stuff will make for a fantastic ship Greg, but right now it just looks mind numbing tedious!😵 

Remember my pain Lou  with it all  building my Warspite.

 

OC.

[RGL]

Starting to throw on the small details, firstly the rails for the Sea mines, winch and paravane gear,  then the torpedo tubes, then the breakwater and a trial of a few chain diameters, smaller is better. 

[RGL]

All the little bit painted, now starting to throw it all together. The depth charge throwers and some very finicky torpedo loading rails.

[RGL]

And ....

Edited March 23, 2021 by RGL

[Landlubber Mike]

Beautiful work Greg.  You're a master at the worn, weathered look.  Can almost hear the paint flaking off the hull.

 

Can I ask - the portholes, did you drill them out?  If so, do you fill them with anything or just paint them black and leave them as open holes?

[RGL]

Thanks, I just drill them out, at this size it does not matter 

[RGL]

Guns and life rafts added 

[popeye the sailor]

look'in superb Greg......the detail is really amazing.  I was looking at torpedo launchers the other day......I didn't see a four tube...interesting     your art is awesome!

[RGL]

On the home stretch, first, the sea mines. She kit gives you about 4. This is a new set form Germany of all places ! 

[RGL]

Next the masts, replaced them with brass so the rigging will stay on and not bend like a sapling 

[RGL]

By 1945, Z-25 had all of its AA pretty much replaced with twin cannons, the kit provides some rubbish, the upgrade is all flat packs so I got brass single cannon and a shapeways twin cannon. Not to the standard of Micromaster but they’ll do. 

[Old Collingwood]

Have you gone  cockeyed yet mate  - your poor eyes will forever be pointing into the center.

 

OC.

[RGL]

It’s certainly days of work, the fine motor skills skills fade after a few hours. The final guns, twin 20mm guns, (the shapeways replacements are somewhere in the worlds postal system, France Post does not know where Australia is as it gone sent back the the vendor. 

[RGL]

and a few reference photos

[Landlubber Mike]

Those mines and guns look great.  Fantastic detail!

 

Nice job on the masts too.  Have you seen Albion Alloys micro brass tubing? I came across them on another site and they make very small tubes that you can slide in one another.

 

 

[RGL]

Never seen them. Unfortunately anything from America to Australia is stupidly expensive due to trade regulations. Anything from ebay for instance costs $50 shipping where as from anywhere might cost $5. 

[RGL]

Final guns, twin flack that sit immediately in front of the bridge. The kit only has the old 37mm’s which were discarded so I ordered some shapeways one

 

horrible

 

the Flyhawk ones were beyond my ability to produce so I doctored them up and added some spare barrels.  That’ll do pig. 

[RGL]

All the guns added plus the mines. Masts and chains to go . 

[RGL]

So rigging to go. A few painting touch ups too. 

[RGL]

Done!

[lmagna]

Came out quite nice Greg. Pretty unusual looking finished ship. Don't see too many ship models fully set up as minelayers. Congratulations 

[Canute]

Nicely done, Greg. And like Lou said, an unusual loadout.

[Landlubber Mike]

Well done!  Amazing work as usual!

 

Have a next build in mind?

[Old Collingwood]

Great work mate  - well done getting her finished.

 

OC.