Now, for something completely different - Zeppelin!

[kensar]

Well, maybe not completely different, but very different.

Takom 1/350 Zeppelin P Class



Two things are very apparent to me already.  The details are small - extremely small.  Much smaller than I expected, so some different thinking will likely be needed.  The other thing very apparent is that if you have an aversion to PE, this kit will likely be the end of you.  There are many very small and delicate PE parts.  The scale is in millimeters.



Here I have filled in the gun platform on the top of the hull.  Pictures clearly show it sits on top of the hull and not inset into it as it is in the kit.  I have also added the access passage to get up there.





I have modified the fins to be able to install them after the hull parts are assembled.  I plan to assemble the hull and paint it in one piece.
This should be an interesting build.

[Dutch522]

This is going to be a great thread, Ken... I was just looking at this kit a few weeks back, thinking "aww, no, I really shouldn't." But now at least I can follow your build :-D

Always had a great interest in Zeppelins, when I was a kid I loved hearing my parents tell about seeing this monster's lineal descendent, the LZ127 Graf Zeppelin fly over our little New England village on her famous round-the-world flight in 1929.

Dutch

[Rob Hart]

I built one of the Q class kits last year and can confirm that it was a challenging project. Here's a photo of the upper gun position:

[DaddyO]

Look forward to seeing this one coming together. Just settling in with a cup of coffee and some popcorn 

Paul

[WD]

This is going to be great!  <insert picture of Flounder from the movie Animal House here.    >

Warren

[Tim Mixon]

You have my full attention on this one!

Tim

[kensar]

I have the hull together and primed in gray with white splotches.

In many period pictures, it's easy to see the vertical sections, so I am trying to depict them.
I made a wooden jig to hold the hull making it possible to rotate it around.  This is why I modified the fins to be able to put them on after the hull was put together.



I am marking the hull sections (32 of them) using a pencil.







I may have to re-mark them after some paint is applied.

[Dutch522]

Very cool, Ken! And I love the rotisserie, at the old autobody shop I used to work at we actually had one you could put a 1:1 scale car on for frame-off restorations.

Looking forward to seeing how you indicate the different sections.

Dutch

[lone modeller]

Just found this Ken. Now that really is different and a real challenge given the size of the parts. I am intrigued by your method to represent the fuselage sections - and will be following more closely in future.

My grandmother told me about the Zeppelins passing over her home during the first world war - they were like giant sausages she said.

Stephen.

[NigelR]

Amazing engineering on the jig! Looking forward to seeing this progress, I did the Hippo 1/144 scale Zeppelin years ago......

[KiwiZac]

Last week I visited a museum which has a 1/48 Zeppelin on display...this seems so much more achievable! I'm keen to follow along and see your progress.

[kensar]

Thanks for stopping by and commenting Dutch, Stephen, Nigel, and Zac.

I have continued painting the hull.  Here I masked a couple of sections that will be darker than the others.



Then lightly spray painted some CDL color - Tamiya spray TS-7 racing white, and removed the tape.



Then oversprayed with TS-7 again for some blending and fading.



I held the hull by the nose, so it was not painted at first.  Here, I caught up the painting of the nose.  The painting guide has the nose a lighter color than the rest.



I think it's time to add another color now.  Not sure what will be next - probably a darker shade of yellow on some sections.

Here's a shot of the gondolas.  I've already lost one of the hand rails.  I don't know why Takom didn't include extra PE parts.  Would be very handy.



Thanks for looking in.

[NigelR]

Good progress, with work these kits could look amazing......and you are headed down that path!

[Rookie]

I just love it!

Cheers,
Willem

[kensar]

Added in some darker yellow based color.  I painted heavier on the bottom surfaces and left the top lighter for a sun faded effect.  Some masking was done on selected panels.  In pictures of actual zeps it appears the panel discoloration is completely random, but the vertical panel lines are very visible.
The colors are a custom mix of AKI RC102 Syrian Republican Guard Desert Yellow, RC003 white gray, and RC298 RAF light aircraft gray.





Next will be re-tracing the lines of the vertical sections and then dabbing on some darker colors.