ArnoldAmbrose

G'day Stuart, V-groove 2025 sheets are 0.5mm thick, the 'planks' are 0.64mm wide. (.020" thick and planks .025" wide in imperial) 4030 1.0mm thick, 0.75mm wide (.040" thick .030" wide ) 4040 1.0mm thick 1.0mm wide (.040" thick .040" wide ) These have grooves running along the sheet of styrene, which is 305mm long (12") These 'planks' are a bit over-scale width wise but look OK I think. I've mainly used the 2025 sheets for cruisers in 1/600 scale. HTH. Regards, Jeff.

G'day all, and thank you guys, I'll try not to disappoint. I've started on DKM Karlsruhe's hull, but not a lot to show for it - I've been thinking (yeah, dangerous) and planning rather than building. But I've now cut the upper decks and hull profile centre-line bulkhead. As you can see, the decks are longer than need be, particularly the main deck. That will slide under the foc'sle deck and I can trim them shorter later if need be. As the hull weather decks are planked (that took a bit of research and advice to confirm that) I used Evergreen V-groove 2025. This has the narrowest 'planks' but is only 0.5mm thick so I added sheet styrene of 0.4mm under it (left over from my Flower class corvette). They must have been a little over-thick because the combined thickness is now 1mm. The centre-line profile bulkhead (below the decks in the photo) has had the corresponding 1mm removed from the top. Unlike my previous two scratch builds I didn't remove any from the bottom to allow for the thickness of the hull strakes under the hull. I'm going to try something a little different with this build, more clarification on that at the appropriate time. Above the hull deck is my deck half-template. I stumbled on this method during my previous scratch build of USS Mullany, a Fletcher class destroyer. Trying to cut a full deck I found it very difficult/impossible to get both sides identical from drawings using a cut drawing as a template. Sometimes I cut inaccurately, sometimes the drawing was slightly curved. So now I concentrate on getting a half template accurate. I mark a centre-line on my final deck material, tape the half template to it then mark and cut one side, then flip the half-template over and mark and cut the other side. Being miserly I used 0.25mm styrene sheet for this half-template but with hindsight thicker material might have been more suitable - a little more rigid. Oh well, I managed. This template won't be wasted after the build. It can be used for subsequent builds if needed, such as the Fletcher template for a planned Sumner class destroyer in the future, or I can trim the Karlsruhe's half template for a smaller Royal Navy C- or D-class cruiser in the future etc. Waste not, want not. The two large (4mm diameter) holes in the decks are for the trunks of turrets Anton and Casar. The three small holes around each are for positioning pins to correctly position the barbettes later. The large holes can be drilled out to about 6-7mm later for the turret trunk keys if required. The reason I've done this so early is so that the rib (transverse) frames I'll have to fit soon won't foul the turret trunks. I'm still experimenting with my method/procedure/muddle-headed ideas at this stage. The profile bulkhead will have it's keel strips and vertebrae added soon. You'll understand my choice of terminology when you see it happen, or refer to my USS Mullany build thread. A note on German Kriegsmarine turret naming. Unlike the RN with their A, B, P, Q, X and Y turrets (so simple and logical 😁) it seems that the Germans gave the turrets names starting with consecutive letters of the alphabet, regardless of where the turrets are mounted on the hull but starting from the bow. Hence turret Anton, Bruno/Bertha, Casar/Ceasar, Dora etc. With such a confusing and shambolic method it's no wonder they lost the war. 😁 So this is as far as Karlsruhe has gone. Not a lot of progress but progress none-the-less. Thank you for your interest. Stay safe, and regards, Jeff.

G'day @javlin, for some reason the photos wouldn't download for me last night but all is OK now. Like your IJN Chikuma this is another extremely good model. I'd like to do this ship myself one day and your model here will be a source of inspiration and a clarification of drawings. (I work in 1/600 scale so I'll have to scratch build her). I like the 'meat balls' on the aircraft wings. They add a bit of colour to what could be a rather drab colour scheme. I think this ship was a very graceful vessel, most of the Japanese cruisers were I think. And their crews knew how to use them. Thanks for posting this. Regards, Jeff.

G'day Jon, in this age of doom and gloom, when it seems that mankind (and womankind, let's not be sexist) is determined to dive head first down the black hole of self-inflicted social Armageddon there are the occasional miracle or two that convince us to battle on a little longer, take one more breath and not give up. You've obviously experienced such a Devine Enlightenment to encourage you to soldier on a little bit longer. Me? I've still got kits in the stash that need doing and bottles of Cab Sav in the pantry that need drinking before the second and final 'Big Bang'. 😁 Regards, Jeff.

I concur/agree. G'day @Keith from HS, welcome aboard. I build model ships, somewhat crudely compared to others but that doesn't matter. I have three rules for modeling:- 1 Enjoy yourself. 2 Build to your standard, not some-one else'. Learn from others though, to improve. 3 Repeat rules 1 & 2. HTH. Regards, Jeff.

G'day Javlin, she's beautiful. And as Vlad above says, a rather unique design. I've often wondered why the fourth turret wasn't super-imposed over the third. Regards, Jeff.

G'day, click on Philly's (or who-ever) icon, then click on the small white message icon in the black window. And my earlier modeling days as an adult. I've been making basic ship models (and the occasional aircraft) for about 25 years now but only discovered modeling forums in 2018. Regards, Jeff.

In 1/700 you can make solid cranes (or catapults etc.) look quite nice by sticking an HB mechanical pencil in the "holes" and wiggling it around to darken them, then dry-brushing. I'll be doing this on the Dorsetshire G'day, I often do similar, painting the 'holes' flat black and the frames the actual camo pattern. Regards, Jeff.

Odd is the norm here. 😁 Gidday, welcome aboard, from the other side of the country. I'm also probably the other side of the modeling spectrum, being into 1/600 scale ships, mostly Airfix, mostly WW2. But I'm probably not the other side of the age groups here - I was a newbie to the human race 67 years ago. 🙂 Although we appear to have different modeling interests this is a great forum and you should fit right in. I've found the members here collectively have an immense wealth of knowledge that everyone is willing to share. You've chosen your modeling forum well. Regards, Jeff.

Gidday, been there, done that (a number of times). 🙂 Mine were Airfix and admittedly it was intended, as conversions. Keep slogging away at it, it's usually worth it in the end. Regards, Jeff.

Gidday All, my next model is going to be a scratch build (apologies Mr Airfix) of a German K-class cruiser, DKM Karlsruhe. As with most of my ship models it will be in 1/600 scale, of which there are no kits that I'm aware of. (That's a subtle hint Mr Airfix ). 🙂 Karlsruhe was the second of a class of three cruisers built immediately after the solitary Emden who was the first cruiser built by Germany after WW1, and their design was subject to very severe tonnage restrictions, 6000 tons. As a result they had longitudinal frames, their hull was welded instead of riveted, light-weight metals were used where possible, armour was light (although on a par with similar sized cruisers at the time), two screws only, limited endurance, and very little margin for improvement (board margin in RN parlance). This was to place considerable restrictions on their deployments during their lives. The ramifications of their light construction became evident in 1936 when Karlsruhe encountered a full-on typhoon in the Pacific Ocean, a storm from which she was very lucky to survive. Some of her longitudinal frames buckled and her hull split right across the boat deck. She needed emergency repairs in the Aleutians then the USA before she could sail home to Germany. None of the three had particularly illustrious careers although that wasn't the fault of their crews. Two of them (Konigsberg and Karlsruhe) were sunk on the same day, 10th April 1940 during the invasion of Norway. Karlsruhe was scuttled after being torpedoed by the submarine HMS Truant. Anyway, enough of the ship, on to the model. I've chosen this ship to model for a number of reasons. It's larger than my previous scratch builds (I'm working up in size) and yet looks reasonably simple in design. The off-set aft turrets are unique to this class of ship and I like a bit of variety in the display cabinet, and I was able to get some diagrams of her. Below is one of the diagrams that give me hull cross-sections. As it was accessible free off the internet I don't think I've breached copyright. Anyone could access it, plus my model is for my enjoyment, not for monetary gain. I've enlarged the diagram to 1/600 scale, the overall length of the model is 290mm, the beam 28mm. Another diagram was kindly forwarded to me by @iang which will assist me with superstructures and deck fittings. And further still, I've had some advice from @Richard502 regarding the ships deck coverings. Many thanks guys. This will be my third (and largest) scratch built ship to date, and the first with large revolving turrets. And this has resulted in a change of modus operandi (procedure) for me. I like to have turrets that can rotate so that if the barrels get knocked the turrets turn rather than the barrels break off. Also I like them removable so they can be left out until the build is almost complete. For the last few years I've fitted turrets to model ships by having a long turret trunk with a single key glued to the front of the trunk and a keyway in one side of the barbette, usually to the left. Turn the turret 90* to the left and the turret simply lifts out, in any other position it's locked in. That has worked well with kitted model ships up to now. But my method of scratch building, with a centre profile longitudinal bulkhead doesn't allow that, for turrets mounted on/near the centreline of the hull decks anyway. So I've had a rethink, and decided that the turrets need very short trunks with a double cross key, and as much of it inside the barbette as possible to maintain the integrity of the centreline profile bulkhead. I've decided that they should be my first task, as success or failure with them will have a considerable impact on this build. So, as is often said in TV cooking shows or handyman/DIY shows - "Here's a set I prepared earlier". I've been hanging out for months waiting to say that! 😁 One of the turrets and barbettes are inverted to show that most of the keyway and turret trunk will be inside the barbette. The trunk might protrude down into the deck a little but not by much. To get an idea of size the squares on the cutting mat are 10mm a side. I've made a tentative start on the hull but not worth a photo just yet. So I'll call it quits for tonight. Thank you for your interest. Stay safe, and regards, Jeff.

She was only two feet shorter than Yamato, 860/862 feet oa. Regards, Jeff.

Yeah, that RAL 3007 looks quite dark. Although I try to get camo patterns correct if I can (where appropriate) I'm not quite so concerned about the actual shades of colours. If I already have a colour paint that's close I rarely buy a specific tin, especially if it's only for one model and am not likely to need it again. So I'll probably go for a darkish brown that I have. I imagine that some perfectionists are probably reaching for their crucifixes and sharpening their wooden stakes ready to impale me through the heart because of that last statement, branding me a heretic etc. 😁 Oh well . . . Regards, Jeff.

Thanks for the remark. Based on your post I did a research and found a map of the deck, based on a reconstruction from 1984, stating that fore- and aftdeck was in linoleum, colouren RAL 3007 Gidday, I'm currently planning a later cruiser, DKM Karlsruhe, and have had some help from other members here. Your comments above tie in with a deck colour scheme passed on to me. In my case it would be main and foc'sle decks in teak, shelter deck and superstructure decks in brown linoleum. And I've just checked on RAL 3007, it seems to match. HTH. Regards, Jeff.

Gidday, Bismarck certainly but I didn't know about Tirpitz. But it makes sense. I have a photo in a magazine ("History of the Second World War" Purnell, volume 5, number 15, page 2205) of the ship taken from a hillside where she was moored in the fjords. Sorry I can't reproduce the photo here. It shows the port-side tubes immediately ahead of the third 15-cm turret, between the turret and the overhang of the deck supporting the catapult. The front of the tubes is slightly under the overhanging deck. HTH. Regards, Jeff.

What, not do Thermopylae, Flying cloud, Sea Witch, Red Jacket and a whole lot of others? You're on a roll. 😁 Seriously, she's beautiful, very nicely done. And I'm inclined to echo @Noel Smith's advice above, regarding a display case or cabinet. Dust and cobwebs will be most unkind to her in the future. Regards, Jeff.

P.S. - where's the fun in that? 😁 Regards again.

As were many of the first (involuntary) 'immigrants". 😁 Like one of my neighbors. 😁 Like one here who likes to play with power-cutting tools (such as bandsaws). 😁 But seriously, all are welcome here. Regards, Jeff.

It's a position of a very large Oerlikon: actually a 4 inch anti-aircraft gun. Gidday, the Oerlikon had a cyclic rate of fire of up to 500 rpm. I'd HATE to have to manually reload these guns at that rate! 🤣 And re your showing the photo of the inverted shelterdeck in the earlier post, I often do that to show any work done underneath overhanging decks. The sharing of knowledge and ideas is one of the greatest advantages of modeling forums such as this. Thanks for sharing your ideas. Regards, Jeff.

Gidday @Bangseat, not particularly graceful, is she? But that's a very impressive model. Regards, Jeff.

Gidday John, welcome aboard, from the other side of Oz. I'm into ships also, but mainly basic Airfix ships in 1/600 scale, done to a very average standard. Are you going to post up some photos of what you've done? Regards, Jeff.

Gidday Tim, I believe that's the case with their 1/600 Bismarck too. You fitted guard rails in 1/1200, and they looked too fine? I think that's a credit to you that you could fit them at all. At this tiny scale I think you've done a very good job of this - I'll stick to 1/600. I like the write-up you've done of the ship, and I agree - although much vaunted and feared her design was somewhat backward compared to the modern battleships of some other navies. But she still acquitted herself well in the Denmark Strait. Great little model. Regards, Jeff.

Gidday, cooks might roast but we don't. 🙂 We might offer suggestions though. I felt the same way when I did Bismarck in her 'Baltic camouflage' over twenty years ago so I just did the lines on the hull too. Neither have I used a wood deck, swastikas on the deck or done rigging so you're streets ahead of me already. I brush paint so paint-before-glue, glue-before-paint, it depends on the particular piece or situation at the time. With me, anyway. One question - did the kit come with torpedo tubes? Tirpitz carried either triple or quad tubes on the upper deck on either side, just forward of number three 15-cm turret. But I think these were added to her later, I don't think they were part of her original weapons outfit, so I wouldn't retro-fit them if you're not comfortable doing so or don't want to. I think you've done a very good job of this. And I'm glad to hear that you'll probably do another ship. I'm looking forward to seeing it. Regards, Jeff.

I remember her. And I agree with Christopher Plummer - "You look much better out of uniform". 🙂 I'll get my coat. Regards, Jeff.

I didn't realize that Batman was quite so satanic. No need to. I think most cats and dogs need their 'spot'. Regards, Jeff.