Orange Hobby Graf Zeppelin: First Resin Kit

[PetrolGator]

Well, off to the next project...

I wanted to win "Best Ship" in an IPMS contest. I, uh, succeeded and took home the "Best of Show" at the Lafayette show. I'm honestly stunned on that one. My next goal is to take a "theme" award. We have a contest in January with a "what if" theme which interests me. With that in mind, I'm going to take a stab at resin and build Orange Hobby's Graf Zeppelin, ideally in a nice dazzle or disruptive camouflage.

I'm also planning on scratching some little Fl-282s or an Fa-223. I figure the Zepplin's intended use was recon and commerce raiding, so why not fit her with some choppers? I can imagine them being rather useful in locating, tracking, and potentially attack convoys. I'll need some help making the masters for these (if I do both.)

At any rate, this is my first resin kit. I've absorbed all the advice and tutorials I can, cleaned the resin, and began the build.

I'm playing with the dry fit. All the major sections fit beautifully. This is truly a lovely kit.


Currently, I've cleaned the hull and began filling any casting errors. There aren't many. I've also started fitting a few of the platforms along the side of the hull. Most have gone on easily after some sanding. I got a little overzealous and removed a little bit too much on the aft most platform I've installed, but it'll clean up with some putty.


At least it's straight?


Gaps here are minimal and will easily be solved with dilute putty or Mr Surfacer.

Orange Hobby PE feels VERY stiff, but with delicate lattice structures, I like it. I just hope it isn't brittle like some of the Eduard stuff I've used.



I plan to build the PE supports on to the bottom of the forward and aft flight deck projections. I think that will ease overall construction and painting.

Resin is certainly interesting. The plan is to prime her with Mr. Resin, fit her on a sea base and MAYBE display her refueling a Zerstroyer.

Time will tell if I want to take it that far.

[chewitt13]

This is the first time seen this model out of the box,will be watching this build with interest.

[Stein Gildberg]

Petrol: Looks like a great kit! Pity it is not available in 1:350. I prefer that scale, and my experience with 1:700 so far has only been some old HP-model kits displaying a kind of uneven quality�
This kit however, could be the one to make me change my mind, and with PE-stash available it can be a real eye catcher.
I�ll be following this project closely!

Stein

[PetrolGator]

Alright, a few observations from a newbie in resin:
- This stuff sands quick. (Yes, I'm using a respirator.)
- Fit, even on a good resin kit can be difficult (see below)
- Holy heck CA glue sets quick.

I'm currently adding small deck assembles to the hull and test fitting/building smaller sub assemblies where I can. The aft overhand of the flight deck doesn't quite mate with the hull. It leaves a gap. I will have to fill this thoroughly with thinned putty or CA glue. It's hidden under an overhand, but I hate even knowing it's there.

Note that Orange Hobby actually pre-drilled the holes for your casemate barrels. Nice touch.

Here's where I stand:


Nice gaps, gun. I'll set this as level as possible and gap fill like crazy.


Orange Hobby PE is VERY nice. It's stiff, but not difficult, well, minus that curved bit at the end. It feels like foil, twists like foil, but did not seem to want to shape as easily as foil. Pain in the butt.


Quick view of the topside details. And the carpet. Hi, carpet. No, you may not have and PE.

All for now. With all the stuff going on in the next few weeks, this will be a SLOW build.

[LE BOSCO]

HI Chris

original model for a first resin kit the kit looks to be of good quality, which for a first,which can be determinant, for not be disgusted for life from of Resins kits
good luck for the assembly,but it looks to be on course
cheers
Nicolas

[Hallis]

You are a machine!. I've been sitting on my butt over here for like a month without doing any big projects, lol.

[Stein Gildberg]

Better and better Petrol! I really like the nice PE and your work.

Are you going to put the ship in a scenario? I mean - since this is a ship that never really was, it leaves you with a great opportunity to create a scenario just the way you want, without taking any "historically correct" accounts.


Regarding sanding resin: Have you considered using water while sanding? Leaves you without any problems at all what dust and health risks are concerned.

Stein

[Quincy]

Man, that hull has a lot of portholes. Interesting project Chris. Looking forward to watching your build unfold.




Bob Pink.

[PetrolGator]

Bob: Yeah. It does. I'd hate to be the damage control officer on this barge if they ate a few torpedoes.

Stein: Thank you. I'm hoping to tackle another older kit in 700 after this. I figure it will be an opportunity to try some scratch work that I've never done.

Shane: Just bored man. Very bored.

Nicolas: Thanks. I certainly hope this doesn't sour me to resin! I have a lot of kits sitting about.

This will be done with a diorama, more than likely refueling a zerstroyer.

[PetrolGator]

Small update. I'm going out of town for the weekend, so it'll be a while until I get to work on the GZ again.

The biggest issue I've seen are the gaps. They're not TERRIBLE, but will require a bit of work. I thinned some Tamiya putty down and applied it in layers. There's... still more filling to do. Bubbles-wise, she's pretty solid. There's also no sign of warping.

While waiting, I built all the casemate guns:

Sorry for the blur. Stupid phone. The pre-drilled holes are NICE.

I also built a single heavy AA gun. You have to carefully drill the holes for the barrels, but it's not too bad, being resin.


In place:


Here's where she is. Sorry, again, about the blur. Note the gap on the aft flight deck. That's gonna be fun.

[Quincy]

For some of the gaps to fill, maybe use some appropriate sized Evergreen strips or any scrap plastic that you have lying around. Stick it into the gap, and putty where needed. I've done this before and it works out quite well.




Bob Pink.

[Stein Gildberg]

Petrol!
Take a second look at your 105mm AAs. The guns themselves are positioned too far forward in the mount. Correct position is when the rear part of the guns locking mechanism lines up with the rear part of the cradle!

Except from that detail: Still great!
By the way: Here is a picture of one of your 150mm double-turrets: Taken at Oscarborg fortress museum in the Oslo-fjord. Turret was used as operational coastal artillery in stratecic positions / fjord entrances to Troms mainland and hold-positons during the Cold War up north - first by the Germans, later by the Coastal Artillery of Norway, up to the late 80-ties when they were repaced by modern 120mm Bofors automatic guns (today even these modern fortifications are closed down.........).

"Your" turret to the left


Stein

[PetrolGator]

Stein,

Thank you! The guns have been revised. Orange Hobby's instructions were off. I also had to attack the guns themselves to the photo etch covering to get them to sit right. It wasn't hard and they look fantastic.

Bob,

I broke down and started using that for more egregious errors.

I've dry fit the monster again. The AA guns fit into their slots like an injection kit. It's bloody impressive.



I've almost finished work on the forward flight deck overhang's PE support, with only some horizontal supports missing. Work has also been done on the top of this part. The biggest issue here are the missing boxes (ammo crates?) at the edge of the flight deck. These broke in transit, though I think I can fabricate some pretty easily.





I've also been filling the seams left by the AA gun tubs with thinned Tamiya filler. They're about ready for a first layer of primer.



Finally, here's a sneak peek at a little bit of fun I'll have in a few weeks. I'm still unsure if I'm going to go through the trouble of extending her bow, even if it is more accurate... unsure if my skill set is up to the task:





Also - Any advice on how to paint her flight deck would be most welcome. The Graf Zeppelin will be painted in some sort of camouflage (undecided) but the deck should be left in some form of naked teak, right? Tips on achieving something realistic in 700 are appreciated.

All for now. I'm out of town in Chicago this weekend and have a marathon the following. There won't be much building.

[PetrolGator]

I spent all weekend in Chicago at a wedding, so little has been done. I've spent MOST of my time casually sanding and filling, hoping I may actually get those @(%% seams filled along the flight deck. I guess I'll just be using more putty and Mr Surfacer...

Also: The main mast is mostly done. Fitting it for the picture resulted in one of the radars being knocked off, but it'll be an easy fix. I'm probably going to replace one of the smaller masts with brass as it is thin and fragile.

Hangers have been aligned and glued on. I've also finished the PE for the take off platform.







All for now. Perhaps, with this incoming weather system expected next weekend, I'll get done more than expected. I've love to prime her and get her ready for the paint bit of paint.

I just noticed that the little twin platform was crooked.... just remedied it with some creative and careful bending.

[Goodwood]

Remember the days when PE was the official name for gym class?

Looks like she's chugging along nicely, mate. Though if it were me putting together a GZ I'd take a bit of liberty and fill in some of those bloody portholes; apparently no one realized that windows are a structural weakness! As for the air wing, helicopters sound interesting but it might be a good idea to add some fixed-wing as well. IIRC the motive power needed to lift more than a chopper's two-man crew wouldn't be figured out until some fifteen years after GZ was started, so at best she'd have carried a few autogyros for scouting purposes. A few Bf 109Ts were actually purpose-built for the ship, with arrestor hooks and reinforced landing gear (along with other minor modifications�they were essentially Bf 109E-7s), and it's entirely possible that they would be able to carry an SC250 bomb apiece to do the heavy hitting.

Though in reality, once the project was scrapped the 109Ts were realocated to front line fighter units alongside other Messershmitts.

[Apophysis]

Hi Chris!

A great project that I follow closely! Maybe heard our plea and a manufacturer finally brings a kit in 1/350!
As far as I know was the flight deck of the Graf Zeppelin from natural wood.
Here is a link to some interesting pictures!

http://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=& ... 3320,d.Yms

[PetrolGator]

Goodwood: Oh, the helicopters are purely for self torture, if I can ever get the fuselage to my liking. Sadly, the Orange Hobby additions to the air wing are hard to get, if not discontinued.

Dirk: THAT is really helpful. Thank you!

[PetrolGator]

Primer!



I'm using the Mr. Resin Primer at about 30/70 to Mr Thinner. It sprays well, dries quickly, and fills shallow seams like a champ. There are a FEW small areas, but I can work them into the weathering fairly easily.

I have a few areas of concern with this model which anyone should consider before building her:
- Forward and aft flight deck extensions have some ugly gaps associated with them and a ton of fragile PE around them. The well decks also must be mostly built and painted to ensure that all the detail is in place. I'm still working out how to do this in a way to minimize potential damage. I despise seams, so I cannot just slam them on and move on.
- She's got openings on her hull suggesting hatches. These are really not mentioned in the instructions and Orange Hobby does not supply enough doors to cover them. I used what I could and dug into the stash.
- PE is rigid and the railing can be difficult to bend and has a lower ductility than I'm used to. You need to be firm, but careful.
- Kit is highly detailed. Painting will require patience... lots of patience.
- Aircraft have the most bubbles of any parts. Care must be taken to fill them and not damage the extensive detailing.

This is a NICE kit. I want to make sure that is clear. The engineering of the Graf Zeppelin herself plays into the worst of these problems. The others will be dealt with using some pre-painting of the well decks and hand brushing to repair any issues caused by hand painting. I may disguise the worst of the seams with a thin piece of styrene. Filling and sanding risks major damage to the support structure aft.

Sorry for the word heavy post. Here's the model I'm basing my paint job on:





I wish I knew who built her.

To summarize, my next operations will be as follows:
1) Pre paint well decks once all the unavoidable detail is added.
2) Attach flying off platforms and any parts associate with the wood deck.
3) Fill seams and/or cover where needed. Re-scribe plank lines on deck.
4) Begin painting process using Tamiya Deck Tan -> sharp colored pencils for individual planks -> Super thin Deck Tan as a filter for blending. I'll seal each layer to ensure that mistakes can be seen and/or fixed without damaging the lower layer.

Opinions are welcome.

[MartinJQuinn]

Nice work. This kit intrigues me, so I will be watching with interest.

I have an HP "rebuilt" Gneisenau - if and when I build her, I am going to do a graded scheme, like Prinz Eugen wore at the end of the war.

[Apophysis]

Hi Chris!

As usual from you you're doing a wonderful job! I also find that despite the small errors Orange Hobby did a very good job because the model has provides a very good basis on which to make it a showstopper. I think you'll have no problem to make your model better than the model that you take as a template!

Sorry for my bad English!

Dirk