OK OK.. I admit it there must be something wrong with me but I just can't sit around and watch television or DVDs. I have to be doing something with my hands and that means building plastic models.
Therefore, with the Kongo on temporary hold while I wait for its new wooden deck, I thought I would start a kit I have had in the stash for many moons now, Dragon's Z-39 Destroyer. I also have the Orange Hobby PE set for it and an Artwox wooden deck.
You start with constructing the various armamnets of the ship and this proved to be VERY frustrating as the items in question are very over-engineered, Many of the parts are just to small to glue together as there isn't enough plastic area to melt together. Then there are the mounting points that just don't have tabs to go into them etc.
One amazing thing is that even the 20mm barrels have hollow muzzles!! The plastic guns are so good you don't need brass barrels for them. SO now I have two spare sets!
Here we have the three main turrets and two torpedo tubes

This piccy shows the level of detail that Dragon provide,

And the 15sm forward turret,

The liferaft is an aftermarket resin one that came with the Orange Hobby Set, Problem is they only give you enough for the turrets..
Next up one of the aft turrets..

Notice the slightly over scale rivets, but I am sure they will tone down under some paint.
Next some pictures of the 3.7cm and various flavours of 2cm guns on board,





And lastly for today the three sizes of hose reels supplied in plastic.
There are replacement brass ones in the Orange Hubby Set but they are just too frustrating to try and construct at the moment after the guns.
Cheers
Warren

Great start Warren, I have built Z38 as HMS Nonsuch, and really enjoyed it.

I found the plastic cable reels really worked well, a trick that worked for me (after I had lost a couple tiny bits to the carpet monster) was to attach the big bit to the little bit, whilst the little bit was still on the sprue, then clipped the reel off as a complete unit.

Si

Hi Simon
Yes, a few bits have been sacrificed to the carpet monster so far, but the Z-38 must have different hose reels as these ones are all two piece. But that is a very good idea I had never thought of before. Thanks!
Cheers mate
Warren

Hi Warren,

That is what I meant, i think the Z38 & Z39 must share some common sprues, the cable reels were in 2 parts, I left the section that was just the end of the reel attached to the sprue, and took the section with the end plate & the glued them together, made it much easier to line the legs up.

Built the light AA guns up with their bases still attached to the sprue, made painting easier too.

Si

Ah... now I understand!

I had a look at the Z-38 abd Z-31 yesterday (in the stash) and they seem to get easier re AA guns. I think I started at the wrong end of the difficulty scale.

You can also predate her, than you get rid of most of the nasty AA's. But then you need a 5th main gun....

Is OK mate as I have got through the nasty AAs now. I am enjoying building her now that I am free of the minutia of the AA guns.

Cheers mate
Warren

Greetings from soggy south-east Queensland.
Well, the first tropical rain depression of the season is upon us, the pool is full and hopefully both of our rain tanks. The cracks in the earth should close up before they swallow Gus the dog.
But back to the subject of this blog. In no particular order..








All the PE in these picture cane with the kit. The wooden deck is Artwox.
Looks like it is all sub-assemblies then all of a sudden it will be finished,
Now please excuse me while I go back to wrapping string around my finger.
Cheers
Warren

looking Great Warren, very tidy etch.

Like the Artworx deck too.

Si

Thanks Si.
There is another piece of wooden deck but the colour guide shows the area to be Dark Grey like the rest of the decks, so I will save it for one of the other two Dragon Zs or one of the Trumpeter ones.
Cheers
Warren

Started drilling out the portholes today and finished off the aft deck house. There are certainly many portholes for a not very large ship!

Well the Z-39 is finished for the moment. Jere are some pictures in no particular order.









The Dragon kit is very very good in plastic detail, unbelievably soin many places, but the instruction and fit of many items lower the overall enjoyment of the build. You don't really have to buy anything extra for this ship if you don't mind doing without railings, but you can get a detail set from Orange Hobby for under $20 with all replacement brass barrels, yes even for the 20mm cannons, and lots of railings etc. I didn't bother with the brass barrels etc as the plastic ones with the kit have hollowed out muzzles as it supplied, yes even the 20mm guns.
So to summarise, a worthy addition for any ones collection, I give it 8/10 due to the fit problems.
Cheers
Warren

Wow! Another great build Warren!

Wish i could churn em out half as fast as you

Nice clean job. But don't you do any shading or pin washes?

Not on this one. I am normally a 'just out of refit' type builder and like nice clean items.. probably as I worked on aircraft as an instrument fitter and love everything to be clean.
I only just started drilling out portho;les... small steps mate.
But fundly enough I just ordered the 'Weathering German Ships' DVD...

Thanks Russell. Amazing how much time you have on your hands when you are unemployed/retired..

Congratulations Warren..... Very rapid!!! I have this Kit. It is very advisable and also I have the set Orange ....... Seeing your Destroyer they give me desire of beginning it already. Jajajajja
congratulations

Bye bye Danuel

Hi Daniel.

Thanks for that. Once you are past building the guns it is a fairly rapid build of lots of sub assemblies which you attach at the end. But beware as you can't attach everything in the order Dragon shows. It is just not possible.
Cheers
Warren

You have done a beautiful job on her Warren. You should be pretty happy.....Cheers mark

Thanks Mark.
Trumpeter's Z-30 version next. OOB.
Cheers mate
Warren