„Admiral Graf Spee“ and „AF 85“ – the German “pocket” battleship and the artillery barge

"Admiral Graf Spee" - German heavy cruiser, also known as "pocket battleship", whose keel was laid in 1931, launched in 1934 in June. The battleship entered service in the German Navy (German Kriegsmarine) in 1936 in January. The ship was 187.9 m long, 21.6 m wide, full displacement - 16,200 tons. “Admiral Graf Spee”s maximum speed was about 28-29 knots. Main armament - 6 x 280 mm guns in two three-gun towers, auxiliary armament consisted of: 8 x 150 mm guns and 6 x 105 mm guns. The “Admiral Graf Spee” was one of three “Deutschland”-class ships scuttled in the 1940s. Ships of this type were theoretically built according to 1919 the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, which stipulated the maximum capacity for German ships, but their actual full water capacity clearly exceeded these limits. The “Deutschland”-class battleships are built to have a huge advantage in an artillery battle against any British or French heavy cruiser. “Admiral Graf Spee”s combat career began during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). However, his participation in World War II was very short - on August 21, 1939 he sailed to the South Atlantic and at the end of September of that year he received orders to attack every Allied merchant ship. Between September 30 and December 7, 1939 he sank 9 British merchant ships. On December 13, 1939 allied ships (the so-called G Escadre) discovered it at the mouth of the La Plata River. There he fought a brief battle with Allied forces, before being blockaded by them in the harbor. As a result, in 1939 December 17 the crew sank it.

The barge "AF 85" was built in the first half of 1944 at the "Shimag" factory in Mannheim as a landing barge type D2 T 826. After being converted into an artillery ship, it served in the flotilla of 12 guard ships under its new designation. On June 26, 1944 it was hit by an aerial bomb and the ship sank. Raised and repaired, in 1947 – 1954 it served as a floating hotel "Hein Muck" and was later scrapped.

The models are designed for modelers of all experience levels. However, for beginners and modelers with little experience, we recommend working under the supervision of a more experienced colleague. But it won't be that easy either. The cover of the magazine is slightly damaged.