Topic: Z37

[Belgium Crazy Team]

Yesterday I had to solder a mast for a LST.  I did this with liquid solder.
It was fast and nicely done.  I already gave it a primer and no reaction appeared. 

When I'm done with soldering and cleaning the mast, I always spray it with a primer (grey for priming a car).
I never had a reaction of the primer with the flux. 

Every fitting I make (mast/upperstructure, lockers,...) I spray with the primer.  This gives me a uniform base coat for the end color.

[Mark]

I have had this problem once before, but it was due to some porosity in my solder joint, I now wash the joints under a very hot tap, then thoroughly dry with a hot air gun, before giving a coat of metal primer.
Mark

[karlgalster]

Thanks for the advice chaps
Robin

[karlgalster]

A bit more progress on the Z37. Deckhouses completed and ready for priming. I have replaced the kit's ventilation panels which are in pretty heavy white metal. The louvres on the rear of the forward deckhouse look a bit too open so may modify these. The brass wire box at the rear of the forward deckhouse is for a stack of life rafts. I will need to make morelife rafts as the kit supplies about 10 but I think I need at least 24. Photos show the bridges covered in life rafts and are quite a distinctive feature of the wartime vessels. I have used where possible 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75mm plastic in place of the kit's 1.0mm plastic to reduce top weight and be more scale.

[karlgalster]

A few more...

[Belgium Crazy Team]

Well done, you certainly add more detail then described in Ron's manual...

Can you post some more pitctures of the air intake under the chimney?

Kurt

[karlgalster]

Can do. Also scan of the very useful photos of Z37 being completed in Koop and Schmolke's book. I am trying to fit bilge keels now as you suggested - very difficult to get the bilge keel shape accurate!!!
Robin

[hotjava]

Hi Robin,

Oh my!  I'm so happy that you put up detailed pics of your superstructure.  Built like an architect!  You said earlier that you replaced most of the styrene from the kit.  How do you determine which size of styrene to substitute for?  Was it based on plans?

Thank you and have a great day!
Oliver

[Belgium Crazy Team]

Nice,
How did you make sure everything gets aligned so good?

[colin]

How do you determine which size of styrene to substitute for? 

i was not to sure weather i read the question correctly, but this is the only answer i can come up with:

there is a thing called Scale; as far as i can recall, this model, is at a Scale of 1:96, so that would mean i would use this to determine which size of styrene to use!!!

if your trying to build something to scale then of course the 1mm thick styrene that comes with the Kit is a little to thick, but can be used, not forgetting, these Kits are meant for all modelers alike, the beginner will build it as it comes out of the Box, the experienced Modeler will cop and change things to suit the Builder, or the Original that he is trying to replicate.

i think it would be safe to say, that if your Building the Bridge (or anything else) and you want to make it lighter or rather  scale thickness of the Walls, then a thinner styrene would be used, you would lose the stability a little, but it would be lighter, and to scale.

in Robins case, i guess looking at the last Photo's he is going for Scale.

[karlgalster]

Oliver,
In choosing what thickness to use I think Colin has said it all in his input. Even if weight reduction is not a factor somethings especially those where the edge and hence thickness are exposed, will look better in as thin a plastic as is  mechanically practical. After all the Z27 kit has a sheet of 0.5mm plastic for use on ships boats etc where the kit designer has made this decision for you.
Kurt,
To get alignment as good as I could the vertical strips are positioned top and bottom up against a supporting surface. Actually the photo angle shows alignment quit good - another angle from astern does not look so good but once I have painted things it will not be so bad especially as when completed the louvres will be partly concealed by ships boats and davits both sides!
Robin

[Belgium Crazy Team]

On the photo it look perfect  , I'm sure on the model also.
It's true, the air intake is "hidden" behind the ships boats.
In most cases the modeller adds a lot of detail that disappears behind other items...
But when your boats are on display you can inform people to look at some smaller details.

I'm building an LST (landing ship tank) for the moment, and there a part of the interior tank deck has to be build because the bow doors can open and a ramp can be lowered...

[hotjava]

Hi Colin,

Yes, in hindsight, my question was silly!  Robin is definitely going for scale!

Thanks for the information,
Oliver

[karlgalster]

Hi Kurt
You said
"I'm building an LST (landing ship tank) for the moment, and there a part of the interior tank deck has to be build because the bow doors can open and a ramp can be lowered..."

Is that the Deans Marine LSM? One of my fellow club members has built it and it makes a very nice model but as he says - sailing only for calm days!
Robin

[Belgium Crazy Team]

No, but last year we gave Ron a copy of the hull....
It's something we (several members in the club) are building or have already built.

The hull we moulded ourselves and a lot of the fittings are from Ron. 
I think with an LST it will be the same, the bow door can open so if you don't pay attention the hull fills with water.

I don't think we will build an LSM because we can't use that one in an european WWII diorama.