Calling all Italian Zara, Pola, Gorizia & Fiume fans

[Gernot]

Even from the Russian book illustration it looks like the Diaz (note the main rangefinder slots).

[Gilbert]

Even from the Russian book illustration it looks like the Diaz (note the main rangefinder slots).

Definitely Armando Diaz

Cheers

Gilbert

[Seeadler290]

OK,
This is my first attempt at uploading images for use here. Let us see if it works.
Here are my suggestions for useful photoetch items for the Zara class.
I have not mentioned railings as these are well-covered by Tauro in 1:400. Some of thier other sets are also useful, but many are not quite right for Zara, for example, the slits in the stair carriages provided to not match this class. Images are from the Classic Warships series unless noted otherwise.
Here goes:

[Seeadler290]

Here are the final two images that I have marked with potentially useful photo-etch items.



For me, the most useful would be (forgive my misuse of terms):
1. Ships boats details and boat racks.
2. Platform structures, like that at the rear rangefinder.
3. Large braces like those at the bridge rangefinder on Fiume and small brackets for platforms everywhere.
4. Open structure yardarms and bridge arms.
5. Huge mesh air vents like on Fiume, both abreast bridge and large group of them before the mainmast.
6. Aircraft details
7. The large number of tripod stanions for canopy support lining most of the main deck fore and aft.
8. Odd little things like the light structure on the foredeck near the aircraft elevator hatch, funnel caps, doors, skylight hatches, hatches and turret/rangefinder details.
Please feel free to chime in if you have other items you would like to see for this class!

[Timmy C]

The following is from Secondo in regards to the MiniHobbyModels 1/350 Pola, as posted over in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=56523

Most of the errors are concentrated into the bridge area. This photo from the Warship pictorial about RM heavy cruisers (this book could be helpful to all who are going to build this model as it features a 1/350th scale colour drawing of Pola with both side and vertical wiews) is useful for finding the most evident faults



- missing parts: the quadrapod and mainmast legs, and a small bandstand near the base of the quadrapod forward legs that housed a single 40mm/39 Vickers AA gun, plus an infinity of girders underneath each bridge level.

- inconsistent parts: secondary directors are nowhere near to the real thing; bridge railings should be higher, secondary guns' shields are too squared, and I also suspect the forward funnel cap to be underdimensioned. Rangefinders' armored covers on main turrets are wrong in shape. Small parts such as 37mm/54 Breda AA guns are, needless to say, mostly useless.

- hull issues: both stem and stern are wrong in shape, the bow should be vertical and more faired and the stem more rounded. Rudder is underdimensioned (which is strange as this was born as a dynamic model) and propellers' axles should be parallel to the keel line, not inclined

This is another photo, coming from the net, but present as well into the Warship pictorial: from this wiew, it appears that main guns' barrel are a bit short and too spaced; also, the flat surface of bridge walls and forward funnel is evident, those raised bands on the model should be obliterated. Out of curiosity, you can make out a pair of 40mm Vickers guns on the bandstands at the base of the forward funnel.

[Daniel Chavez]

Greetings!

I'm currently working on my $7.99 version of the 1/350 Hobby Boss Pola. I love this class of Italian cruisers, even the Ugly Duckling (Pola)! I hope to have her finished within a few weeks. I'll try to post progress pics as time allows if anyone is interested.

Does anyone know if Pola had vertical ladders on the rear of her 8" turrets and, if so, what their positions would have been? I was going to work on the main battery today, but I can't paint as scheduled due to rain (in S. California?? What are the odds of rain cancelling painting?? We were at 98 deg F just two days ago!! )

Thanks in advance!

Daniel Chavez

[tomcat Fanatic]

Hello All,

recently bought RN POLA from HB, what are your suggestions on aftermarket items,
I was thinking about gun barrels, and railings, did find 2 sets of guns, but no railings, do they exist ?

[Secondo]

Hello All,

recently bought RN POLA from HB, what are your suggestions on aftermarket items,
I was thinking about gun barrels, and railings, did find 2 sets of guns, but no railings, do they exist ?

AFAIK, there's no such thing as a 1/350 Regia Marina railing set. Just use what you've got at hand, no one will notice anyway

[Stefano]

Actually, there are PE sets from Tauro Models and probably Giampiero (Regia Marina - Mas) has PE non specific for the kit but likely usable on it.

[Stefano]

http://www.astromodel.it/catalogsearch/ ... 50&x=0&y=0

[tomcat Fanatic]

A ok.. THX.. will use, some other type of apropriate railings..

[Seeadler290]

Beautiful Pola in yesterday's gallery Marcello!
I plan to do all four of my Zara classmates in the May 1938 scheme.

[Dan Banks]

Looking to wade into the Hobbyboss Pola and was wondering if the La Arsenel medium raft accessory set would be close? It says they are for US Navy but they look oval, not rectangular. They don't say anything about actual size?

[drdoom1337]

Generally, is the Tauro or Hobby boss kit of this class considered superior? I absolutely have to add one to my collection. I'm not against building a 1/700 Delphis version either...

[Secondo]

Generally, is the Tauro or Hobby boss kit of this class considered superior? I absolutely have to add one to my collection. I'm not against building a 1/700 Delphis version either...

Tauro has the old molds from the long since defunct company Navalplast, Hobby Boss is more recent but it's nothing more than a bathtub toy. All considered, I'd choose the Tauro or the Delphis. At least they offer each individual ship from the class.

[drdoom1337]

Thanks for the info. I guess I might as well pick up one of the Tauro line. I know Tauro makes their own photo etch sets which pretty much would cover the entire ship. I'm just not sure if I want to get the Pola and paint it in overall grey, or get one of the other three and use disruptive camouflage. No matter what it's a win-win. We made some of the most beautiful warships ever.

[Secondo]

There is indeed a photoetch fret that comes with the Tauro kits, but it has only the railings; I don't know if they have issued a true and complete PE set meanwhile.
Also, if you want a camouflaged ship, only Fiume and Gorizia were camouflaged, and we know nothing about Fiume's port side pattern.

[drdoom1337]

There's no ship specific etch at all I think, even in 1/700 from Regia Marina. Tauro does make everything necessary in individual sets though. I'm leaning towards either doing a pre-war Fiume or Gorizia.

[Seeadler290]

The Tauro 1/400 sets are very useful, but they are far from the complete photoetch coverage for the ships we see today.
See the August 2009 posts in this thread for documetation and an appeal for PE producers to consider production of a Zara class set. Certain items have distinctly characteristic features on Italian vessels.

[Skillers]

Has anyone got a copy of Orizzonte Mare for the Zara class that they don't want?