LED Posted January 15 #1 Posted January 15 After my failed attempt at the 1:700 scale Dragon Z-39 I poked around the interwebs and found a site that presented skill levels in their reviews. ‘CyberModeler Online’ is a very nice review source. <sarcasm>Surprisingly</sarcasm>, the Dragon kits are ‘Expert’. But, the Academy Graf Spee kit I bought concurrently was a ‘Beginner’ kit. I've been lurking this site for about a year. It has kept my interest in the hobby going. So, here I go again!!! I’m going to model her as she was while ‘showing the flag’ just before WWII. She, and her captain, were caught out by the start of WWII. It is not likely a good thing to be in the wrong hemispheres (both of them) as an unescorted cruiser against the world’s best and largest navy. Her crew applied many hasty, at sea, camouflages – some of which are cool. I really like the brush painted bow wave she sported on her final sorties, but I don’t know if she also sported the fake second funnel at the same time. Regardless, she did not take fire till the Exeter, Ajax, and Achilles plinked her at the Battle of River Plate. Thus, she probably should not be heavily weathered, and she had been well cared for. That means just two main paint colors and no camo pattern. I’m going to whale this one a little bit. I mean, I paid for her a year ago so any mullah spent now just seems like a justifiable new kit purchase. I’ve never used 3D printed parts but I think working those in will be easy and effective. I could not imagine bending PE for all those secondary guns. The Eduard PE will be used for railings and for some easy PE stuff – I did OK with the Z-39, but it was difficult. The plastic rails provided in the kit provide a nice and easy template for the PE. Regretfully, the Eduard PE doesn’t have the ‘CORONEL’ plaque that was placed on the superstructure while the WEM PE does – but the Eduard instructions are derived from the Academy kit instructions and I’m thinking that will make things much easier for a noob like me. I have never tried a wood deck, but there is no time like the present and the Artwox deck seems to fit no fuss, no muss based on build threads I have read. And, I’m going to ‘nope’ on porthole covers and whatever – I want to have a win here. Another thought for the more skilled and ambitious. There is a really cool photo out there where the Graf Spee is anchored near the HMS Hood and Resolution for the coronation of King George VI in 1937. I think that will require back dating her secondaries since she was refit to include the below aftermarket secondaries in 1938. Look at this beautiful photo: If any of you see anything amiss, please comment. I have yet to click the ‘Buy’ button and will probably not do so for a couple of days. I am planning on using Squadron.com for the purchases. If anyone has better sources please inform me. They seem ok though. Aftermarket: Item Cnt Manufacturer Part No Main Guns/Turrets 1 Micro Master MM1743P 8x1, 150mm SK C/28 Kit Provided 3x2, SK C/33 Twin 105mm Dopp.LC/31 2 Black Cat Models AC350071A 4x2, 37mm FLAK SK 30 Twin, Dopp Mount 1 Black Cat Models AC350068A 10x1, 20mm FLAK C 30 2 Black Cat Models AC350064A Artwox Wood Deck 1 Artwox AW10049 Eduard 1 Eduard 53050 Paint: Color Hellgrau 50 (light gray) Vallejo Model Color 990 (light gray) Hellgrau 51 (dark gray) Vallejo Model Color 905 (blue gray pale) Happy Hunting and Pray for Me... mtaylor, hof00, Old Collingwood and 4 others 7 Quote
LED Posted January 17 Author #2 Posted January 17 Wrong about some of the history. Always take a peek at Drachinifel as a source. There are some AMAZING stills in this video that may prove useful for me and future Admiral Graf Spee builders. Old Collingwood, mikegr, mtaylor and 1 other 4 Quote
LED Posted January 17 Author #3 Posted January 17 (edited) And, Skynea History is well worth one's time as well: Edited January 17 by LED Canute, Old Collingwood and mtaylor 3 Quote
LED Posted January 17 Author #4 Posted January 17 And, some GREAT footage of the Admiral Graf Spee in Montevideo (British Movietone): mtaylor, Canute and Old Collingwood 3 Quote
LED Posted January 17 Author #5 Posted January 17 Questions: I absolutely know I am going to wreck my masts. I also know that my cat likes to eat them - I actually completed the Tamiya HMS Rodney (1:700), was about to post my success story here, and ... my cat destroyed the superstructure and masts.🫣 I was recovering from a wonderful pair of rotator cuff strains, finally had a good sleep, and woke up to an odd crunching sound. He found the top half of the ship quite tasty. Who would have guessed. So, given all that, is there a good source for material for masts or maybe brass kits for them? I found most of this stuff on Squadron.com. Is there a source that has most of this that maybe sponsors this site or is otherwise a great experience? Is Squadron.com a good vendor that I can count on? BTW, that 'Model Ship World | Ship Kit Database' in the sponsor/advertiser section is really well done. I wish it had more plastic kits in it, I'm not skilled enough yet to tackle a wood kit. And, is it worth it to drill out the port holes if I don't model the ridge over them? I've never worked on a ship this size. I've never had to deal with that. Drilling them out doesn't seem to bad, but either fishing small wire cuttings or brutally small PE over the port holes seems horrific. Old Collingwood 1 Quote
RGL Posted January 17 #6 Posted January 17 Excellent! Years ago I built the Endevour and the car chewed on the Cat Heads! Pontos does an upgrade set for this one, and the Micromaster stuff is just the best. Old Collingwood, Canute, pjofc4 and 1 other 4 Quote Greg
LED Posted January 20 Author #7 Posted January 20 Nine hundred and ninety nine portholes on the wall, Take one down and drill it around. 998 portholes on the wall... Not worth a photo. And, if I decide to get the Pontos detail kit, then a pox on RGL and the rest of you. A pox, I say!!! 🫣 However, the Pontos kit is for the Trumpeter model, not the Academy model. I looked at the high end Academy Admiral Graf Spee and it did not include masts. It looks like I am just going to have to be extremely careful with the masts. I am 0 for 4 though. Ugh... Canute, Old Collingwood, mtaylor and 1 other 4 Quote
RGL Posted January 20 #8 Posted January 20 Will topical cream fix a pox? Old Collingwood, Canute and mtaylor 3 Quote Greg
LED Posted January 24 Author #9 Posted January 24 Noob Question: Do you leave the drilled out portholes: Open Put a dark backing behind them Build some kind of light blocking structure in the hull A simple layer of hemorrhoid cream seems to have healed the pox 🤪 mtaylor, Canute and Old Collingwood 3 Quote
RGL Posted January 24 #10 Posted January 24 I just leave them open, the scale does not warrant it. What you can do after painting is run the sharpened pencil on the inside to represent a inner porthole ring mtaylor, Canute, LED and 1 other 4 Quote Greg
LED Posted January 25 Author #11 Posted January 25 Many thanks, Greg. Nice tip for the inner porthole ring. Anyway, if there are noobs out there (me!!!) who fear carving into a perfectly good plastic model ship then take a gander at this PlayList of an HMS Hood 1/350 Trumpeter kit. The site is David's Ships. I found his site quite a while ago when I first started getting reinterested in building model ships. Highly recommended. Canute, Old Collingwood and mtaylor 3 Quote
LED Posted January 27 Author #12 Posted January 27 (edited) I'm not dead yet!!! I was going to post a pre-paint, but finished and filled hull. Wow, the fit and finish of this is awful. I knew that was the case, but this is going to be a bit difficult. Not only does it want to split apart, but the fit at the bow and stern pins is god awful. My understanding is that the rest of the kit is a gem, so all will be forgiven. I will get the hull completed tomorrow under natural light. I can see better in natural light. Anyway, I have received all but the Micro Master turrets - and, I ordered those just recently. Here is the aggravating hull and the aftermarket items: Edited January 27 by LED Weird, photo kept displaying upside down... mtaylor, king derelict, hof00 and 2 others 5 Quote
LED Posted January 28 Author #13 Posted January 28 (edited) Hope the rest of the kit is engineered better than this: This has been a PITA. I used medium gap filling super glue and a roll of tape. This is the first time I have ever used such glue. I may have lathered it on a bit too much. It is taking forever to dry... Edited January 28 by LED yvesvidal, Canute, hof00 and 3 others 6 Quote
LED Posted February 3 Author #14 Posted February 3 All that repair work slowed things down. Finally got some putty on that mess. Waiting for it to dry. It will come out alright. I was going to take a photo and post it, but... Duke is playing UNC tonight. So... Canute, Old Collingwood and mtaylor 3 Quote
LED Posted February 4 Author #15 Posted February 4 It looks like the hull will come through. However, I think I am going to rattle can primer rather than messing with the airbrush. Man, that hull took a lot of putty. It was kinda warped in 3D 🫣. I hope it comes out. From the look I believe it will be fine... Then paint. Then off to the superstructure. Actually, I think I will start the superstructure build soon. Maybe as I wait for the primer and the three hull colors to dry... Old Collingwood, mtaylor, yvesvidal and 1 other 4 Quote
LED Posted February 17 Author #16 Posted February 17 (edited) Yowser, after a lot of putty, much sanding, and a bit more primer than I like, I finally got the Hellgrau 51 on the hull. And, still had a seem in the hull. I think it would have been noticeable by Muppet Children when displayed, so... Since I am likely going to use a stand I decided to fill that seam with the ole' wet finger technique. So, the hull is masked for applying the anti-fouling red after the putty dries, gets sanded down, and a flat clearcoat cures. I'll get the clearcoat on tonight. This hull has been a nightmare, but she is coming along. I really don't like this kinda 'work' in modeling. I managed to avoid wiping out the detail on the hull since most of the kluge work has been on the seam - which in spots was more a gap, a hole, a canyon... Next, a little more more masking for the boot line and a bit of flat black. Then post some exciting photos. All heck, why not spread the pain around - I'm sure all of you have dealt with this: The amount of work to get here has been stupid. It is a known issue with this kit, but I think mine was special. Anyway, looking at the sprues and the bits of superstructure I have been 'working' on it seems to indicate that the rest of the kit is pretty good. At least I don't think I'll be gluing open boxes together and hoping things square off... Any ideas on improving the masts. RGL was right in that the Pontos aftermarket kit had masts, but it was more than a bit overwhelming for my current skillset. I would never finish the kit. But, I do like the subject, so perhaps in a future build. The masts are both fragile and a bit clunky. It would be nice to replace them with something a bit sturdier and elegant. Edited February 17 by LED Old Collingwood, mtaylor, king derelict and 2 others 5 Quote
LED Posted February 17 Author #17 Posted February 17 (edited) It's weird how the color doesn't really show in the photo. My mix for Hellgrau 51 has a blue tint to it. The photo looks like a matt finish on raw plastic. Gotta get those photo skills improved, eh... Edited February 17 by LED Canute, Old Collingwood and mtaylor 3 Quote
LED Posted February 18 Author #18 Posted February 18 (edited) Got the Hull Red on. Easy peasy... Hopefully😄. The truth will be in the unmasking after the bootline is applied. 🤞 BTW, you guys almost let me paint this dang thing without the prop shafts and stabilizers (or, whatever they are called)... Edited February 18 by LED Canute, Old Collingwood, king derelict and 1 other 4 Quote
LED Posted February 18 Author #19 Posted February 18 Some amazing photos of the Admiral Graf Spee throughout her career: 'German Heavy Cruiser Admiral Graf Spee', Destination's Journey These cover her from christening through scuttling. Well worth reviewing if you want to see how refits affected her. Not going to post any of these photos. I know some are in the public domain, but others... Canute, Old Collingwood and mtaylor 3 Quote
LED Posted February 19 Author #20 Posted February 19 Pray for me... The time is nearing for when I must pull the tape off. Will there be a nice, level waterline - or... something worse, much worse One more hour till yank time... mtaylor, Canute, Old Collingwood and 1 other 4 Quote
LED Posted February 19 Author #21 Posted February 19 Came out great!!! Little fix-ups needed here and there. A little work on the stern, and some bleed of hull red into the hellgrau 51, but tiny stuff that can be fixed after the paint completely cures. The only unhappiness is that the hull red - although I lightened it a bit - is very dark and the waterline is not contrasting very well. Regardless... Couldn't be happier with the results. Those drilled out portholes are pure happiness in the end. It wasn't as much a task as I thought it would be. Just a bit monotonous, but spread out over a few days it wasn't too bad. Now to do the sharpened pencil thang, fix the minor flaws in the paint, and apply a matte clear coat. Then off to either the superstructure or my first wooden deck. Scottish Guy, king derelict, davec and 3 others 6 Quote
JFMJr Posted February 19 #22 Posted February 19 1 hour ago, LED said: Came out great!!! Little fix-ups needed here and there. A little work on the stern, and some bleed of hull red into the hellgrau 51, but tiny stuff that can be fixed after the paint completely cures. The only unhappiness is that the hull red - although I lightened it a bit - is very dark and the waterline is not contrasting very well. Regardless... Couldn't be happier with the results. Those drilled out portholes are pure happiness in the end. It wasn't as much a task as I thought it would be. Just a bit monotonous, but spread out over a few days it wasn't too bad. Now to do the sharpened pencil thang, fix the minor flaws in the paint, and apply a matte clear coat. Then off to either the superstructure or my first wooden deck. Looks great Canute, Old Collingwood, mtaylor and 1 other 3 1 Quote
Canute Posted February 19 #23 Posted February 19 Great start, LED Old Collingwood, mtaylor and LED 2 1 Quote Ken Started: MS Bounty Longboat, On Hold: Heinkel USS Choctaw paper Down the road: Shipyard HMC Alert 1/96 paper, Mamoli Constitution Cross, MS USN Picket Boat #1 Scratchbuild: Echo Cross Section Member Nautical Research Guild
LED Posted February 26 Author #24 Posted February 26 Wow, this is going to take some TIME... I didn't realize that the doors and 'windows' had to be drilled out. I thought they just had to be flattened or filed off to get the PE on. I've never done that before. Is that what you guys do? It sure looks like that is the process. Old Collingwood, mtaylor, king derelict and 1 other 4 Quote
LED Posted March 7 Author #25 Posted March 7 Yup, pretty slow... And, my Bro-In-Law is dropping by... So, gotta box the Spee and set things up for him... mtaylor, Canute and Old Collingwood 3 Quote
LED Posted March 29 Author #26 Posted March 29 So, the Bro-In-Law has vacated the premises and I am grinding to start afresh on the Admiral Graf Spee. This video is from a site showing their build of an HO scale model train environment - the engines, the cars, the roadbed, the scenery, etc... I am slowly grinding my way through some of them. I think some of you folks will find the weathering techniques useful: Sometimes you can find the crown jewels in unexpected places. Her most recent video is about heavily weathering an diesel engine. That weathering job makes some of @RGL's stuff look like it came off the showroom floor 😁 BTW, I might have corrected my initial entry or maybe I didn't, but... The Admiral Graf Spee was out to sea for months before her sinking. She was active off the West and East African coasts, around the Indian Ocean, and then all the way to South America. Those paint fade weathering techniques mentioned in the above video will be implemented. They look quite doable. Finally - and this is scary - some of those engines she is painting can cost upwards of $1,000. Oftentimes higher if brass. Yowser, you have to have some serious brass nuggets to start detailing on those models. Before I touch an engine with a paintbrush I will have to KNOW I am pretty good. Not yet, not quite yet😶 Canute, Old Collingwood, mtaylor and 1 other 4 Quote
LED Posted April 7 Author #27 Posted April 7 My first photo etch!!! I think I'll keep it pretty much hidden till I get a coat of paint on it🤪. What a chore. I'm starting to figure out ways of doing things, but... I don't think I am going to use the photo etch for those square 'windows' to the front of the superstructure. That is what paint or a heavy wash is for!!! It seems like such a waste to file off the hatches just to apply PE hatches. In fact, as this time I don't see the benefit. Since I am modeling the ship underway, her hatches will be closed. And, the closed hatches have very little detail. On the other hand, I think the catapult and cranes will look great in PE. king derelict, Canute and mtaylor 3 Quote
LED Posted April 15 Author #28 Posted April 15 (edited) The build is going slow, but reasonably well. Got a growing bag-of-bones awaiting sanding, puttying, priming, and painting. Since you all like photos, here is a sample of the contents in that old bag: So exciting. I'm actually in a bit of a holding pattern. The wife noticed that I was eying some nice barrels for the 150mm secondaries and some brass masts. She thought that would make a nice gift. Man, I want the barrels but I NEED the masts. I break masts like crazy. I have never had a mast survive my ten thumbs. So, that was nice of her. I also kinda glammed some paint that is supposed to be a match for the metal decks. That wasn't too important when I started, but research indicates that the Admiral Graf Spee sailed out of Germany with Hellgrau 50/51 pre-war colors, got a camo pattern on the superstructure with Hellgrau 51, and later sported the dark grey used on the steel decks in other superstructure patterning. At the end, she was given the bow wave. So, now there is a chance I will need a better match for the steel deck grey since I may be using it for more of the ship. That decision is coming soon... Edited April 15 by LED yvesvidal, mtaylor, king derelict and 1 other 4 Quote
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