This is only the 4th ship in the last two years since 35 yrs ago for me.I have on hand WEM's PE kit and Masters barrel kit to aid in the kit construction.I have embarked on a new technique for me on the deck planking which some you might of seen the thread over in the Carpenter section.I have just about finished that part of the build(the deck).I have been mainly a plane builder and still am but needed a diversion and the capital ships along with sailing ships have always been of interest.I paint in MM enamels 95% of the time old school so when giving me hints for weathering keep that in mind.I am to a degree ready to try other techniques seeing if I can incorporate them into my line paints.

this was the test subject it's alot lighter in person


This is right before the second coat of paint is to be applied about 5-6hrs here at this point


this is it with the second coat of paint applied


Thanks for looking comments welcomed.Cheers Kevin

Looking for some help on colors.I am coming up for the hull #51=H67=FS36076
then for vertical structures #50=H64=FS35352.The hull color is awful dark is that correct?You see so many Bismarks with the BL/WH like chevron on the side of the hull and with that #50 it would be tough to make out the black.

Alright should of done this first again and gone look at the 1/200 BM on this forum and see the #50 on the bow and stern.Correct color.

The deck is for the most finished except for a couple of touch-ups.I was going to stain in between the planks and tried it on the test piece and I just did not care for the effect got to kind a better mouse trap before that what I did hit the full deck.I see now why so many tape the wood on the deck and spray the gray it has a nice effect for sure but again talk about time comsuming.Well some pics are in order..........

Now this is with all the strips pulled and getting ready for the last coat of paint


an overall picture of the gray laid


now a close-up looking forward you can see the planking coming through


Thanks for looking comments welcomed.Cheers Kevin

Very nice looking deck you have there.

Beautiful wood grain effect Kevin.

Thks there Jim and Kenny it's a few hours of work but I like the result.Cheers Kevin

PS:Alright trying to get by some of this PE aarrgghhh.Now when I have done planes there small but not stringy like these railings.You guys have any paticular brand of glue's you like to use? I am trying to build up some of the sub-assemblies so I do not forget to incorporate them into the build.

Go for the "Gator Grip" acrylic glue for the PE. Great stuff to work with.
Nice looking deck you painted there !
cheers,
Julian

Thks Jullian ordered some this morning from Kenny's site.Cheers

Gators Grip is great for most PE, only exception I have found is that it is not great for installing railings on curved surfaces, eg some of the railings on the Revell 1/400 QM2 have to go around a curved deck and it is not convienient to pre-curve them. CA glue is much better for these areas as you can stick things instantly and not have to sit and wait for the glue to set before continueing the curve. The only other glitch is you can't wick Gator Glue into joints as it is too thick.

Those two small things aside I use it for most of my PE work.

Cheers
Warren

The "instantly" part is generally where I run into problems and end up with the railing stuck to my fingers and the rest of the ship stuck to the other hand
Cheers,
Julian

That was my issue the other nite.I might still try a thinner CA I had a medium and it was just not co-operating at all.Got the Gator coming this week.You know this is the second real ship model in years and I can put it down walk away and not feel rushed.To wereas on planes I felt the need to complete;it was a build.I have the Pride of Balitimore coming this week also a plank on bulkhead a joint venture with a neighor,I do the planking and he wants to do the rigging should be interesting.

Hi, Kevin!
I like what you're doing with the deck. Looking very nice!

For glueing railings, I use "Gel"-type CA glue. It takes a bit of time to cure so there is some time to manouvre the part into place. I recommend to not glue railing sections longer than 8 to 10 segments.

Good luck!

Guido

I have run across something I was not totally aware of but questioned the GS had camo at the time of her demise.I came across this looking for some pics of the main rangefinder.I have one small book on her so am using of course the internet(free) and am wondering does anyone have possibily a litho of the camo and colors?I have a 1/700 Tirpitz with some various stages of camo would it be the same?I fear the camo but I want to portray her on patrol in the Atlantic.I would post pics but I have been just building up the sub-assembilies of PE parts to incorporate into the regular build and I forget I actually have a PE piece for that part.Thanks in advance.Cheers Kevin

Kevin,

I've been trying to develop the masks for the Graf Spee for several months. I have a good drawing of the starboard side but have yet to get the port side right.

Kenny

Kenny it looks like the hull is clean except for the two fake waves on each side right?and that the turrets and SS were camo'ed?any colors ?I found some nice pics here ....... http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/germany/pages/cruisers/admiral_graf_spee.htm

Thanks Kevin

Kevin,

From what I've seen, the camo was green over the original gray.

Well I have gotten alittle done on the Graf Spee alibit a little slow compared to our madman Julian.I have gotten some of the PE,Turrets and the Bridge assembly coming together.I at first had the two search light towers on the sides but upon reading the instructions that was the pre-39 GS so off they came and the single added up front.Now I really do not like my railing that is present right now looks like crap and I think I have some more somewhere around the house.The bridge took alittle work and I mean sanding and shaping to the extensions platforms around the lower Bridge.I am not sure if it was my doing or Academy's for I have not seen any other complaints but only seen one real other write up??The WEM set is nice but for those in the future make sure the radar is one of the last things you build it is very delicate and mine broke at the folds but I was able to fix with 1/32 square stock inside hardly noticable.One should have access to fotos to help in going along with the WEM instructions the drawings are not as clear as one would like.Me being the cheap guy I am really does not buy enough research material and books as one should but with the internet have been able to get by thus far.I will repaint the chain,thinking dark gray that black is just to much.Some of you might notice that the wood for the bridge is different and that is because I did the paint with a thinned oil mixture of umber.Like I mentioned before this ship is away for me to test different techniques but I may repaint for the individual planks sure look nice to me at least.Cheers Kevin

this first pic you can see the curtains ruffled up on the back of the 5" guns(?) a nice touch by WEM to supply

Looking good there Kevin ! Nice work on the PE and I love the bridge deck with the oil wash. You get more demarkation between the individual planks this way, ( check the head on views). Who's a madman ?
cheers,
Julian

It has not been much of a build log not like when I would maybe do for an A/C but I am trying.I have gotten the hull painted with what I hope may come close to a correct hue of red.I mixed some Black with a fairly dark red till I thought was maybe apropiate??I have replaced my first attempt with the railing on the front searchlight tower with some 1/400 stuff I had one cannot tell the difference.I have also learned that the railing does not go all the way to the edge .But that's good I learned pretty quick and yes wirh railing bent right that Gator glue is the trick!!I also made my stand today just to keep my hands off of her and give her a good platform.I really am enjoying the build in the sense I can walk away at any given time and not feel like I am being pessured hard to explain.Cheers Kevin


None of the SS or decks are glued down as of yet Camo still yet to come.

Looking good there Kevin, nice work on the PE so far,
cheers,
JUlian

Did you notice Julian it's kind of hard to tell in these crappy pics(flourescent lighting) but I went ahead and washed the decks.It's growing on me but this creates another issue now I have to weather the rest of her Cheers Kevin

So tonight I decided it was time to start on some of the boat launches and the associated davits(?).WEM does it real good here for the main launches adding the rudder and even a propeller!! I mean it has to be maybe .040" across maybe with a .010" hole for the shaft that was to cool.The davits came out okay I am sure it was me but one has to be certain everything is in alignment.On a quick glance one will not notice it but with some studing you can see my mistake but I am thinking once they are loaded you will no longer be able to see the mistake.I got some clearer pics of the girl in general.........

The boats themselves


another shot


the propeller


some general pics

A question.The life boats are all built with the PE and I would imagine they were painted the same gray as the ship but did they have a red hull? and do you think the railing up front was grey(most likely) or chromed or something else.Thks in advance Fellas.Cheers

Well after looking at a few fotos of the period it appears the boats are the same color as the ship with the life boats with no waterline(understandable) and the motor boats with one.The lifeboats look almost though a very light light gray or white almost in some fotos but that would be pre-war but shoot the Graf Spee did not get to remove the eagle or crest on the bow for being at sea at the outbreak.

The next question is again the camo color it appears to me to be three tone gray,green(if kenny's right) and another darker color,any clues??????????

Check this thread:
http://www.kbismarck.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2105

The suggestion is that the green color in the tritonal camo is a post war invention.
The true camo was probably three shades of grey with the dark grey being mistaken for green. There are also several photos "sailing" around online which show the Graf Spee with false white bow and stern waves, (and a black funnel cap).
cheers,
Julian