FINISHED: The Battle of River Plate

[javlin]

The Graf Spee has finally been completed!This is the Academy 1/350 kit with the WEM offerings in PE.I had to add some MG's to the back of the ship as I remember she had been outfitted before her demise with such.It was quite apparent in one photgragh after the Battle of River Plate in Montevideo bay were the dead had been laid between the MG's and the rear turrent to be taken ashore covered in flags and sheets.I went really light on the rust on her while in some pics(older) you see good rust stains at the anchors and the side of the hull but while in Montevideo you do not hardly see any at all.I surmise with the reoutfit that had occurred along with the camo job she had to be fairly fresh in paint hence little to no rust.The most complex part while enjoyable was the rigging and I am still not sure I got it right?But is does look busy enough.I hope to get some outdoor pics tomorrow if the weather cooperates to show off the rigging.I now feel good to tackle the Prinz Eugen the Wem came in today and a book should be this week also.

 

[otftch]

Looks Great.
Ed

 

[dirkpitt289]

WOW, that looks fantastic. The amount of rigging is mind boggling.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Lucky13]

Awesome

 

[vikingBerserker]

Well done!

 

[Matt308]

Sure is

 

[Vassili Zaitzev]

Well done!

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Yes it is!

 

[Gnomey]

Excellent work!

 

[javlin]

Thank You very much fellas as you can see I have gone naval on ya.

WOW, that looks fantastic. The amount of rigging is mind boggling.

Dirk that is only a fraction of the real thing depending on the era of the outfitting but it adds alot realism to the build.

 

[meatloaf109]

I have to say, BRAVO!!!
I have used P.E. on ships, aircraft and armor, and the toughest by far is ships.
Again, Well Done!

 

[Crimea_River]

Great stuff Kevin.

 

[woljags]

my Great uncle Died in the battle of river plate

 

[Njaco]

Wow, excellent model!

my Great uncle Died in the battle of river plate

Please tell us more! I would love to know his story.

 

[Wayne Little]

Excellent Kevin, looks great man!

 

[Airframes]

Good stuff Kevin.

 

[parsifal]

Great job. I waS considering somethng similar. how did you find the aftermarket PE decking and other items as far as fitting was concened....okay or a nightmare?

 

[javlin]

Great job. I waS considering somethng similar. how did you find the aftermarket PE decking and other items as far as fitting was concened....okay or a nightmare?

I used PE for many items above deck the deck itself was pains takingly painted in a very involved process

painted all one color and from that color two more colors made by adding reds and browns after the first color dries thinlayers of tape added

then paint color number #2 tape some more then color #3

then you get this

The wood decks are getting thinner and better all the time it seems now.In the beginning they were alittle thick so when the plastic structures from the deck stuck through the cutouts in the dech the deck appeared overscale.Now that being said if you are doing and A/C carrier they are really nice no matter.I will probably do this paint job on the Eugen as I did for the Spee just more dramatic so I do not lose some the grain effect when weathered.

 

[parsifal]

well it looks absolutely marvellous. Ive done a few ship models, but I suck at it likle my a/c models. Ive built a wooden 1847 American pilot boat, a wooden model of HMS Endeavour, a home made wooden Viking Boat, an RC submarine, an RC racing yacht, and just about finished a 1:750 scale of the USS Constellation. Am getting a resin copy of the HMAS Sydney soon, from Arsenal. I really want to build a model of the Kent Class and Perth Class cruisers, so am interested in the techniques you used to get such a great finish

Hopefully one day we could set up a "ship building corner" in the modelling section in this place similar to the a/c GBs that are going on all the time. I was dissappointed when the idea of building ships as part of the GB was not accepted, but perhaps we could start a separate build section for ships, if the interest was there?