1/700 DKM Graf Spee (Dec 1939) - Fujimi

[Filipe Ramires]

Another question regarding Admiral Graf Spee. I am almost done with the process of detailing the main turrets however I lack photos or any information regarding the back of the main turrets. The question is there were any doors/hatches on the back or even smoke ventilators. I have dozens of photos of the ship and none of them shows this part of the turret. Annoying to say the least!!!
Any ideas?
Cheers,

Filipe

[Terryn]

Filipe

I've got several pictures which show a large flat thing that looks like some sort of ventilator on the back of the turrets. It looks as if there are two with one towards the outside edge on each side. There is an opening at the bottom. I'll try to scan a picture for you but my new Vista PC don't like my old scanner

They are depicted on the Italeri/Revell 1/720 kit but not the Fujimi one.

Happy Modelling.

Terry
Buenos Aires

Another question regarding Admiral Graf Spee. I am almost done with the process of detailing the main turrets however I lack photos or any information regarding the back of the main turrets. The question is there were any doors/hatches on the back or even smoke ventilators. I have dozens of photos of the ship and none of them shows this part of the turret. Annoying to say the least!!!
Any ideas?

[Filipe Ramires]

Terryn,

Thanks for the tip. If you can scan the photo and put it online it would be a great help indeed for me. Otherwise don't bother much about it. I am going to take a look on photos of Deutschland/Lutzow and Admiral Scheer to see if I can get a look on that part of the turret. Ships were of the same class so most likely everything should be equal in the main turrets.
Cheers,

Filipe

[Filipe Ramires]

Right, will looking for photos online of the back of the 11' main turrets of the Deutschlands (of which I got nearly nothing useful other then extreme needed zoom in photos) I found this good photo that solved a future problem ahead in the construction of Admiral Graf Spee...the back of the 5.9' turrets which are open but never got so far a decent photo of them in that angle. Here is the link for the photo in question:

http://www.militaritaeten.de/admiral-scheer-14.jpg

Problem is that I have to scratch-build all the secondary battery given that the parts that come with the model are "solid as concrete"!!! Now, wondering how to make 8x5.9' open turrets all equal!?!?!?!?! The barrels I have them already so it's one less thing to think about it.
Regards,

Filipe

[JWintjes]

Filipe,

not wanting to prevent you from excelling at scratchbuilding these - but these guns would be closed by a canvas screen on all but two occasions: combat/life fire exercise or special inspection (which seems to be the reason for the very interesting picture you posted).

I'd say simply paint the back in canvas colour....

One qualification, though - I realize that the shape of the guns is really poor, so there is probably a need for replacing them with something else.

Personally I'm not sure what to do; I have a Matchbox Spee in the wings and tend to think that using the Matchbox guns as a basis for reworking, but their shape is a little suspect.

Incidentally - sorry for hijacking, but I have to say this - I think the Matchbox kit is somewhat underrated. Many of the small parts are very strange, but the hull is in my eyes better than the Fujimi one.

Jorit

[Filipe Ramires]

Jorit,

Yes, the canvas question...my mind gave it an instant lazy thought on it for sure!!! It truly turns things simple even more because the "entrance" of the turret is kind of an arc shape!!!!!!!!!!!! Perhaps to consider putting some of the batteries trained and with canvas opened and others closed...like if they were kind in exercise...at least gives a bit more action to the ship.
The guns I got myself the NNT set of metal barrels of 5.9'. Very good stuff indeed and the set brings 12 barrels so I will still have 4 left (perhaps for an old Z-class destroyer which is there getting old ).
About the Matchbox model I had it some years ago already in Revell box and I had the Fujimi one already. I recall that the details in the hull were pretty good but the rest, like you said, was slightly less quality compared to Fujimi. In any case I am barely using any parts of the original model. So far only part of the hull and the main turrets have been used and all heavily retouched by me! I guess my Spee is turning more in a "destroy first and rebuild better after" exercise.

[JWintjes]

Jorit,

Yes, the canvas question...my mind gave it an instant lazy thought on it for sure!!! It truly turns things simple even more because the "entrance" of the turret is kind of an arc shape!!!!!!!!!!!! Perhaps to consider putting some of the batteries trained and with canvas opened and others closed...like if they were kind in exercise...at least gives a bit more action to the ship.

Ah, that's a nice idea - only the guns on one side trained towards the target, with onlookers around. Have to remember that (hehe, nothing better than stealing other people's diorama ideas... ).

The guns I got myself the NNT set of metal barrels of 5.9'. Very good stuff indeed and the set brings 12 barrels so I will still have 4 left (perhaps for an old Z-class destroyer which is there getting old ).
About the Matchbox model I had it some years ago already in Revell box and I had the Fujimi one already. I recall that the details in the hull were pretty good but the rest, like you said, was slightly less quality compared to Fujimi. In any case I am barely using any parts of the original model. So far only part of the hull and the main turrets have been used and all heavily retouched by me! I guess my Spee is turning more in a "destroy first and rebuild better
after" exercise.

From what I see it's rather a scratchbuild using some undefined plastic parts that by pure accident come out of a box with "Spee" on it. Excellent work!

Jorit