1/700 SMS Derfflinger

[hypno7]

Hello everyone!

I would like to share the progress of my latest model project, the SMS Derfflinger in 1/700. I will use the Takom/Flyhawk kit with the upgrade set from Flyhawk. For reference I have:

• - Koop, Gerhard, and Klaus-Peter Schmolke. Vom Original Zum Modell: Die Gro�en Kreuzer von Der Tann, Moltke-Klasse, Seydlitz, Derfflinger-Klasse. Bernard + Graefe, 1998.
  - Staff, Gary. German Battlecruisers of World War One. Seaforth Publishing, 2014.
  - Brown, Robert, and Steve Backer. Shipcraft 22: German Battlecruisers: Of the First World War. Casemate Publishers, 2016.
  - Marsden, Samuel, and Gary Staff. The German Battlecruiser SMS Derfflinger. Kagero, 2021.

I wanted to experiment a bit more with 3D printing on this model. On my last model, the HMS Warspite, I replaced nearly all deck fittings (skylights, bollards, hatches, etc.) with available PE parts. That was a lot of work and very difficult to do consistently, but it was worth the effort in my opinion. Unfortunately, for ships of the High Seas Fleet, there are not many commercial options for these details. After following several video tutorials and experimenting with a 3D printer, I am somewhat OK with the results. I attach some photos of the deck with the "replacement" fittings. The deck planking butt-ends have also been filled, because its effect is a bit exaggerated.

all cleaned up and ready for priming and painting to see if it will work.

Hull glued together, screw shafts reconstructed, sink holes and blemishes fixed, deck cleaned, and primed. The plan is to build it in its 1916 version, before the tripod mast reconstruction was made.

comments and criticism welcomed!

[ModelMonkey]

Truly sublime.

And a favorite subject.

[Sszabi]

It's amazing how much work can be saved with 3d printers and what beautiful details can be produced (of course, I don't think it can be done in two minutes either). I'm envious at this time, because I don't have the opportunity to do that, I have to stick to the old methods

I'm looking forward to more, it's looking good so far!

[marijn van gils]

Great work Erick!
The 3D designed parts are obviously and improvement over the kit details. And I'm also not a fan myself of too obvious but-ends on deck planking, so I love that you took the time to fill those.

[hypno7]

Thank you all for the kind comments!

@Steve: Those battlecruisers are really beautiful, very sleek hull and "simple" superstructure.

@Szabi: I am envious of the work on your Mauretania. I see 3D printing as a tool to help me get many parts that look the same consistently. I fail doing that using the old methods.

@Marijn: Those butt-ends are one of those things that once someone points it out to you, you can never un-see

I add some pictures of the process. This time i painted the deck with only one colour. What I did is I shaded individual planks with a mechanical pencil and then painted over it. The pictures are not that good (phone camera), but up close you can see the variation in tone. I put a gloss varnish also in preparation for more painting.

I also test fit the decks and the very nice Micro-Master turrets. They were a bit expensive, but worth it. The shape is correct and has the correct opening sizes for the barrels for the time I want to depict the model

comments and criticism welcomed!

[SG1]

Lovely progress, well done. The turrets are a great choice, worth the expense . Looking forward to see the next update soon

[JIM BAUMANN]

.....>>>> ...The deck planking butt-ends have also been filled, because its effect is a bit exaggerated....<<<....



I have been saying that for 25 years plus !

Good choice of subject!
JIM B

[hypno7]

Thank you for the kind comments SG1 and Jim! Actually you Jim pointed out to me about the butt-ends, and now I cannot ignore the effect it has.

A small update regarding the 8,8cm gun mounts on the deck. The guns by the forward funnel are clearly 8,8cm FLAK L/45 mounts, there are pictures of them. Near the rear funnel, the mounts look a little different. According to the Kagero book, these were 8,8cm SK L/45 as evident on the picture below. The shield is different because these were the guns in the casemates under the armored bridge.

There is a nice diagram in the Staff book (page 17)

The problem is that i could not find a more detailed gun in this scale commercially, so I have to make one. The kit parts are very simple and I need 4 that look the same, so I go back to my 3D printer.

I am ashamed to post this design here from Tinkercad because of all the really professional people here posting proper 3D design, but this is what I can do until I learn how to use the proper software and techniques. Also noted is that the actual part has to be "printable" and I more or less already know the limitations of my printer. A really detailed 1:1 3D model will not print with what I have. At least the dimensions are somewhat OK.

The printed result with the brass barrel applied.

[hypno7]

Hello everyone,

it is been a bit too warm this summer, but I would like to update the WIP. I painted the hull and decks, and parts of the superstructure. I used a mix of Vallejo paints this time because the AK acrylics I used on the SMS K�nig are not available anymore. Also, I prefer the Vallejo ones as a matter of taste.

The boats are from ModellbauRay, the motorboats are very good and correct shape. The Launches (Barkasse Klasse 0) are not that great and I will have a replacement for them.

Also, many of the deck fittings were painted and placed on the deck to see how they look. I think the extra effort of removing the plastic details, drawing them, and 3D printing them was worth it... at least in my opinion because I wanted the skylights to be in the open position. I also added a oil paint wash, this needs to be cleaned up a bit more.

Sorry for the bad quality pictures and messy workbench. I have advanced more on the ship but I haven't taken many pictures of the process. I want to finish this model by October/November.

comments and critique welcome!

[mick]

great work