
Dear all!
After finishing HMS Hood, it's time to get on with something new.
I will be building the F125-Type German "Baden-Wuerttemberg"-class frigate as the last and latest of her class, as the F225 "Rheinland-Pfalz".
What I have on my slipway now is something very new in many perspectives - new to me, since it is my first model in 1/700, my first resin kit and my first waterline model.
And it is currently the newest ship of the German Navy, having only recently undergone the first shipyard trials, and completing engine trials very successfully.
The F225 "Rheinland-Pfalz" on top of that has a very special meaning to me personally, and is part of the reason why I have been rather on and off, and more off than on, here on MSW lately. And probably this again will be a build log with slower times and pauses - I hope you will follow me nevertheless, and I hope this beautiful ship will catch your interest. What makes it so special for me I'll tell you at the end of this post...
Now here's the kit - I plan to do it OOB, since the detailing is very fine, the resin parts look spot on, and the etch provided seems sufficient for a modern times warship.







Two helicopters provided - though it's not clear yet, which type eventually will be operated on board. These here are NH90 derivates, one possibility.

The four 10.10m boats named BUSTER, which actually is an acronym denominating their possible roles (Boarding, Unterstützung (=support) Special forces, Transport, Escort, Rescue):

Quite a few resin detail parts so small that I can't identify them all by only looking at them - I'll have to work my way through them...






Turend 127mm brass barrel

PE parts


And decals allowing you to build all four of the class.


To - at least formally - fulfill the rules of posting only started builds, I cut out, sanded and test fitted the mast that also holds the underway replenishment stations.

I also started sanding the lower part of the hull near the waterline, all in all the 'main body' of the ship is in great shape and does not require any further touch ups. The casting seems really excellent to me at this early point!!
However, 1/700 is small, really small. This will most likely be my first and last 1/700, it's just so tough to see...
But then, there's always the discussion about the 'right' scale. Normally pretty fruitless, but I would say there is one very special scale, that is 1:1!
Here she is during her trials off Jutland:



Meeting her sister F223 "Nordrhein-Westfahlen" in a fog bank


And myself on her bridge wing. You should now know what makes the F225 "Rheinland-Pfalz" so special and dear to me...


For now I'm sitting in front of the kit, somewhat hesitant and not really sure how to start. But during the next weeks, I should get a better feeling for the scale and the material, and I hope to post some progress soon.
I hope I got you interested in the ship and the build, and I hope you will watch and comment as you did for the Hood, that was great support!
For now,
Cheers,
Jan