1/350 Graf Zeppelin German Aircraft Carrier

[Build Mon$ter]

Ok, so I am finally ready to debut my 1st attempt at a 1/350 Graf Zeppelin, this is a project I've been wanting to do for quite some time and I'd been hoping that some model company would come out with a kit but alas no such luck yet, so I decided to give it a go.

I started with some research online for pictures and blue prints and found a book that has some nice pictures and drawings, but on some further searches I found a book by Siegfried Breyer, encyclopedia 42 that's in Polish and English that has some large 1/400 foldout line drawings that are perfect for this build, I had several 1/1 copies made so the originals don't get damaged during the build and so I can write notes on them.

My next dilemma was do I scratch build a hull or modify one I already have, luckily there was a defective hull in the Revell 1/350 Battleship Bismarck that I had just acquired, Revell was very helpful in sending me a replacement. I replaced my 1/350 Tamiya Bismarck which had been bothering me for years and after some research I found that the Revell kit is worlds better, I will show my progress on this kit in a later post.

So I was off, I needs to modify the hull, lengthen it and had to widen several inches (cm) of the bow, for those of you who are familiar with the ship I have made one error, I did not widen he stern which is noticeable with a narrower flight deck at the stern, I'm thinking of revisiting and correcting this which would mean remaking the stern half of the flight deck.

As for the flight deck so far I etched it to simulate wood planking, time consuming, but I think it came out rather well. Everything else on the ship except for some parts salvaged from my Tamiya Bismarck kit is scratch built, I am at the same point the real ship was when they stopped working on it.

My biggest challenge coming up will be the aircraft, I have found some 3D printed ones online but to put a decent airwing on board this would get to pricey. So if I can make a relatively accurate model of the aircraft I'll make my own molds to mass produce them and maybe make them available for sale.

I will post more updates and completed pics once I get there, so for now I look forward to your comments and suggestions.

[BBC_KT]

I like it. I can't wait to see your progress.

[mws]

my friend has told me this's the 3rd hull of KM BB Bismarck class, lovely too.

[kawubke]

my friend has told me this's the 3rd hull of KM BB Bismarck class, lovely too.

Nope the Hull was more similar to the Bl�cher Class Heavy Cruiser. But the Carrier itself had its own Design.

Lovely Model well done.

Greetings from Germany
Thomas

[mws]

ah!..you right.
Thanks for this explain.
mws

[CPL_Wiggles]

Very nice! One of my goals is to build a KM Seydlitz conversion to KM Weser.

Did you find in your research what type of wood deck the Graf used? Was it armored?

Great work so far!

[Build Mon$ter]

Hi, actually that is one I am planing on doing as well I plan to build all five of the Admiral Hiper class cruisers in 1/350 I do plan to use the Prinz Eugen kit to convert to the carrier since her hull is the closest in dimensions to the Sydlitz, the book I mentioned in my Graf Zeppelin post has a pretty good line drawing of the DKM Wesser.

Good luck, I hope you post pics

[Build Mon$ter]

Well I just took a minute to log onto the Stevens International web site and did a search for all things 1/350 and I just saw that Trumpeter had announced 15 new kits and one is the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin, that's totally awesome but also now makes mine obsolete, don't know what to do with her now, think I might do some research into the Itallian WW2 Aircraft Carrier and see what it would take to modify mine.

I am totally excited about the news and can't wait to get my hands on all 15 new kits