Howdy all, just started a download kit from Wilhelmshaven, the Mod 1936 Narvik destroyer in 1/250 scale. This comes as a PDF/zip file containing 3 instruction sheets (in German), 14 diagrams, 8 main parts and 2 sheets of alternative parts to make up vessels Z32,33,34 37, 38and 39. My German is very old and rusty so the history of these vessels from what I can fathom of the instructions they differed from the basic Narvik class by having a dual 15cm A turret instead of the single. These are big destroyers compared to some standard ships, @127m by 12 m beam. The kit prints out well, so far no problems with fit, the hull is of the egg crate design but backed on much thinner paper, I used manila folder stuff. I converted the PDFs to bit maps and am trying to weather it. So far it looks good" on paper" but we'll see...
Wilhelmshaven Destroyer Z-37
- Thread starter cmdrted
- Start date
A little more "progress" on the Z-37. Finished the hull and glued the aft deck down with one of the long row of deck stuctures. Just to break up the monotony I started on the lower bridge deck added some wire ladder rungs, funny how they look ok until you take a close up picture :!: also there is a picture of the standard deck; way too dark and plain, and a dry fitted forward deck with some mild weathering. There is a small mismatch of fit of parts associated with the deck house structures and the overall decks. It seems the decks may be @ 1-2mm smaller than the various houses so far. Not to big of a problem yet. More to come..
Hi
Good start pity about the deck house fit. Did you put holes into the deckhouse side or did you just stick the rungs on.
barry
Good start pity about the deck house fit. Did you put holes into the deckhouse side or did you just stick the rungs on.
barry
Last progress for the day, finished and adjusted both decks, alittle of the superstructure, (adjusted of course, after fitting etc.). The deckhouses were finally off by 1mm overall. I cut all the tabs off and painted over the slots for them. Using suggestions in the Digital Navy faq section I made the tabs seperate from the structures. Overall the kit isn't bad, the detail is a bit lacking especially compared to modern kits. More to follow....
Day 4, Had to re-edit the actual hull plating parts. The length was 1.5mm short at the bow and the overall height was @ .5mm short. I went to an old MGI photo editor that came with an old Dell and just cut and pasted until the dimensions came out right. I also added some more generic details, A 3d rub rail, and also made some rail strips for the mine rails that run the length of the after deck. With some peace and quiet (2 preteens and their friends :!: ), I should be able to finish the overall hull tonight....
Calling it a night. Finished plating the hull. :? The overall al re-edited fit was ok until it came time to do the bow. lining up the hawse pipes and the upper deck and a little piece that didn't make it into final assembly, (kinda like when we used to "shade-tree mechanic" the old chevy), made this a chore. Overall I'm satisfied with the fit but wow what an ordeal :!:
Just a few more pics... Oh and an answer to Barry's question about the rungs I just stuck these on but I think the next attempt I'll predrill the holes. makes more sense.
Not much for today, had to cheer my football team on and jear at my wife's. Her's won mine lost. Repaired the anchor howse bits, added the bollards and a few basic deck pieces, and built up some of the smaller bits; boats and cutters, search lights and radar house. Drilling then adding the ladder rungs actually worked out much better, so much that I tore the old bridge base off and re-did another. ( the beauty of the digital age).
Very interesting to follow this photo-journal of the build. Nice editing & sizing of the photos! - Leif
Finally got some references on German Destroyers, The Ospery/Vanguard book on German destoyers 1939-45 by Gordon Williamson. Definetly helpful with some wartime photos which shows some of the bare areas on deck. Started the foc'sle and ground tackle assemblys and some rails. Had to build the anchors twice to get them right. Chain is from a model railroad detail set from years back. Not much tonight but my head is still splitting from trying to restore the Ark Royal.
Great fun watching you make this model!
I love the photo sequences, and love the way you are putting this one together...great job!
Looking forward to more as you continue.
Cheers!
Jim
BTW, who were you and your wife rooting for? Me, I follow the Eagles, have since the '70's when I lived in South Jersey and that was the only team that came in good...pre-cable, obviously!
I love the photo sequences, and love the way you are putting this one together...great job!
Looking forward to more as you continue.
Cheers!
Jim
BTW, who were you and your wife rooting for? Me, I follow the Eagles, have since the '70's when I lived in South Jersey and that was the only team that came in good...pre-cable, obviously!
Hi All, been back at the "day" job for awhile, restarted this pm, Have most of the bridge deck finished, needs small details, stairs, radar etc. Finished for the 2nd time the "A" turret. Takes a little practice to put on those ladder rungs. Also revamped the ship's cutter again, I cut in the teak deck from the GPM Graf Spee model to the cutter deck, looks better. I also recolored the 2 man rafts. The ship kit color was yellow, which made sense to me but most references have them greyish with 2 oars stowed on top, so I redid them. Unfortunately only 2 were done tonight on the smoke stack platform you can just make them out. Calling it a night. As for the Ark Royal project "AKA Migraine trigger device" I'll Quote Chief Dan George from the Outlaw Josey Wells,"I didn't surrender, but they made my horse quit. Now he's probably pulling a cart up in Kansas". (shelved for now).
A few more detail pics, shows one of the aft gun houses, the new and old cutter and the new and old 2 man rafts and small bits
Great little build, love the way its comeing together.
The detail is great also, I just wish "WH" would design models with the big red bit :lol:
Look forward to the rest 8)
Rob
The detail is great also, I just wish "WH" would design models with the big red bit :lol:
Look forward to the rest 8)
Rob
Looking great, cmdrted!
Very nice detail work! I like the work you did on the new cutter, gave it a wooden deck, and looks great.
Looking for more photos when you can.
Cheers!
Jim
Very nice detail work! I like the work you did on the new cutter, gave it a wooden deck, and looks great.
Looking for more photos when you can.
Cheers!
Jim
Just a few bits tonight. Started the aft deck house and and the last 2 gun houses. Dry fitting the deck tonight. Built up one of the mine paravanes, it went together well. And also scratch built a Fumo radar antennae. I used the kit's part to give me the rough dimensions, then made a reverse U channel out of 25 lb. paper. anything heavier at this size just delaminates when you bend it. Then I took some screening from my power roller paint filter and overed one side of the frame. I took some speaker wire filiments and made the x patterns inside the frame, then sandwhiched that assembly with another side of the filter screen. It may be missing a few Dipoles or whatever but it looks pretty convincing to me. I tried differant screening "stuff", window screening, was too big, a piece of my wife's old nylon, close but verrryy dangerous to "borrow", then I saw this stuff in the paint can the other day. Anyways more to come...
Great work, cmdrted!
What did you use on screens for the radar? They look fantastic!! :shock:
Looking forward to seeing more on this build when you can.
Cheers!
Jim
What did you use on screens for the radar? They look fantastic!! :shock:
Looking forward to seeing more on this build when you can.
Cheers!
Jim
Howdy all, slow going for awhile. Finished a few aft deck bits. Rigged the kit mine cranes, finished the gun houses, and started on the torpedo tubes. The great thing with ship kits is if you get bored or frustrated with a particular assembly you can build a few "bits" to relieve some of the tedium. The ships rafts were kinda blocky so I "borrowed" the design from a Quest Garland raft and recolored it grey. These things are one of the most convincing renditions of the rafts. They use a rolled tube nicked in 8-10 places and sort of bend into the oval shape. Having spent lots of time in a US Navy raft aka IBS (itty bitty ship) or officially Inflatable boat small these things are pretty close, better than stacked laminates or the lozenge type that others use.
Wow Wee Wow Wow, Ted!
Absolutely amazing work on those rafts, paravane and all the other little goodies you made.
I noticed you didn't tell me what you used for the radar screens... 8)
Seriously, superb job...I love checking in and seeing what you've done lately!
Cheers!
Jim
Absolutely amazing work on those rafts, paravane and all the other little goodies you made.
I noticed you didn't tell me what you used for the radar screens... 8)
Seriously, superb job...I love checking in and seeing what you've done lately!
Cheers!
Jim