1/350 Carriers Taiho and Graf Zeppelin

[Rich75]

Outstanding well done  

[Faraway]

That mast rigging is outstanding, a thing of nightmares, but outstanding all the same.

Jon

[S-boat 55]

Well look what the cat dragged in,

 

As im waiting on better decals for Taiho's airwing, i decided i should move Graf Zeppelin along, its been about 10 months since i worked on her. Not a massive update even then, after a few more hours of masking six more panels (three each side) are done on her camouflage, this means the mid blue sections are done. 

 

Here though i reach a quandary, i had intended to do several of the remaining areas a dark grey - utilising the dark grey used for German ships boot topping, that would be very high contrast, there are more areas of light blue and i think white as well but essentially im making it up as i go, so id be grateful for peoples thoughts, im unsure if it would be too great of a contrast or not, and if so what other colour  I'd use i dont really have an idea on, 

 

The plan for the starboard side is to use the dark grey in each of the panels currently black and marked with a red dot, the light blue dot denotes more light blue, likewise the area to the left of the light blue line on the funnel etc, 

 

 

The scheme would basically be the same this side, ive not marked it on the funnel but it would be half and half on an angle, im going to break up the two large blue triangles a midships as well with shards of a darker colour i think, I do have the colourcoats used for bismarcks turret tops Dunklegrau 2 KM06, its surprisingly blue unless i opened the wrong one up, but i think another shade of blue would be too much, 

 

One thing i would say is that it does break up her lines, granted you cant see the anit fouling to highlight her length but to me the paint on her so far is making her look almost stubby, which is both pleasing and disappointing as i quite liked her hull lines, - ive invested a lot of time in the camo though so don't really want to revert back now to two tone grey, 

 

 

Anyway, i can do one or two bits on her while i mull it over, as i say I'd be grateful for other people suggestions, 

 

thanks for stopping by

Sam

Edited July 23 by S-boat 55

[ArnoldAmbrose]

5 hours ago, S-boat 55 said:

One thing i would say is that it does break up her lines, granted you cant see the anit fouling to highlight her length but to me the paint on her so far is making her look almost stubby, which is both pleasing and disappointing as i quite liked her hull lines, - ive invested a lot of time in the camo though so don't really want to revert back now to two tone grey, 

Gidday Sam, unfortunately the whole idea of dazzle camo is to distort her appearance, breaking up her lines. You've no doubt heard the saying - "You can't have your cake and eat it too" - (Although I've always thought that was the reason for having cake. And you can always cook another). So, I guess you could do another Graf Zeppelin, this time in a plain grey colour scheme, and actually have both. 😁

I think what you've got here now is a very striking camo scheme, one that looks very good.

       Regards, Jeff.

[Faraway]

Excellent painting.

Jon

[S-boat 55]

5 hours ago, ArnoldAmbrose said:

Gidday Sam, unfortunately the whole idea of dazzle camo is to distort her appearance, breaking up her lines. You've no doubt heard the saying - "You can't have your cake and eat it too" - (Although I've always thought that was the reason for having cake. And you can always cook another). So, I guess you could do another Graf Zeppelin, this time in a plain grey colour scheme, and actually have both. 😁

I think what you've got here now is a very striking camo scheme, one that looks very good.

       Regards, Jeff.

 You make a fair point Jeff, I may have perhaps not thought it through fully, for me a lot of this hobby is about how ships look and their design and as you point out that's exactly what camo is designed to alter, 

 

Think I'll try doing a couple of the simple panels in a dark grey and worst case I can redo them, 

3 hours ago, Faraway said:

Excellent painting.

Jon

 

Thanks Jon

[foeth]

On 3/10/2023 at 12:06 PM, S-boat 55 said:

 

 

 

 

Late to the party, but those objects are helm indicators; they go up/down with a rudder execute (they hang from the same cable running over pulleys) and are well visible for following ships. Normally you’d find them high up in a mast. For the RN red,green, I suppose the same here. Also great progress! Missed your thread for some reason... 😶‍🌫️

[S-boat 55]

2 hours ago, foeth said:

Late to the party, but those objects are helm indicators; they go up/down with a rudder execute (they hang from the same cable running over pulleys) and are well visible for following ships. Normally you’d find them high up in a mast. For the RN red,green, I suppose the same here. Also great progress! Missed your thread for some reason... 😶‍🌫️

Thanks @foeth, on Kaga they seemed to be fitted right at the stern under the flight deck overhang, I wonder if they were fitted there as she was quite tall and had very little superstructure, Taiho on the other hand sat low in the water for a carrier so maybe they'd of been in the traditional location as you explain, I'll have to have a ponder in that one, 

[S-boat 55]

Quick update, I tried out the Blaugrau Dunkle KM07, think it works quite well, it's odd that its a different shade depending on your position, 

 

This is the stern;

 

And the bow, which looks darker - in real life they are in between the two shades, 

 

Got a little more in the iddle done as well, 

 

I'll not bore you all with photos of each panel getting done, will update again when the camo is complete, 

 

Cheerio for now, 

 

S-boat

 

 

[ArnoldAmbrose]

4 hours ago, S-boat 55 said:

it's odd that its a different shade depending on your position, 

Gidday Sam, I've found that on a couple of occasions, both US destroyers. The blue on the decks looks different to that used on the ship's side. Same paint from the same tin.

I thought the camo scheme you had looked good, but this update looks good too, so I guess it's down to your personal preference. 🙂 Regards, Jeff.

[Tegethoff]

Stunning masking (and painting!!).

[S-boat 55]

Hi All, 

 

This certainly will now be the last update before the RFI for Taiho, 

 

Finally finished the assembly (as much as i can pre painting that is) of her airwing, I know she wouldn't of had this many ranged on deck at any one point but here are all 51 of them (with three below decks), the Zero's and Judy will get props etc once painted, then there's going to be several sessions doing decals I think. Speaking of which the replacement ones i got look better, not perfect but short of making my own masks i think they are going to have to do. I've tried contacting veryfire about it to no avail. I cant recall if i mentioned about being able to remove the lifts, - glad to say my idea works....sort of, they come out via magnet well enough but when i made a cradle to get them to deck height i discovered what i already knew, they are slightly too big for the openings, I'm not risking sanding now so they'll just always be lowered, 

 

 

This ones wings will be added later, 

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping in, 

 

Sam

[Tegethoff]

Great work on both, is that a Vanguard submarine in background for scale?

[S-boat 55]

7 hours ago, Tegethoff said:

Great work on both, is that a Vanguard submarine in background for scale?

Yep, she's one of my side 'kerp me sane' projects while I work on the air wing, 

[Jagdtiger1]

Speaking of trying to keep sane, I've been away from this sub-forum for a while and all I can say is WOW! That Graf Zappelin looks amazing!

 

Also very nice to see Taiho fully rigged up and soon to be finished. Not sure what I'm looking forward to see more of now!

 

James.

[Courageous]

That's one full deck!

 

Stuart

[Thom216]

23 hours ago, Courageous said:

That's one full deck!

 

Stuart

That's what USN pilots said too.

[bissyboat]

Artistic paintwork on the Graf Zeppelin. The gradient is a very nice touch. ⚓🙌

[S-boat 55]

Taiho's done and in RFI, 

 

 

Just Zeppelin to go......

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Sam, congrats on your completion. As you said, now for the Zeppelin. Regards, Jeff.

[S-boat 55]

If you'll all forgive another post on Taiho, I bit the bullet and after encouragement from yourselves and my local group at Gloucester IPMS I entered her in the nationals at Telford this year, she won Silver. its just another reason I'd give to say looking out your local IPMS group is a great idea, lots of friendly encouragement and tips, 

 

 

Thanks

 

Sam

[Jerry L]

Congratulations .

[Ray S]

Congratulations Sam!

 

Ray

[Rich75]

Well done, but also thoroughly deserved I'd say, its a great piece of work 👏 

[Jagdtiger1]

Very well done Sam, certainly deserves gold to my eye!

 

James.