Graf Zeppelin Model

[Marty]

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Revell 1/720th scale DKM Graf Zeppelin

I stumbled across this kit last weekend at a local hobby shop. It's been on my "want to build list" for many years but it's relatively difficult to find. As some of you know I've got a "thing" for wood deck aircraft carriers and "what if" warships. I bought the kit for $17.50

The Graf Zeppelin was ordered in 1935, construction was suspended in 1940. Goring and the German Navy had a major dispute about control of the airwing. Construction resumed in 1942 with a revised design, suspended again in 1943, She was moved while still incomplete and finally scuttled in April 1945. She was then raised by the Soviets, towed to a Russian harbor, used as a target and then reportedly sank while being towed again. A second ship was started but never completed, to have been named "Peter Strasser". Several references report that she absorbed more than 25 bomb hits as a target so this was one tough ship. She never reached operational status and AFAIK never embarked an airgroup.

I reviewed about 100 web links in researching the model, there's a lot of conflicting information and questionable references out there. All of the references boil down to eight published pictures and a 48 page out of print reference book by Breyer.

Hazegray lists the spec as follows:

Displacement: 28,090 tons full load
Dimensions: 820 x 103.5 x 23.5 feet/250 x 31.5 x 7 meters
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 16 boilers, 4 shafts, 200,000 shp, 35 knots
Crew: 1760 plus air wing
Armor: 3.5 inch belt, 1.5 inch deck, .75 inch flight deck
Armament: 8 dual 5.9/55, 6 dual 4.1/65 AA, 11 dual 37 mm AA, 28 20 mm AA
Aircraft: 41-43

Note that there are other references which list the specs as 19,000 tons, 796x89LF. There is some debate about the intended weapons mix and a really interesting question about whether or not the bulges were installed as the model portrays. My best judgement is that the torpedo bulges were actually added in 1942.

There is general agreement that she had two bow catapults and a 32 knot rating and would have carried about 40 aircraft. The airgroup composition is debateable, the kit includes six Stukas and six ME-109s, nicely molded.

There are a few scratch built models of the ship online and some paper card models but the Revell kit is the only plastic kit I've been able to identify. The kit quality is fairly poor, as usual with the 1960s vintage Revell kits the fits are lousy, lots of seams and flash, locator pins are off and the scale is a little erratic. Lots of boats and engraved portholes though. The flight deck does not have a wood texture even though the box art shows it as wood.

There is no documentation for any sort of paint scheme other than the box art so I've taken some liberties with it loosely based on some of the "North Atlantic" paint schemes used by German capital ships in 1942-1944. I've added some minor detail changes but basically it's an OOB weekend build. Some of the photos show my 1/700th scale Hornet for comparison with a contemporary American carrier.

As always your comments are invited and welcome. I hope you like it. I've listed some of the better reference links below.

Marty

http://www.geocities.com/pentagon/2833/kri...afzeppelin.html

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/g...any.htm#graf-cl

http://rasputin.physics.uiuc.edu/~wiringa/...afZeppelin.html

http://www.steelnavy.com/images/toms/toms7...20inst%2002.jpg

http://www.bismarck-class.dk/shipmodels/ge...linliedtke.html

http://www.cardmodelers.org/archive/dec03/...01/Zeppelin.htm

http://www.geschichtsthemen.de/Graf-Zeppelin.jpg

http://www.german-navy.de/pics/ray/ragz.jpg

http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/shi...gerb/index.html

http://digilander.libero.it/shinano/German...elin/gzfoto.htm

http://www.voodoo.cz/ww2car/ger.html

http://www.vth.de/modellbau/werft/Wer05_02/50.htm

http://www.modellversium.de/galerie/bilder...zeppelin520.jpg

http://www.smc-noris.de/grafzep.htm

http://www.deutsche-kriegsschiffe.de/Schif...af-zeppelin.htm

[TomZ]

I did this kit some years ago. I found the included planes so bad that I decided to make a 1946 version of the carrier. I have some pictures of it on my site at: Airwar 1946.

I have another one sitting in my pile waiting for White Ensign to produce the 1/700 Me-109 T they promissed some years ago.

Tom

[Alvis 3.1]

Yes...good thing Fritzy never figured out the whole navy thing..imagine Bismark with a carrier along for protection.....No Stringbag attack that's for sure!
The inability to decide what to do with a carrier was not exclusive to the Germans...the RN also misused them in the early war years (The one sent to Norway was only desired because it had good AAA capability, not for the planes.....and after several days of not being allowed to use the planes and daily raids by the Luftwaffe, the air wing was let loose and promptly ended the luftwaffe attacks!) Even the Americans didn't exactly have the role figured out, and I have always felt the loss of a lot of capital ships in Hawaii forced them to utilise the carrier more than they normally would have...but the conspiracy theorists disagree...
Of course..in my What-If navy..the Soviets kept the Zep and renamed her "Rodina" and began rudimentary carrier operations..leading to the rise of Soviet carrier aviation in the early 50's..but thats another group build!!!




Alvis 3.1

[Marty]

Zuid, NICE build!!!!!

Alvis, my thinking was always that without Pearl Harbor the war in the Pacific would have been much different. Assume that MacArthur had succeeded in fortifying the Phillipines, sometime in late 1942 early 1943 the US battleships base out of Manila Bay triggering a "Warplan Orange" battle line scenario.  The carriers would have functioned as intended as scouting forces rather than primary combattants. I don't think many people pre-war on either side envisioned the carrier as the heart of the battle force.

The interesting feature of Graf Zeppelin aside from it's "art deco" look is that it was only expected to carry 40 aircraft. Contemporary US and Japanese designs were envisioning 100 to 120 aircraft. Also the mix of fighters and bombers kept changing as the design evolved.

I'm glad you guys like it, thank you for your kind words.

Marty

[NARSES2]

I agree with both of you on USN carrier use if there's no Pearl Harbour. I do think like Alvis that they stumbled on the use of carriers as the principal naval arm because they were forced to.

Chris

[elmayerle]

I'll agree, their hands were forced as carriers and submarines were the main combat vessels they had left.  As it turns out, that was rather a stroke of luck; but if it'd turned the other way?  Now there's some what-if material: What if the Pacific Fleet's carriers had been in Pearl that day?

[Marty]

Let's say that the USN carriers were caught in Pearl Harbor. Make it really bad, there were follow on strikes on Pearl, the oil tanks and drydocks are put out of action.

1942 the US fleet consolidates around San Diego. Midway and Coral Sea doesn't happen. Guadalcanal doesn't happen. Australia collapses. Doolittle raid doesn't happen(no CVs available). Possible that the US loses the use of Panama Canal.
US fleet construction in overdrive, bulk of existing Atlantic fleet shifted to west coast. US  submarine offensive delayed.

Possible negative impact on U-Boat War, Battle of the Atlantic. Possible negative impact on North Africa campaign etc.

1943 the US fleet is recovering, use of Panama Canal restored, use of Hawaii restored. Midway battle takes place. Submarine offensive starts. Essex class carriers coming on line. Possible major battle at Midway. By end of year overall fleet strength is about equal again, Japan fleet experience advantage, US forces are still "green".

1944: US numerical advantage growing. US begins a methodical "step by step" offensive leading up to a "Warplan Orange" major fleet action near the Phillipines. Regardless of the outcome the US fleet is numerically stronger at the end of the year.

1945: US recaptures Phillipines, possibly Australia. Overwhelming numerical superiority for US forces. Substantial Japanese fleet still exists but material condition deteriorating.

And the war continues into 1946, maybe the A-Bomb ends it, maybe Operation Olympic and Operation Coronet are required, maybe there's a negotiated settlement at some point. US production capability wins the war no matter what. It's just a matter of how long it takes and how messy it gets.

Marty

[Leigh]

Well that may explain these then
1/700 Luftwaffe

[dragon]

Question:  Why would Submarine construction be delayed?  They were building them in the San Francisco Bay Area (Mare Island).  There was also shipbuilding going on in Vallejo for the Liberty Ships.  

[Marty]

Leigh, that aircraft set is pretty commonly available for about $6.

Dragon, US submarine construction wouldn't be delayed in my scenario but the ability to deploy them would have been drastically impaired. Without Pearl Harbor and Australia available as bases the submarine offensive would have been delayed. Historically US subs deployed out of PH on day one and eventually strangled Japan. It could NOT have been accomplished without the forward bases, drydocks and refueling facilities.

Marty