magpie1832

Thanks She is Soleil Royal. 3 yrs work. Chris

Nice choice. I started KGV straight after finishing this one. Plastic makes a change from wood. I love doing wood kits but plastic and PE is just as challenging. Great start. Chris

Looks great. The KGV the scheme you have done is painted over light grey, the paint will have worn and chipped on the blue and dark grey so you could create some chipped areas with a fine brush and and light grey. I tried to replicate on mine. My KGV Chris

Cheers guys for the nice comments. Firstly started by splitting another component in half to aid in fitting and painting. I thinned out the walls on it as you can see one done in the picture and the other side not. I then modified the other section of it fitted it then put in a wall that should be there and the supports. I then made a couple of vents and then added the wiring and some light fittings(little white blocks on the walls). Also in various places I have put replacement boxes (see by the white styrene). Now I have started added the MK1 portholes. I have some WEM ones but are not as goo so will use the for the Portholes with no Cover. I've ordered some more MK1's as there isn't enough in one set. Thanks Chris

Thanks for looking in Guys and your nice comments. @Ex-FAAWAFU I sometimes wish I had done Bismark as there is more info out there. But now found a good book for me to work with. Plus the Revell Bismark platinum had far less Pontos brass with it. But Yes the Tirpitz is a better looking ship with all the Camo schemes. I'm noticing more and more differences between the two as I go along. Things are slow at the moments as figuring out the best way to build her and which order to fit parts before or after painting and before or after wooden decks etc. I bought the Top drawings Tirpitz book and that gives me so much info. I will try to correct what I think will be noticed plus a few others just for the sake of it lol. The portholes were mainly correct but had to remove four and add about ten in the correct places. I changed the plastic gun tub and changed it to a strip of old PE fret. I have joined the two decks together and sanded and then decided to add the cabling along the structure. Air vents have been replaced and tried to recreate and position them from the plans. I also notice that some of the solid railings were too short so extended them with Styrene. I have added the cutouts for the Periscope too. Chris

@Planebuilder62 Thanks for looking in. I am trying different ways at the moment. I think I have cracked it though. I have tried cheap super glue in thick and medium. Works great but for me with small etch parts goes of too quick. I did try placing the PE ( only the small ones) in place holding it there and a touch of Tamiya Quick setting Liquid. It sticks them great if you don't knock it then prime the area it wont come off. But then I came across VMS 5k superglue the other day. They have 3 different ones. I only got slow and standard. I have tried them both and is a slight time difference in setting but one is thicker. I can place the parts and move them around for a good 10 seconds now. If they set just flick it off and scrap away the glue and go again. But like I said Iv'e only had them since weekend so haven't given them the full kit treatment. Only thing I did notice it would be better using Rocket or other branded for high strength parts. Chris

Thanks guys for looking in.. I have now finished the Funnel. All ready for primer. I have now started on the decks. I started by cutting the deck in half at a point where you can't see it so I can handle the two halves easier. Then moved on to drilling out the portholes then removing detail also the parts needed to be removed for the PE to be fitted. I also removed the vents and replaced with my own. Chris

Thanks guys for looking in. Here I have done quite a bit of modding. I started my removing the steps and the detail then I removed one bit off the smoke stack and replaced with plasticard. Also I cut out the vents and made my own. I fitted the next part which had gaps so cut the supports off and replaced again with plasticard. Iv'e installed some of the ribs, not to happy with them but no other way to do them with my ability. Installed some of the ladders to. I have also finished installing the steps on the Hull. Chris

Thanks for looking in guys. I ordered some Mk1 portholes and the eduard set as it has extra bits the Pontos set didn't. I have marked off the deck to remove the furniture ready for replacing. I have had a go at making the blast bags with milliput. Very tricky but look better than none there. I then started to drill the hull with 0.3mm drill for the steps on the side. Chris

Thanks guys for the nice comments. Today was slow. I've drilled out the portholes moved a few aswell to incorporate the 4th ladder at the rear and deleted one on one side as the original plans show ish and added the eyelids. Then I used stretched sprue to simulate the weld lines. Chris

Thanks for the nice comments guys. The deck is now on and the prop shafts installed.I also fitted a 2.5mm strip down the centre to put back the strip I sanded off because of the joint but this way you can't see the seem. I have also done the 6 - 15mm guns this evening. I really like the Pontos etch. Also here are the pics of the stash that came today. Chris.

I made a start early by joining the hull sides together last week so had time to dry out. I have now looked at the hull detail and started cleaning up what i can and replacing some of it. I have corrected the bow as the kit hull is Bismark mould. The curve is different on the Tirpitz. Also will be replacing the Ladders. I have installed nuts on the inside ready for pedestals when i get some. Waiting for post man to bring me my paints as well today. I invested on all the weathering sets too. Pics when they arrive. Chris

Hi All, Here is the start of my build of DKM Tirpitz. The kit is good and the accessories made by Pontos are great to. I will be doing a little bit of changing the kit if I see it being incorrect and noticeable. Otherwise it will be as per instructions plus PE. Chris

Thanks for looking in guys. Finally the KGV is done. Finished build link - Final build gallery Thanks Chris

Here is my completed KGV. Its taken 4 months of actual work to complete with a 6 month gap in the middle. Hope you all like the build. Thanks Chris