Tirpitz, lonely Queen of the North: update July 4th, Finished

Nice!  Looking forward to your next update!

Thank you Scott ! I noticed your DKM Konig build and will be following your progress there. Beautiful subject you chose

Julian

Looking good, look forward to the rest! cheers

I'm reading a book about the German Navy and I'm getting a hankering to make an impulse buy! LOL The Tirpitz, Scharnhorst, Prinz Eugen, and Graf Spee are on my radar. I wasn't aware that Revell made a 1/350 scale Tirpitz. Is it a rebox?

Hi Tigerman, no not a strict re-box. Lots of new molding and different parts as compared to the Revell Bismark. Check out the RG website for further info. I bought this in a store that was closing down so the price was very comfortable for a 1/350 model (allowing me to go crazy and by tons of the dreaded PE ).

Julian

I'm very impressed re how you got that aerial recog flag decal to snuggle down over that planking. I sort of winged it (pun intended) on the two Junkers corrugated cruisers I recently posted in "Civil Aviation"

Scott, ditto but I can see where you would be into ships.

Bill

Hi Bill, lots of credit goes to Revell for the excellent quality decals. Add to that the magic of micro sol and micro set and things tend to work out right Also I used two different decals for the markings: Revell supplies a red square with a white circle due to German laws prohibiting the use of the Swastika. The Swastikas I used came from an after market set of various sized decals, one set of which fitted perfectly in the white circles.

Julian

Hi Grem56, always enjoy your work. I was looking at your latest build and was noticing the Nazi flag on the foredeck. Assuming that it is painted, how did you mask the deck so that the paint doesn't flow under the mask along the troughs between the ridges?

Thanks

Barry

Hi Grem 56,

Sorry about my last post, I said that "assuming it is painted" when I already knew it was a decal. I should have said "were to be painted,"  That is, I've often wondered how people mask over a rough surface and still get a lean edge?

Thanks

Barry

Hi Barry, I did consider painting the air recognition flags at first. Would have been a question of burnished down Tamiya masking tape and a touch up after for any paint seepages before the first oil washes. In this case the decals gave excellent results so painting didn't become necessary.

cheers,

Julian

First update january 10th, no spraying possible in garage and PE on hold, (waiting for Gator Grip Glue from the US of A to arrive). The Tirpitz looks rather dire at the moment, metal gun barrels not yet lined out, blotchy washes catching the eye and the hanger floor and Arado not at their best at the moment. Things can only get better one would think

cheers,

Julian

Second update January 17th: The Gator Grip glue has arrived and the "battle" with the PE has taken on serious shape, (have ordered a "5 speed Hold 'n Fold from JB models: this micro size PE from Eduard is beautiful to look at but hell to work with, soft and very unforgiving). The Gator glue works fine for flat surface to surface joins. I am not too sure about other joins though: the railings on top of turret "Bruno" for the quad 20mm crew had me messing with Gator glue for about 15 minutes before I decided to leave well alone and grab the CA gel. Not in the pictures is the hull having recieved its first layer of white (temperatures above zero again here in Holland). The first Arado is now in its splinter camo and just about ready for decals:

That's all for now,

Cheers,

Julian

3rd update, January 24th. My hold and fold has arrived from Austria, beautiful piece of tooling. I hope it makes PE life easier along with the Gator glue Progress has been slow this week, first working out the colors specified by Revell and the masking and painting the camo onto the Tirpitz. The photos show the port side in full camo colors and under a fresh layer of Vallejo matt varnish ready for weathering when the starboard side is complete too. The underwater ship is masked by a couple of bin liners and Tamiya masking tape. Ok here goes:

Thats all for now,

cheers,

Julian

Good looking build so far. I was especially interested in your comments about the Eduard PE, as I build in 1/700, where it is wayyyyy easier to crumple soft PE. I have never used their stuff but will keep that in mind.

Thanks for the comments. The Eduard PE is beautifully etched but soft and easy to break or bend. If I get the radar scanners made up without damage I will be a happy man

Julian

Great looking ship!  I got her sister (1/350 Tamiya Bismarck), that I am going to do with PE after I get a couple more ships in.

Thank you ! Revell did a great job on both these ships. I chose the Tirptiz mainly because of the flashy paint job.

Cheers,

Julian

Update 4, January 29th. Camo finished on port and starboard sides. Both sides above the waterline sealed with matt acrylic varnish ready for weathering (and it needs that to bring the upper and lower hull together). Ok, photo time:

Cheers,

Julian

Latest update: main deck has been fitted, (excellent fit. Revell did a good job here, no clamps needed, deck fitted like a glove), deckhouse fitted and camo added. Running into more and more PE now. I am getting used to the Gator Grip Glue, fantastic stuff that makes life easier. The hold and fold makes folding PE a snap, should have invetsed in one of these sooner. For anyone wondering why PE is needed take a look at the difference between the Revell molded aircraft catapult and the folded PE catapult, no comparison....................Also check the supports for the deck, Revell left this out completely. The build itself is somewhat chaotic, sub-assemblies with lots of checking what is replaced by PE and what not so progress is unbelievably slow.Okay some photos:

Long weekend coming up so maybe I can make some progress

Cheers,

Julian

I'm loving this WIP - excellent work and progress.  Thanks!

Cheers, Rick

Thanks Rick, hope you enjoy it as much as I am at the moment.

cheers,

Julian

All the PE has now been fitted to the funnel and the "hold and fold" and "Gator Grip Glue" have made this a lot easier for me to finish (in spite of bad eyesight and fumble fingers ). All ready now for the first spray of paint:

Cheers,

Julian

Nice looking work---the splinter scheme has always been a favorite of mine...

Thanks Manny, glad you dropped in for a look.

Cheers,

Julian

Another weekly update here, Sunday February 21st. My Kriegsmarine cable reels have arrived from White Ensign models and they are a great improvement on the Revell and Eduard offerings. I have also ordered the WEM porthole and hatch covers, hope that arrives next week. I have added seats and training gear to the two twin 37mm flak emplacements just forward of the superstucture, the 10 eurocent coin will give some idea of the size of 1/350th seats . I have fitted the port forward gangway on its stowage mount. The funnel is painted and the first part of the superstructure is underway. I am fitting 3 Arado's to my build, (bought the Trumpie box of 6 ), of which the first one will not be too visible, ( the little guy in the starboard hangar). Time for some pictures:

Thats all at the moment, cheers,

Julian

Looking very nice. Time spent getting the p/e just right obviously shows. try doing it in 1/700!

To return to a post earlier about masking 'rough' surfaces (such as scale 12'' deep furrows that manufacturers have to use to represent planking in almost any scale!) I find that self adhesive foil such as the 'bare metal foil' brand does a very good job as masking. It isn't the cheapest way of doing it though....!

Will

Thanks Will, I'll pass on the 1/700th scale PE though. Pushing the enveloppe too far there

Julian

Have you thought about Eduards 1/350 scale AA weapons set?

Hi Mikey, no, didn't realise Eduard had a separate set and the WEM set looked a bit too intricate for me. I'll stick with these. Maybe when I get around to building the IJN Haruna I bought I'll have enough experience with munchkin size PE to try that as well......................................

Cheers,

Julian