Scharnhorst 1/350

[AussieBuilder]

*Bookmarked*

Amazing eye for detail.

I will be sure to follow your advice when I get to my Scharnhorst... which may be soon

[Linz]

By now we are all probably aware of the poor quality of the instructions. Even so, I wasn't expecting to find an error first thing. I thought I would include pics of instruction corrections as I proceed. If this seems too stupid, please let me know, and I will stop including the instructions.

Dan.

I've no interest in Scharnhorst nor the underwater details at all, but in the spirit of instruction corrections, should those propellers be in that order?

Why would the odd propeller (M24) be on the side and not the centre?

[California Bound]

Thanks AussieBuilder,
It's a good model, with a lot of nice detail. I hope you enjoy yours when it arrives. My goal is to push myself. To improve my skills where I can. I want to try hand rails on my next build. I'm not up to them yet and I felt they'd get in the way on this paint scheme.
Dan.

[California Bound]

Hi Linz,
The propellers are numbered correctly. I don't know the science. The idea is that a propeller rotating out and down away from the hull is more efficient than one rotating out and up towards the hull. In this case, as Scharnhorst travels forwards, and is viewed from behind, her left propeller would be rotating counter clockwise and her right propeller(with blades set at the opposite angle) would be turning clockwise. In her case, they chose to have the center propeller turn counter clockwise too. So it's blade angle is the same as the left propeller.
Dan.

[Linz]

Hi Linz,
The propellers are numbered correctly. I don't know the science. The idea is that a propeller rotating out and down away from the hull is more efficient than one rotating out and up towards the hull. In this case, as Scharnhorst travels forwards, and is viewed from behind, her left propeller would be rotating counter clockwise and her right propeller(with blades set at the opposite angle) would be turning clockwise. In her case, they chose to have the center propeller turn counter clockwise too. So it's blade angle is the same as the left propeller.
Dan.

Well there you go. My background is aeronautical engineering; this solution wouldn't have occured to me for a tri-engined aircraft. I now have something to look into.

Cheers!

[EJFoeth]

I don't know the science. The idea is that a propeller rotating out and down away from the hull is more efficient than one rotating out and up towards the hull.

This is generally true. Of course, there are cases where it is not true where the effect is either absent or the opposite, and this depends on the hull aft body flow. Some naval ships have inboard rotating propellers so that noise and force fluctuations are less, at a cost of efficiency. Nowadays we can calculate the hull flow so well that we can get the flow to the propeller as symmetric as we'd want it and direction of rotation hardly matters (for efficiency).

We normally define the propeller direction of rotation when viewed from behind as inward or outward rotating over the top for a twin-screw vessel, and call the individual propeller left-handed or right-handed.

The direction of rotation for a center propeller (and symmetric aft body) is according to local custom.

[California Bound]

Thanks EJFoeth, for providing the correct terms. I had never heard of any of the concept before reading areas of this forum. Dan.

[California Bound]

Hi everybody,

Well, I finally got some painting done. This is my choice for the dark gray in the camo. Guns that are going to stay entirely dark gray are all done now.



I've also gotten the boot top and the dark gray camo on the hull. I tried for a stripe 7/32 inch thick that began 4/32 below where the hull halves meet.


With that done, I've gone ahead and done a little more building. I love how the radar is designed so that you can just fold out the little extra bits. Instead of being flat like most radar screens.


I've also started the stack. If you trim the PE as neat as possible, position the pieces in the right order, and do a little light sanding inside the top of the stack, the whole assembly will slide right in.


Corrections and clarifications for page 3 and jumping ahead to the stack on page 5





Thanks for looking.

Dan.

[California Bound]

HI everybody.

It's been mostly a painting weekend. Despite having my air brush break.

After looking at the guns from the previous post more closely, I decided to paint the blast bags a light gray. Originally, I thought the bare, natural color would be okay. But I changed my mind.

In this first picture, you'll see that I attempted to hollow out the upper supports of the large crane. I failed, and had to scratch build a replacement. It's a little on the bulky side but will have to do. I still need to add the rigging and the long ladder piece.


I've gone ahead and built up part of the forward superstructure to the point of painting. Port holes have been drilled out. I had to putty one hole (still have to putty the second one). I didn't realize until after I had opened it, that it and the one next to it, were in the wrong area and should probably be removed. Instructions were correct on this section of the build.


The hanger is now up to the point of painting. Port holes have been opened. It made the most sense to me to angle the walkway under the catapult towards the main mast. The instructions were vague on it's angle. Mounting pins underneath the walkway seem to support this idea. I also went ahead and added the short wide air vent to the sides(N54). The instructions say to add it later, and show the other side already in place but with no reference as to when it was placed. I sat the hanger on the deck in order to get the right position. Also, I tried to use the photo etch paravane from White Ensign but I crushed it. So I'm back to the plastic paravane. Again, the instructions were good (except for the above N54 reference.


The best thing I got done was to get the hull painted. It still needs the white lines and touching up, which I'll do by hand. My camo plan is a mixture. The hull will be mostly Dragon's pattern with one change, and also it is slightly repositioned and resized to work with my hull. The color though, is my personal interpretation of the Toller/Bonomi gray color scheme. Superstructure will be Toller/Bonomi pattern and gray color scheme.


Thanks for looking.

Dan.

[California Bound]

Hi everybody,

It's been a hectic weekend, but I did get some things done.

I thought I'd start with the corrections first this time.

In this picture N54 is the part I referenced earlier. The holes in the yellow reference are actually in the rear left corner. Not the front right corner as they imply. The wall shown already in place is actually part K73. And lastly I have identified K34 as a small piece that goes at the rear to complete the overhang area.


In this picture, the vertical position of part K31 is vague. It is better to attach the highlighted tab into the provided notch in the back of the hanger instead. This will ensure the proper height.


I forgot to scan a picture but another correction is the front boat booms. The instructions don't show it, or call for it. They are pieces N52 and should be mounted just above the upper row of hull port holes about as far forward as the front main turret.

This is the final correction for this week. This piece is not missing. It is piece L24. And the ladder should be positioned to climb up to piece L24, not positioned on L24 to climb to the roof. This piece should also have two support poles underneath it. There are indents in the deck and in the bottom of the piece. I haven't been able to find them though. They seem to have either not been included, or any extra support beams that are available, are either too tall, or seem too thick for my taste. I will use thin metal rod instead.


As for my progress. I've added the platform, ladder, and the railing. I am not convinced that this platform should even exist since it just seems to be there for no reason. So I've repositioned the ladder from the front of the range finder to the back. If I have any extra ladder later, I'll add some from the platform, up to the higher ladder. This way the platform will at least have a purpose.


I've assembled the rear radar. Again, very nice touch having the little bits being able to be bent out. I like it a lot. However, the kit provided, upper radar, looks totally wrong to me. It doesn't match any pictures I've seen, and doesn't even look like a radar to me. I've decided to use the 1/400 Palau radar from Toms Modelworks instead. It at least looks like a radar and seems to match what I've seen in pictures.


I've added the propeller guard rigging from stretched sprue.


And lastly, this is how my hull has turned out.


Now I can finally start working on deck patterns.
Thanks for looking.

Dan.

[California Bound]

Hi everybody.

For corrections, there's only a couple more from last week that I forgot to post. I didn't even notice the first one until I had the assembly finished and realized that there was an extra part. Since then I've separated the parts with a razor blade and added the missing piece.




I've been working on the deck, and am quite pleased how it's turned out. It went relatively smoothly considering I had to shape the pieces. Here's the easy part.


Here's the bow before and then after. There's two things I don't like about the KA after market decks.
1) They don't put a complete piece under the chain area. They put one piece around the chain area, and a second piece on top of the chain area. So I've put an entire piece down first, then the chain areas get a second layer on top.

I've noticed that Scaledecks has also done this in their designs. A nice improvement I think.

2) The other thing I haven't liked is the fact that the planks on the angled areas continue to run straight ahead. So, I've cut some 3 plank wide strips and made my own angled planks.

As far as I know, nobody has addressed this idea yet.




The rear deck had a separate problem. From here back, the deck is one piece. No more areas to hide seams.


As you can see, the full sheet has a bit of a problem.


So, here's my solution to minimize the seam. I've removed a section by cutting along the line between planks.


Then I've moved it down for the needed length.


Then I put the rest of the detail locations on the piece.


This is how she looks over all.


Thanks for looking.

Dan.

[MartinJQuinn]

Nice work. I have to resit the temptation to start mine...

[California Bound]

Thanks Martin.

I must admit, there have been times that my failures and disappointment with the small photo etch, and all the headaches involved with the instructions, that I've considered moving on to another project. But as it gets more complete, it is getting easier to continue.

Dan.

[J. Soca]

She is taking shape Dan love the job you did with the camo!!!



Jose

[California Bound]

Thanks Jose,

The white lines could be better. After the masking and air brushing and touching up, I ended up just doing them free hand on the other side. Just about as good, and maybe even a little better. That degausing cable sure didn't help things. It would have been nice if Dragon had included that as a separate piece with locating pins.

Dan.

[California Bound]

Hi everybody,

Well, this update starts out with the razor blade. Again...

I noticed that I had glued the gray boxes on the wrong sides of the gun roofs. So I had to correct it. Ignore the size difference.


As I was building this weekend, I noticed another instructional error. The instructions call for you to use N5 three times, N15 three times, and N21 12 times. However, the kit only includes 2 of N5, 2 of N15 and 8 of N21. This has caused me to go back and recheck everything. Pieces are going to have to be reassigned in areas. So far, I've used all 8 of the N21's on the main boat racks. And for right or wrong, I'm already committed to N15 for the propeller guards. These next two pics show what I've found on the sprues and what I think they're for so far, or how I intend to use them.




I had a hard time getting the solid brass wall to bend smoothly, so I replaced it with construction paper. Now it's nice and solid.


It's too solid actually. As I understand it, it's supposed to be canvas covered railings. Not a solid wall. So, I'm trying an experiment. Here, I've glued another piece or railing to the paper.


Now, I've glued aluminum foil over the railing, and pushed it down into the grooves. I hope that when it's painted, it'll look like canvas over rails.


This is my choice for sub assemblies for the middle third of the superstructure. I thought the White Ensign parts would replace the boat rack walking areas, but as you can see, they're way too small. I've decided to add them on top of the plastic as a non skid plate idea. More railings are still needed on the far side. Otherwise it's ready for paint.


The base for the stack is all ready. I've added extra railing.


The stack still needs more pieces added before being ready for paint. It's a tight fit, but the rack support (K17) will be added after the stack is glued to the deck. K17 is flexible enough to get between the supports for the center boat.


Thanks for looking.

Dan.

[California Bound]

Here's a small update to my previous list.


Two more pieces of railing to go, then I should be able to start doing some more painting.

Dan.

[California Bound]

Hi everybody, well I've messed up again. I mixed up the areas. The middle platform on the main mast, the catwalks on the bridge, and possibly the search light platform are the ones to be canvas covered. This deck is supposed to be solid. So it's back to paper, although a thinner sheet this time. Oops. . Dan

[B.Lampman]

Dan,

One of the worst things with the instructions is that the order of construction or the lack of one is so hard to follow. During my build I continually had to ask myself a simple question: "If I attach this part will it get in the way of the next part and have I missed something along the way"? Many parts are just not included in the instructions. I have seen worst instructions before and these are very close to them. These really make you think every step of the way! However, the end result of the build, is you will have one of the most detailed and accurate warship models ever made in plastic.

Bill

[richtea]

Once again thank you Dan,
your post will help lesser modelers like myself from making mistakes that could deter us from continuing in this
fascinating hobby.
Have not yet started my build yet, will wait till I have everything that I require.
Got the P/E, scale decks and will get the WEM paint next month.
Then its into the builders yard and start reading your post from the start again.
Many thanks
Richard

PS Why bring such a detailed kit out and not include a nameplate, any ideas ?