Trumpeter 1/350 Italian Heavy Cruiser 'Zara'

[Faraway]

Having had to admit a temporary defeat at the hands of the dreaded PE on a 1/700 kit. I'm going to carry on building with this kit, and do I ever learn ? obviously not. Lots of PE, but at least its bigger this time. Just need to work out the colours I'll need for the deck. The foredeck is easy, red and white stripes (aircraft recognition)evidently the Italian Airforce used to be a bit trigger happy towards ships. The afterdeck is easy, wooden planks. But, the mid-deck is shown on the instructions as Navy Blue and on the coloured paint reference looks a sort of purply blue. If anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears. I've also ordered for this build, some metal barrels, see what I mean ? Mad as a box of frogs.

Jon

Lots of portholes to drill out and glaze.

Strange choice of plastic for the aircraft, clear ?

Some the sprues

The masts are really nice and close to scale.

The foredeck.

One question, why did they bother trying to mould on the chains ?

I mean, come on Trumpeter, how the diddle am I supposed to paint those ?

In the instructions, you know, the bit where you are shown the sprues in the kit ? There was an entry for chains, but it had a piece of sticky tape over it and there are no chains in the kit. 

But I have metal chain that is just about the right size.

That's it folks, I'll post as I build. 

Have a good weekend, see you all soon.

Jon

[RGL]

I built this last year, the kit is kinda a as built and as ended. The bow hangar is wrong, and some of the masts needs work but it’s a very pretty ship. https://modelshipworld.com/topic/23382-heavy-cruiser-zara-by-rgl-trumpeter-1350-finished/

 

sorry I can’t do photos as so just can’t figure it out 

[RGL]

I’ll try again

Edited April 30, 2021 by RGL

[RGL]

[Faraway]

7 hours ago, RGL said:

I built this last year, the kit is kinda a as built and as ended. The bow hangar is wrong, and some of the masts needs work but it’s a very pretty ship. https://modelshipworld.com/topic/23382-heavy-cruiser-zara-by-rgl-trumpeter-1350-finished/

 

sorry I can’t do photos as so just can’t figure it out 

I found your build on the Modern Ship World forum, you went to great lengths and made a stunning ship. What colour did you paint the mid section of deck ?

Jon

[RGL]

Just a Tamiya dark grey with some graduated lighter grey overspray plus a grey filter. 

[robgizlu]

9 hours ago, RGL said:

Just a Tamiya dark grey with some graduated lighter grey overspray plus a grey filter. 

 

Greg - that's a great looking model 

 

Jon - nice choice - looks a good build - I like the seaplane f'ward, however those moulded on chains really are old school 

Good luck scraping away

rob

[Faraway]

39 minutes ago, robgizlu said:

 

Greg - that's a great looking model 

 

Jon - nice choice - looks a good build - I like the seaplane f'ward, howver those moulded on chains really are old school 

Good luck scraping away

rob

Rob. To be honest, I could get rid of the moulded chains with my thumbnail.

Jon

[steve5]

looking forward to this jon .

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday, I've seen models of Italian warships but not in my preferred scale hence never built one myself. They're rather graceful ships I think, this should look good. Regards, Jeff.

[Faraway]

4 hours ago, ArnoldAmbrose said:

this should look good.

I’ll do my best, at least I can see the small PE. 😂😂😂😂

Jon

[S-boat 55]

I shall follow with interest, Zara is in my list of add to the stash to know day build, although I've been banned from any further purchases until I finish something 😉

[Faraway]

Little, not as in not much, but as in not very big, done. My first bit of PE on the funnel.

 

And then painted.

 

The next bit..........

I seem to recall saying the PE for this scale would be bigger then 1/700, I suppose it is, if you measure in microns 

 

And then something I CAN SEE, decks are starting to look like decks. I wonder if they did haircuts onboard ?

Edited May 2, 2021 by Faraway
text

[RGL]

Nice work 

[Faraway]

Progress so far. I ordered a set of Master Brass Barrels, which arrived today, so now I can assemble the guns. I've started with the 4".

Scary business this cutting off plastic barrels and then having to drill a hole into something that I can barely see, the hardest part is getting the hole in the middle.

And here are the other calibers.

And some random bits of small platform, one complete with tiny binoculars. And a see through seaplane.

[73north]

Super start to model well done .

got to admit 1/350 is a better scale for ship modelling than 1/700

and you can see the detail far easier .

RGL - that is a superb !!! Model 🔧🔨

[Faraway]

Can anyone help ?

I've just added the Hobby Boss 1/350 Dunkerque Battleship to my stash and although it comes with a fair amount of PE, it doesn't come with railings for the main decks. Anyone know where I can get some railings that will fit the bill ? 

Anyway, more of todays progress, little guns 6 4" turrets.

A before and after shot of the 0.52" (I think it's a 50 calibre) with plastic barrels and then with the brass ones fitted. Not that you can see, but they do have cooling holes.

And now the completed gun on its mount with a PE seat.

Edited May 5, 2021 by Faraway
text

[smyfe]

Jon, if you can do such a great job with this, as you certainly are, you will soon be back to finish the 1/700. Foredeck stripes are brilliant, well done and keep up the great work.

Mick

[Faraway]

23 minutes ago, smyfe said:

Jon, if you can do such a great job with this, as you certainly are, you will soon be back to finish the 1/700. Foredeck stripes are brilliant, well done and keep up the great work.

Mick

Mick.

Thanks.

The problem with the 1/700 was. I found interpreting the instructions difficult, which meant I was bending things the wrong way. So, had to rebend, and you know as well as I, PE doesn’t take too kindly to excessive bending. 
As for the stripes, I had originally masked the deck so as to spray the red, but there was so much clutter on the deck, I would have had red paint bleeding under the tape. So, I hand painted them, just don’t look too close. Oh yeah, and there are more than, I think, there should be. But I won’t count them, if you don’t.

Jon

[beefy66]

Neat PE work there Jon not sure if there is a specific set of rails but you could use a generic set from someone like Eduard or Atlantic models.

 

Stay Safe

beefy

[Faraway]

1 hour ago, beefy66 said:

use a generic set from someone like Eduard or Atlantic models.

I was thinking along those lines.

Jon

[S-boat 55]

6 hours ago, Faraway said:

Can anyone help ?

I've just added the Hobby Boss 1/350 Dunkerque Battleship to my stash and although it comes with a fair amount of PE, it doesn't come with railings for the main decks......

I'd echo beefy, that or spare from other kits, I'm part way through a Dunkerque build on the forum, must say it's gone together pretty easily so far, the one bit that hasn't was the support columns under one deck on the forward superstructure, the kit supplied parts have no leeway at all/are slightly short which was exacerbated when I trimmed them slightly shorter and they of course didn't then fit, aside that she's been great so far, the master barrels are good, they do also do some resin AA guns but I've not decided if I'm brave enough to get them yet, 

[RGL]

10 hours ago, Faraway said:

Can anyone help ?

I've just added the Hobby Boss 1/350 Dunkerque Battleship to my stash and although it comes with a fair amount of PE, it doesn't come with railings for the main decks. Anyone know where I can get some railings that will fit the bill ? 

Anyway, more of todays progress, little guns 6 4" turrets.

A before and after shot of the 0.52" (I think it's a 50 calibre) with plastic barrels and then with the brass ones fitted. Not that you can see, but they do have cooling holes.

And now the completed gun on its mount with a PE seat.

Big Blue Boy does a comprehensive upgrade set. 

[Faraway]

Lots more done, with the small 50cal mounted on their platform.

Next we have a small PE, that when folded correctly will become a pair of steps with a platform between. I somehow have a strange feeling of foreboding about this part.

Well, my thoughts were right. It chose to fall apart, rather than be bent. Which actually was a sort of blessing in disguise. But, I got there and it's now in place. As always, the close-up photo shows what you can't actually see with the naked eye. Not my finest attempt, a definite case of 'could have done better', but it was four individual bits and it will not be very visible once on the ship.

One of the main turrets.

And the four twin barrels AA guns.

And finally. Some of the bridge levels dry fitted. Still parts to fit, but I just wondered what it would look like.

[beefy66]

Looking good JON the ladders did not turn out that bad looks like your flying through this build as well.  👍

 

Stay Safe

beefy