1/350 Carriers Taiho and Graf Zeppelin

[bissyboat]

That´s a snuggly fit for a big vessel, but it´s looking very good. ⚓👍

[S-boat 55]

Hi all, 

 

Small update, small being the main word, many a small set of ladders, steps etc going on, but first a major milestone, at the bottom, or top depending on your perspective is the very last platform to have to go on! awkward to do with the island partially stuck on but there we are, 

 

the etch continues to be very detailed, especially like the girder detail you 'fold down' to create the underside of the small platform, 

 

Here's one area before and after, 

 

Doing oboth sides with all the little ladders took about 6 hrs, but with all of these done its now onto the last plastic fittings for the platforms, then a little bit more painting around the edges before the main deck is fitted. After that there's the flight deck markings (no idea how to do those yet - theres a painting mask but can you just use normal colourcoats for that?), that'll all then have to be masked off while a myriad of small aerials and antennae along with her netting are fitted before her main paint job, much to do but think I'm 75% or more done now, 

 

Zeppelin is on the back burner while i get Taiho near finished, 

 

thanks for stopping by, 

 

Sam

 

 

 

 

Edited January 26, 2023 by S-boat 55

[Faraway]

4 minutes ago, S-boat 55 said:

flight deck markings

If I remember, you are going to use wooden deck ?

When I painted onto the wooden deck, of my Bismarck build, I tried various paints on some spare wood deck, I found some of the paint ‘bled’ under the mask, as the mask didn’t go into all the little cracks etc. So you need to do the same, I would say. I used acrylic paints, but using Colour Coats might be easier as it’s thicker. 
Lots of experimentation ahead ?

Jon

[S-boat 55]

1 hour ago, Faraway said:

If I remember, you are going to use wooden deck ?

When I painted onto the wooden deck, of my Bismarck build, I tried various paints on some spare wood deck, I found some of the paint ‘bled’ under the mask, as the mask didn’t go into all the little cracks etc. So you need to do the same, I would say. I used acrylic paints, but using Colour Coats might be easier as it’s thicker. 
Lots of experimentation ahead ?

Jon

I think you raise a sensible approach, I'll experiment on the spare bits, I was hoping several light coats would work with the first acting to almost seal the surface if that makes sense 

[Faraway]

1 hour ago, S-boat 55 said:

first acting to almost seal the surface if that makes sense 

That’s a sensible approach. Good luck.

Jon

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Sam, all those support brackets under the platforms - superb! Regards, Jeff.

[S-boat 55]

5 hours ago, ArnoldAmbrose said:

Gidday Sam, all those support brackets under the platforms - superb! Regards, Jeff.

Thanks Jeff, 

[S-boat 55]

Hi All, 

 

Work continues, wooden deck going in the AA sponsons, i experimented on the main deck with a bit of scrap and putting down a few coats of gloss first definitely makes these decks stick better. The upgrade set with the deck includes masks for these which is why I've done them now. You'll see the etch parts of cable reels everywhere, i'm taking  the approach of fitting their 'barrels' after its all been painted rather than having to try and be super careful with glues putting them on after painting the main hull,

 

I think these frame parts are for screens they could put up around the main AA guns, not sure of their effectiveness really, if they were to provide, shade, shelter or protection or what really?

 

As you get a better bond between plastic and etc, instead of paint and etch its all going on, it's fiddly but the mesh is beautifully thin,

 

Landing lights - should have been simple, the struts have little tabs you bend down to stick the light to, so flat surface to flat surface is easy right ...... nope! got there in the end though, 

 

 

 

As you can see kind of on the home run now, lots of bits starting to go on to dress Taiho up,

Does mean its getting fragile though.......

 

Thanks for stopping in, 

 

Sam

Edited February 4, 2023 by S-boat 55

[bismarck builder]

hi mate those frames are training stops

cheers

gary r

[S-boat 55]

29 minutes ago, bismarck builder said:

hi mate those frames are training stops

cheers

gary r

Interesting, thanks, 

[ArnoldAmbrose]

5 hours ago, S-boat 55 said:

I think these frame parts are for screens they could put up around the main AA guns,

Gidday Sam, I would say that Gary ( @bismarck builder) is correct. I've seen the same fitted to 20mm Oerlikon and 40mm Bofors tubs on Allied warships. HTH. Regards, Jeff.

[bismarck builder]

Sam

check out any good models of the Yamato the training stops are very prominent

cheers

gary r 

[S-boat 55]

5 hours ago, bismarck builder said:

Sam

check out any good models of the Yamato the training stops are very prominent

cheers

gary r 

I'd not noticed them before, but looking up builds now they do stand out, seen some where they appear to have fitted bamboo screens to them, not sure if that's accurate or not, 

[robgizlu]

Kudos to your skill with that very fine Etch!

It's llookiing very impressive

Rob

[S-boat 55]

9 hours ago, robgizlu said:

Kudos to your skill with that very fine Etch!

It's llookiing very impressive

Rob

Thanks Rob, 

[S-boat 55]

Morning All, 

 

First off a bit of product placement for Jamie 😉 , second, this pattern is provided as a decal but with the deck having a raised 'grip' detail, i didn't trust that it would sit down properly and not silver so i painted it instead using 3mm tamiya tape to mask, pretty please with how its come out. 

 

 

 

This close up is ugly! I did do a bit of touch up after, I'm not massively worried as you wont be able to see any of it particularly well, that said as there is so much etch on the model I've left the ships wheel plain etch as a little nod to that, 

 

 

And with that the top of the island is now on, rather frustratingly i managed to spread superglue over some parts, the desk got the brunt of it gladly, so that'll need sorting, but she's coming together now, 

 

 

 

 

 

Lastly, parts E64 are dotted along the side of the platforms, to my mind they are some sort of aerial/carrying frame for rigging. If they are stand along i can understand their placement, but if they do carry any cabling then their positions don't seem right as you wouldn't be able to string anything across, what are your thoughts on them and where they're placed?

 

Cheers, 

 

Sam

[Rich75]

Great work, the funnel especially caught my eye with all the pipework, looks fantastic,  👌  I have seen an image with a lot of netting on the side behind the island could those parts be for securing the nets, they were raised up and out .....i  can't find the picture now

[robgizlu]

Just gets better and better

Rob

[Thom216]

Another lover of those pipes! So well done, and I really like the bare PE wheel. Nice touch.

[Faraway]

I have to keep reminding myself, that this is 1/350 and not 1/200 !

Jon

[S-boat 55]

4 hours ago, robgizlu said:

Just gets better and better

Rob

 

2 hours ago, Thom216 said:

Another lover of those pipes! So well done, and I really like the bare PE wheel. Nice touch.

 

2 hours ago, Faraway said:

I have to keep reminding myself, that this is 1/350 and not 1/200 !

Jon

Thanks all, as ever your very kind, Ivd been feeling like I'm nearing the finish line with this one.....then remembered the air wing........

 

5 hours ago, Rich75 said:

Great work, the funnel especially caught my eye with all the pipework, looks fantastic,  👌  I have seen an image with a lot of netting on the side behind the island could those parts be for securing the nets, they were raised up and out .....i  can't find the picture now

In the end I've decided to go with the kagero book on her (although I'm sure much of it is guess work) and assume they're for carrying aerial cables, 

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by S-boat 55

[S-boat 55]

Decks on, I was worried it would look to yellow, but hadn't appreciated the colour of the backing sheet coming through making it appear more yellow that it was,

 

 

 

Did it with only knocking a few bits off as well, glad i did it now rather than last. I'm finding photoetch just isn't sticking well when stuck to paint as opposed the plastic direct so wanted to do it now. The aerials etc that are still to go on need a good bond and I didn't want to risk damage to them. In the end i decided on fitting the two ends first as suggested by peeling and folding back part of the backing and making sure it lined up before sticking that bit down and peeling back the rest. Then trimmed off half a mm at a time on one end and then slivers on the other to get the middle section to fit. Pretty pleased with it and the join will be hidden by the arrestor cables which are provided in very thin etch. 

 

She is alarmingly close to done really now, id say 85%, need to repair a tiny patch on the bow, finish her aerials, add the last couple ladders then lots of masking the deck off now to make sure when i spray her later this week i don't inadvertently paint it grey! its then finish the AA + bits and bobs really, 

 

Sam

Edited February 22, 2023 by S-boat 55

[ArnoldAmbrose]

1 hour ago, S-boat 55 said:

he is alarmingly close to done really now, id say 85%,

Gidday Sam, she really looks the part now. Regards, Jeff.

[robgizlu]

That does look impressive - are you going to dare to weather it?

Rob

[S-boat 55]

1 hour ago, robgizlu said:

That does look impressive - are you going to dare to weather it?

Rob

In a word ..... no ... Lol, 

 

I lean towards keeping mine museum like I think, plus at this stage I've not really practiced weathering and with what I've spent on the kit and extra's I don't really want to risk messing it up, there's up to 47 planes to go on the deck as well so that'll break up its uniformity a bit, 

Edited February 23, 2023 by S-boat 55