DKM Cruiser Blücher 1/350

[JJ1973]

Dear all,

some time off was good, but in the end the model workshop did not get as much attention as I had planned for. But after all, I got something done and I am quite happy with the results so far. So here’s an update:

I started to lay down the wooden deck. The deck is very fine, thin and delicate, and the fit is really good. However, it is a bit tricky to get from its protection sheet, and the laser cut in several areas is not going all the way thru, so patience and a sharp knife are necessary all along.

Forward part -

And now the interesting part, the foc’sle. The difference between the Prinz Eugen’s hull and Blüchers deck, or her foc’sle shape respectively, becomes very obvious.

Joining the two wooden decks was more like a trial and error endeavor, and I missed taking pictures along the way. So here is where I ended up first.

For some reason, the Blücher deck parts that go under the anchor chains escaped me at first…

So time for some fixes…taking some of the wood off again, port and starboard of course.

And replacing it with the correct parts - much better!

Next, the after part of the wooden deck, completing the main deck.

Once at it, continuing with the first superstructure deck.

This is one piece for the entire deck…I don’t think that this is a good idea, as I fear misplacing parts or endings up with wrinkles and bends. So I cut it at points that won’t be too obvious and lay it down in several small pieces.

The first structure deck is only test fitted for now.

Last work for now, the forward anchors. Not completed yet, some details and the chain from the bow anchor will be added for the next update…

With that, the joining of the two different decks is pretty decently concealed.

Here’s where I am right now, the first upper structure only test fitted.

More soon - but again, I can’t promise an update next week, but I will try…

Thank you all for your patience and still following!

Cheers
Jan

[TimReynaga]

Jan, I appreciate and admire your patience with the planking adjustments needed from Prinz Eugen decks to Blücher… a lot of work, but he’s looking good!

[Terry1954]

Very neat progress, and it all looks so good!

[JJ1973]

Dear all,

Tim and Terry, thank you for your kind comments!

I’m quite happy with how the foc’sle wooden deck turned out after all.

The weekend provided something like an hour worth of bench time, so only very little done. Some small details, chain stoppers and the chain for the bow (or head?) anchor, and the hand wheels for the capstans in port/starboard colors.

Cheers
Jan

[JJ1973]

…and pictures added…

[JJ1973]

A brief update - not really much, but it was more work than it looks - about all the small stuff on the after deck installed, anchor chain and several hatches and the like, many really tiny parts…

Of course, railings will be added last when everything else is finished. The anchor itself is still missing, more because I forgot it working on the deck. The hole is the position of a singe 20 mm AA.

Next to Caesar Turret Barbette the hose reels are still missing. I started building them, but the positions have to be filled first, the square holes are too large for the PE reels.

With the foc’sle and after deck nearly finished, I can come back to the first structure deck, which will have the replacement boat cradles added. Let’s see how much time real life allows for the shipyard.

Thank you all for following,
as always, there may or may not be an update next week…

Cheers
Jan

[Johnnych01]

Looks good Jan … and any progress is great !!

[Russelle]

Maybe not much Jan, but some progress is better than none… and each time brings you closer to catching that glacier - looking good mate!

[JJ1973]

Russ and John, thank you so much for your kind comments. Yep, slowly, but up to now quite constantly moving ahead. The glacier is not too far ahead yet…

And here’s another update, worked - and finally installed - the first deck level. That’s quite a complex beast, especially with the PE replacements for the boat cradles.

Hose reels in place.

And the stern anchor.

Preparing the boat cradles.

And railing and stanchion parts fixed to the structure deck.

Boat cradles installed and the deck glued in place, which enden up being a little bit messy, but the joint will be pretty well hidden behind torpedos, 10,5 cm AA, boats and railing…

At first I was concerned as those cradles are asymmetric, starboard since perfectly flush with the hull, port significantly inboard. But that’s correct, as the larger crane on port will rest on that cradle and the railing is in fact not flush with the hull but inboard.

So now, most important, I must be aware not to destroy those fragile parts during the rest of the build. But to install them later on would have made not much sense, either…

That’s it for today, thank you all for looking in! I hope to find a little time next weekend, too - I think it is about time to start the smaller parts, artillery, torpedo tubes, boats and the like. We’ll see.

Cheers
Jan

[JJ1973]

…and a little more progress.

The small stuff - I started with the AA guns, the 10,5 cm from Veteran, the 2 cm and 3,7 cm from Black Cat 3D-printed.

The printed ones first - their detail is absolutely amazing, really stunning. I do have quite a few 2 cm and 3,7 cm from Veteran, at the time they were the best you could buy - but they are outranged by the delicate Black Cat stuff. I wanted to use those printed ones for my Blücher, as I bought some to try them, and now I really have to see if I find the motivation to use all the Veteran kits on future projects. Well, I should - they are really good, and they were not exactly cheap at the time.

But back to Blücher, here is the 2 cm and 3,7 cm collection, I decided to paint them before I cut them off their bases and only do touch ups later on. I think I will paint the barrels dark metal.

The biggest challenge is to get them off their bases without damage. I cut two of the 2 cm so far, the first broke, but I was able to glue it together, so it still looks quite ok. The second one really was a success. I need six if I’m not mistaken, so if the other five all come off ok, I might discard No 1, but if there’s another mishap, I’ll use it.

I have not touched the 3,7 cm ones so far, that’s for next time…

And on to the 10,5 cm Veteran.

The Veteran resin is still beautiful and a benchmark.

Two versions, open and ready for action and closed. I did one of each to have some change.

I think I will mainly go with the open ones. They would require to cut tose squares from the upper front, which resemble boxes that contain the fuse setters, and build the open fuse setters from etch - but that’s beyond my capabilities, so I will live with this inconsistency.

All in all, the first two guns came out better than my first trials for Gneisenau, even if that’s already quite a few years back. That is quite encouraging with respect to the rest of my Veteran detail sets…

So much for this weekend, thank you all so much for still following ind looking in!

As always, I can’t promise anything for next week, but I sure will try!

Cheers
Jan

[Russelle]

Looking good, Jan! Good to see progress on all those little details that will populate the decks

[TimReynaga]

Outstanding work, Jan! I too love Veteran’s products; I 've used their 1/200 IJN 25mm triples… they aren’t quite as convenient as fully 3D printed parts, but their delicacy and flexibility are first rate.

You have made the most of those 10,5 cm twins. Open and closed versions - very cool!

[JJ1973]

Thank you so much, Russ and Tim, for your kind comments! That’s very encouraging!

But anyway, there’s not really much to report after the last weekend. Saturday we had a very nice late summer/early fall day and so there was some serious gardening to be done. Even though that felt really good, the next day, Sunday, when I sat down at my workbench and picked up the tweezers and magnifying googles I realized a certain “clumsiness” in my hands and arms, and I decided not to push my luck with fiddly work on those guns. So after cutting several parts from their sprues and building the breech blocks for the remaining four 10,5 cm AAA I decided to cease a very brief day at my shipyard…

For the next two weeks I will be occupied by real life once again, so it’s likely going to be October until the next update.

As always, thank you all so much for following and your patience with my slow progress! It’s most appreciated!

Cheers
Jan