Graf Zeppelin, 1/200, long time project

[nönöbär]

Ok, something which I have not made before, but always wanted to do:

To build a big ship model which I can handle in my workshop, so no wookworking required. I selected the Hachette Graf Zeppelin in 1/200. This model is old as a subscription, one edition per week, 140 in total. (But you should not think about the price of it....  ). You get four editions send to you every month.

The model is made of mixed material, the hull is metal, deck parts in wood, other parts in plastic. The complete model will have various "effects" - Propellers will turn, aircraft elevators will move, guns will "fire", some "sound effects", some aircraft engines will run. So an interesting experience. Because of the metal hull, its weight will be about 8 kg when done.

And of course there is some "What-If" potential, especially regarding the air wing, somehow, I also see some He 280, Me 262 and other things on the deck, they should be printable in 1/200.

So lets starts with step 1. All this is in this edition:



Hull pars had to be screwed together and the tiny Stuka can turn its propeller. Landing gear of it will follow in a later edition



There is a test-board included so that you can test the electrical function of the step you are currently do, so the Stuka propeller is really turning

I have no idea where I will put the completed model (131 cm long) and the boss of the house does not know yet, but there are still 139 editions to find a solution for this.... 

[zenrat]

I was expecting an airship.  Which would actually have been shorter in 1/200 (1.18m) and thus easier to store.

But this is good.  Looking forward to seeing it completed in 3 years time.   

[seadude]

Interesting model. Just from viewing a few videos of it on the Net, it reminds me of another subscription company called Fanhome (formerly Eaglemoss) that came out with their USS Enterprise-D long ago. A friend started getting two subscriptions (One for himself and one as a gift for me) of the Ent-D. But when Eaglemoss went bankrupt, he canceled the subscriptions. Neither of us can start again where we left off in our subscriptions. We'd have to start over way at the beginning. No thanks. So now I'm stuck with parts from both of our subscriptions sitting in my closet and not sure how to get rid of them.
Anyway, I hope you have better luck with your ship and don't have any missing editions, parts, etc.

[nönöbär]

@seadude:
Yes, I hope that it will run to the end, otherwise it would be a bad investment.
This company here - Hachette - is doing this kind of subscription sets for a while now, so I hope that it works out. As far as I know, the model started in early 2024 and for those who started that time, about half of it is delivered by now.

So lets wait and see.

[Joe C-P]

I'm almost surprised you have the patience to wait over two years to build a model, but then we all have those models that have been "building" for years to decades.

[nönöbär]

I'm almost surprised you have the patience to wait over two years to build a model, but then we all have those models that have been "building" for years to decades.

It took more than two years to build my Reban FTL ship, so I am used to make models that take a bit longer. And you are right, there are several "I most complete them one day" models around. My father once had a United States model that was half-finished for about 40 years....

[nönöbär]

Step 2 for the Graf Zeppelin.

This time there are some parts for the fore-deck which is made form plastic. There is a very thin layer of wood, that should be added to the deck.

Also included is a 3,7cm AA gun which can "fire", LEDs are blinking when "firing". Therefore there is a small test-circuit that can be used to test the effect.



This is how it looks when everything is put together:



The wooden layer did not hold very good, so some additional glue was required.


And finally, this is the "gun-in-action" effect:

[Joe C-P]

I'm almost surprised you have the patience to wait over two years to build a model, but then we all have those models that have been "building" for years to decades.

It took more than two years to build my Reban FTL ship, so I am used to make models that take a bit longer. And you are right, there are several "I most complete them one day" models around. My father once had a United States model that was half-finished for about 40 years....

I have a P-38 I've been building since the 1970s.  It was going to become a M radar fighter, but now it'll be built as intended with decals for New Jersey hero Thomas McGuire. 
I build a Graf Zeppelin as captured and used by the Soviets.  It may still be here on the site in the archives, the model itself didn't survive our house move.