Mike Coleman still wrote:
The under cut for the torpedo blisters on the hull sides are a bit deep in my opinion. Color scheme presented is a three color splinter camo with a medium grey deck. I think natural wood would be nice. The hanger deck could certainly be detailed as the elevators are separate pieces. It looks like it will be a fun build.
I pulled out my AJ Press and Schiffer books on GZ and checked - I think the odd undercut on the bulges is actually correct! From photos and sections provided (including some copied from the German originals), it appears that the bulges simply used the bilge keels of the original hull as their bottom edges. Yay, no need to rework the bulge shape!
Something else very interesting I noticed in plan copies is that GZ had a 2-story hangar, like the IJN carriers! The kit's hangar deck only takes you down one level. So, shall I scratchbuild a lower level around one elevator to show off this feature... or were their elevators to be 2-level affairs like the Japanese, so you could never actually see down into the lower hangar? I'll have to study the drawings a bit more.
The AJ book has some photos that indicate wood planking on the flight deck, above the armor. As the kit portrays the deck as smooth, a stick-on deck would be quite appreciated. One thing I'm not sure of is whether there should be planking on the bow or stern decks below the flight deck. I haven't noticed any photos of these areas where one could tell, and don't see anything called out on plans.
I agree, this should be a fun build. And while I like the box art's hypothetical splinter scheme, I'm mulling over building mine with either a Baltic scheme with the black and white stripes, or perhaps an Operation Cerberus-style mottling.
- Sean F.