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DKM Seydlitz WW2


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Gidday All, thank you for your comments, responses and interest. I greatly appreciate them.
     I've stuck more bits on and DKM Seydlitz is starting to come together.

SEYD2.170 progress 3

     The upper level of the tower, the platform on it and the beams for the signal halyards are glued together as an assembly now but are still dry fitted. The turrets have been fitted but just for the photo. They can be locked in but are still removable. Simply rotate them 90* to the left of their fore-and-aft position and they will lift straight out. Everything else you see on the model is now glued in.

     And here's a close-up of the fwd superstructure. Most of the details on the model are molded-on bits at present. I don't do PE so the model is a little crude.

SEYD2.180 fwd structure almost done

     I still have to add the upper main director, the foremast, the boat cranes and all the light weapons. I'm still deciding on what I'm going to do regarding her light AA outfit. As usual, close up photos are not kind to me and show my rough workmanship.
     Well, that's it for tonight. Hopefully I'll get some more done tomorrow. So stay safe and regards to all, Jeff.

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Gidday All, I'm afraid that DKM Seydlitz isn't going to make the deadline of the ATF GB. Oh, well .   .   .
I've been working on  some of the light AA guns.

SEYD2.200 light AA guns 1

     In the background are the six twin 37mm guns. These are kit parts and the instructions state they're 20mm but this is incorrect. They're the size of and placed in the locations of Prinz Eugen's original 37mm mounts, and AFAIK they're semi-automatic weapons. I scraped off flash and seam lines, tapered the barrels slightly and added larger base plates.
     In the foreground are twelve single Bofor 40mm guns, although I'll probably only use ten or eleven. Each comprise of six pieces. They're a bit rough but are better than the guns supplied with the kit. And you only get eight in a kit anyway, although I have sixteen fifteen (I butchered one). The overall length of the Bofor guns is 5.5mm - 3mm barrels and 2.5mm casing.
     Well, that's it for now. I've still got to do the 20mm guns, plus the 105mm heavy AA guns. More on that later. 
It's 15 minutes to midnight here so goodnight all, stay safe and regards, Jeff.

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Your work blows me away Jeff. Those single 40s looks great, sad to hear about the not so sixteenth one, I can't imagine what sort of battle damage it would take to destroy one. 

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Gidday @Knb.1451, thanks but don't fret over the butchered gun. I was experimenting, trying to modify it into a single Bofor gun but I didn't like the result, hence my scratch built guns. The instructions would have me mounting them where the ship originally had single 20mm guns so an error on Mr Airfix's part. I didn't use them for my original build of Prinz Eugen which is why I have so many. I might be able to use them one day, as anti-tank guns or such. Regards, Jeff.

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Gidday Tom, not sure yet, possibly two or four. I'm currently making five sets but one will probably be a spare. Two I plan to place on the aft superstructure just fwd of turret Casar (X turret). I'm not sure yet if the funnel sponsons will have the other two or maybe searchlights, which I'll have to source also. I plan on fitting some single 20mm also, either two or four. Regards, Jeff.

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People that scratchbuild and kitbash amaze me. Wouldn’t be able to make stuff without some instructions and pieces. Nice boat, begins to resemble the version of it that I have in world of warships

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Gidday Guys, and thanks. And Tom, Prinz Eugen did mount a quad Vierling on that platform for a while. I believe she originally had a searchlight there but it was replaced by a Vierling for the Channel Dash in February 1942, plus another four added. That is how I portrayed my Prinz Eugen. Later photos show a 40mm Bofor gun there, and that is what I was planning here. And I don't think I'll play around with the platform around the funnel now, I want to get a move on with this as I've got some other projects coming up. But thank you for the idea. I think Nurnberg had a rather prominent funnel platform.

     I hope to get the Vierlings finished today. Regards, Jeff.

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Gidday All, I've completed the light AA outfit for DKM Seydlitz.

SEYD2.220 light AA guns 2

    On the rear block are the six twin 37mm mountings with the base plates painted now. With them are four quad 20mm Vierlings. They're entirely scratch built, 14 pieces each. The dark coloured quads will go into the tubs on the funnel platform, the light grey quads will go onto the aft superstructure. Also on that block to the back is my first attempt to make a Kriegsmarine-style searchlight. This kit doesn't have any as they got used for my original Prinz Eugen build.
     On the front block are twelve single 40mm Bofor guns, but I only intend to use ten. The little bump at the rear top of the gun casing is the auto-loader. These are also entirely scratch built, seven pieces each. At the left are two single 20mm guns, unpainted as yet and are rather basic, only five pieces each. To make them look a little more than just stretched sprue on styrene rod (which is what they are) I've managed to add the box magazines and elevating wheels. These two guns are 3.5mm long, and will be mounted on top of the tower. Actually I made three of these singles but one was a sacrifice to the carpet monster.
     Well, that's it for now. Thank you for your interest and comments. Stay safe, and regards to all, Jeff.

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1 hour ago, ArnoldAmbrose said:

These are also entirely scratch built, seven pieces each.

Amazing results. You scratch build these little things, but don’t do PE. How come ?

:worthy:

Jon

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14 hours ago, Faraway said:

You scratch build these little things, but don’t do PE. How come ?

Gidday Jon, a few reasons. I rather like making my own stuff, although they can be a bit crude at times. Plus the cost. I've been working as a part-time cleaner for nearly twenty years and hope to retire soon. While we're not destitute I'll have to watch the dollars a bit. And finally, I don't have an air brush. I paint as I go, the old fashioned way by smearing on enamels with the hairy stick (sometimes a cement trowel 😁). I don't know if delicate PE would survive that. Regards, Jeff.

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Gidday All, DKM Seydlitz now has her lower mainmast fitted, plus the upper levels of the tower and some of the light AA guns.

SEYD2.230 mainmast

    The six twin 37mm mounts are fitted, plus the two of the quad Vierlings on the funnel platform although they're a bit hard to see in this photo. On the upper platform of the tower I've fitted the main director and two single 20mm guns but they're also not all that visible in  the photo. The aft AA directors have been added and below them the torpedo tubes are visible but they were fitted a while ago.
     On the block of wood in the foreground are the two upper masts, painted but too vulnerable to add them just yet. I've also done the two aircraft/boat cranes and the Arado aircraft is fitted to the catapult. I've started painting the screws (one visible) and am currently working on two searchlights plus having a go at scratch building the heavy AA guns. I'm not happy with the kit guns but might end up using them anyway. I used the kit guns on my Prinz Eugen build. They're OK but rather chunky - the mounting is too short and too wide. The twin guns have their bumps in the right place (sounds like a description of a catwalk model 😛) but the barrels are too thick and too far apart.
     I think she's coming together but until the main turrets are fitted she's not a cruiser but in fact a torpedo boat, albeit a rather large one. 🙂
Well, that's it for now. Hopefully more stuff will be added soon. Thank you for your comments and interest. Stay safe and regards to all, Jeff.

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Gidday All, just a quick post on DKM Seydlitz. I think I've had a win scratch building the searchlights.

SEYD2.240 160cm searchlights

    I only need two but I thought I'd make a spare. The real searchlights are 160cm across, mine are 2.5mm. The U-shaped swiveling brackets (for want of a better term) are made from 0.5x0.5mm square section styrene, the lights themselves from 2.5mm styrene rod. All up each has nine pieces although the two diagonal braces are additions of mine to strengthen the corner of the mounting frame. Overall they're 5mm tall.
     I'm also working on my own twin heavy AA guns. More on them later if they are OK.

So that's it for now. Stay safe, and regards, Jeff.

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Gidday All, thanks for the comments and interest. I've added still more bits to DKM Seydlitz. With the exception of the catapult and aircraft everything you see here is attached.

SEYD2.250 progress 4

     The aircraft/boat cranes needed to be moved aft 4.5mm because the boats I added meant I couldn't set the booms into their correct position. This means that the tops of the cranes are rather close to the flight path of the Arado's floats when launched. Oh well, that's the pilot's problem. 😉 Actually, I think there's enough clearance.
     I've fitted the two searchlights onto their platform on the mainmast, and just aft of them are the other two quad Vierlings under the two stacks of rafts. They're a little blurred as the camera was focused on the funnel. Five of the ten Bofor guns are fitted too - the gun on the tower platform and four on the corners of the shelterdeck. Three are visible here. I think they turned out OK, better than those monstrosities on the wood block in the foreground. The other five Bofors go on the upper deck and I'll fit them later.
     The aft main gunnery director is fitted (blurred - sorry). On the aft main director and the director on the tower are fitted two large flat-screen TVs for crew entertainment. Junior sailors assemble on the foc'sle, senior sailors and officers assemble on the quarterdeck and watch movies on their respective screens. 😁 Or are they radar scanners? 🙂 On the wood block in front are the kit parts, rather hideous. You can see why I replaced them.
     The screws are now painted. The only major task now other than fit screws and upper masts is to fit some heavy AA guns, six twin mounts. I'm having a go at making some but if they're no good I can always use the kit mounts.
     So that's it for now. I think the commissioning ceremony is not far off. So stay safe and regards to all, Jeff.

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Coming along nicely.

You need some of the dark deck colour (for the metal decks) on some of the horizontal surfaces.

Top of bridge house, main directors, platform on mainmast spring to mind.

Tom

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Looking very good, I like the aeroplane. I have to admit I chickened out with the one on my Graf Spee. My excuse, it was too small, seems a bit of a cop out, considering how big (?) HMS Grey Goose is.

Jon

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Hey Jeff,

 

just caught up on your magnificent beast - lots and lots of lovely scratch and improvising I must say - and it looks a treat!

 

If it's not too late, what I used to do on my "lights" was to hollow out the centre of the lamp with a drill, and then depending on the scale I'd paint the hollow indent silver before filling it with a clear liquid (PVA if I remember rightly?). 

 

Anyway, it's looking great bud!

 

Cheers

Gary

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Gidday Guys, thanks for your comments. Gary Tom (sorry) you may be right but I don't think I'll risk poking the paint brush into it now.

     Jon, the aircraft was very easy actually. The plane was a single piece, the two floats and legs another single piece and they fitted together very nicely. Mr Airfix gets the credit for that one.

And Gary I think I'll leave these as they are now that they're already fitted but I'll give the idea a try a little later with the round stock I used for the lights. Thanks for the idea.

   Regards, Jeff.

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Gidday All, I've been making some 10.5cm heavy flak AA twin mounts for DKM Seydlitz. I made a trial mounting and it seemed passable so I've made six twins for the model.

SEYD2.260 heavy flak AA

     Each twin gun assy comprises of nine parts, the mountings seventeen parts, 26 in total for each completed gun assembly. I decided to omit the fuse setters on either side of the mountings as they are very small and I don't think I could position them consistently. The reason there's so many parts is because to shape a piece I will often build up an item with layers of styrene rather than try to cut or file away surplus plastic. Evergreen strips make this a lot easier. The barrels are a bit of a disappointment in their consistency. The 0.5mm rod I used isn't exactly round, it's a bit oval shaped in cross section and some barrels are lying 'flat' while others are 'on edge' hence the varying thickness. I tapered them with fine sandpaper as best I could. In the background are the kit offerings. Mine are more accurate in dimensions although the kit guns are about the correct length.
     I've also made some antennae to mount on top of two of the main directors but forgot to include them in the photo. Again the kit parts are a little chunky.
     Well that's it for now. Next task will be paint and mount the heavy flak guns, and arrange food, drinks and dancing girls for the Commissioning Ceremony. 😁 That's not far off now. Thanks for your interest. Stay safe, and regards to all, Jeff.

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Gidday All, 

12 hours ago, Adm Lord De Univers said:

My wallet would be very happy if I had the skills to do likewise.

You'll never know until you try, you might surprise yourself. It's rather methodical how I build the parts up.

 

Anyway, DKM Seydlitz is done!

SEYD2.270 completed

I painted the heavy flak mountings last night, that was fun trying to get the paint under the gun barrels. If the guns were at any lower elevation it could have been awkward.
     This afternoon I attached the rest of the parts, heavy flak AA guns included. The screws went on OK except the centre screw. The hole in the hull for the pin on the propeller hub was too large. Oh well, the standard solution - attach screw to thicker styrene rod (1.2mm in this case) then drill out hole in hull to suit said rod.
    The two top masts fitted well too, Mr Airfix did quite well there. The small antennae on main directors 1 and 3 were a bit chunky so I replaced them with scratch built antennae, a simple job.
I also fitted the remaining Bofor guns. Those abreast turret Anton ('A' turret) only just had enough clearance from the rotating turret - I didn't think to check that when I positioned them.
     The catapult is not glued in at present. I gave it a long shaft so I don't think it will accidently fall out. I might glue it later.

 

Well, that's it. I'll post some more photos in the RFI section soon. Thank you all for your encouragement, responses and interest during the build. Stay safe, and regards to all, Jeff.

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