Joachim Frerichs
Light Cruiser Koln
Photos by the Author
1. Introduction
In my vacation in the last years holidays I had planned to build the light cruiser Koln. We wanted to celebrate Christmas, as most years, with the parents and in laws in Cuxhaven. With three kids and wife on board, not much room was available for the transport of a ship model in construction, particular on the way back home. Therefore I decided to build in the holiday only distinct elements as superstructure, artilleries, E- measuring devices, Smoke stacks, life boats as well as the board plane. The finished parts did fit comfortably in plastic containers, which the modern housewife has stored plentiful in her cupboards. Arrived back at home in Rheine I started to build the hull and decks and began then to place the sections, build in the holiday, on their place. But to this later, because first I would like to tell you about the history of my hobby, construction techniques and tools as wells as the history of the light cruiser Koln.
2. The Begin of a passion
As most card model builders we have made
our first experience in our youth. In the age of twelve I was in a small hobby
store in Cuxhaven to buy as usually another addition to my plastic tank collection.
At that moment a
man came into the store with a finish 
build
model of the light cruiser Emden. This
model he had built for the owner and it was to stand from now on in the window
of the store. With large eyes and admiration I gazed at the model and the
passion was born. In the first years I build more by quantity as by quality.
Later University, Professional and Family life put my hobby aside. Three years
ago the fever packed me again and I build now what I can get my hands on.
I used a two and half year absence from home during the weekdays to build
intensive models. Often staying in hotels, I build there single parts or ship
sections, which I later assembled at home. In my travel luggage I had always
a desk light, as the light in a hotel room is not sufficient. Meanwhile I
have also made experience with plane models, but my heart is with ships and
boats.
3. Tools and Building techniques
For building of card models I use the utensils showed on the photo blow: one sharp scissors, one not sharp scissor for scoring of folding edges, one very sharp tweezers, 1 dentist tweezers for the gluing of small parts on their position, one cutter, 1 ball pen and one ball pen reservoir for the rounding of mast, gun barrels, etc., needles to enlarge inside cuts, for strengthening of the mast. As glue I use the UHU (Alleskleber) as well as UHU (Hart) for fast drying parts, as for example standing Antennas. For both glues I use the plastic tip included with the UHU Hart glue. The 60 g UHU bottles tears from repeated pulling (to achieve a vacuum in the tube and the back flow of the glue). Therefore I place the tub into plastic foil, which I tape with Scotch tape. This way I can use the glue until the end. During the construction the tube is sitting upright in a ceramic cup, so the glue can not flow out.
My building tools are
stored in the beautiful old candy can. This I can also in the building
process. On the upwards edge I can form very nicely 
small
part (for example gun barrels or Masts). After I formed the part I spread
the part that I want to glue with a tweezers a little apart and apply then
UHU glues on both sides. I put the tube with the gluing side on my card modeling
base plate and roll the tube with the finger back and forth in such a way
that the glue does not touch my finger. Finally I move the tube in the length
direction, so that the glue is loosening from the base plate. Most of the
times, no glue is left on the tube, and if, I will remove it with a tweezers.
In necessary I strengthen the tube inside with paper clip, that I bend straight,
or with a wire. For antennas or rigging pieces (max 55 mm) I use the bristles
of a broom. Longer pieces I make out of black thread.
4. The History of the Light Cruiser Koln
The Koln was the third and last light cruiser of K-class. The constructions started on 7th August 1926 on the Marine shipyard Wilhelmshaven. The launch was on 23rd May 1928. The building costs were 36 Mill. Reichsmark. The Koln was assigned to a reconnaissance formation and undertook a few travels abroad, with the purpose to train ship and men. In the year 1932 the Koln was assigned to the inspection and training. It followed lot of travels abroad.
At the time of the
Spanish Civil War the Koln was five times deployed by the marine for protection
and control functions. With the beginning of the Second World War the Koln
was assigned to the marine group command east. After the end of the Poland
campaign
she was transferred to the Marine Group Command West and stationed in the
North Sea. The Koln was used to perform mine laying operations. In 1940 the
ship participated in the Norway battle and transported soldiers, which were
landed in Bergen on the 9th April 1940. In 1942 the ship was relocated
to Norway. From here she was to attack, with other units of the navy, convoys,
which were on the course to Russia. In February of 1943 the Koln was taken
out of service. Only on the 1.April 1944 she as was taken back into
service in Konigsberg. Training of cadets, mine laying and convoys escorts
between Norway and Denmark followed. In December 1944 the light cruiser was
damaged by bombs so heavy, that the ship was transferred from Oslo to Wilhelmshaven.
On they way to Wilhelmshaven the ship was again damaged in a bomb raid near
the island of Wangerooge
On 31st of March 1945 the ship was sunk by five heavy bombs. The artillery was still useable and did in April of 1945 still shoot at enemy troop formations in the villages of Veuenburg and Bockhorn. Before the occupation of the harbor by English troops, the remaining of the Koln the ship was blown up by crew of the ship. In the year 1946 she was scrapped.
5. The building of the model card
The kit is containing 6 pages. It was
classified in a model magazine as very difficult. In comparison to other models
a classification as medium to maximum difficulty would be more appropriate.
From the same kit you can not only built the Koln but also the sister ships
Karlsruhe or Konigsberg . The three ships differ in general only through the
front superstructure inclusive 
battle
station and the back superstructure. It is possible to build these parts for
each cruiser separate and to exchange it. So it is possible with a few
steps to change the model into one of the three versions. I decided
to build the Koln (Cologne) and build it with these parts permanent. The building
of the cruiser should not cause too many difficulties for the experienced
builder as well as the beginner. The written instructions are easy to understand
and are divided according to the construction steps. On the card model sheet
contains a table �A" consisting of three parts, which have to be cut
out from time to time during the construction. As experienced builder I use
the instruction only from time to time, therefore I have marked the seven
references to parts from table �A� with red as well as with big letter the
number of the parts in the margin of the reference. Therefore
I could be sure that no part would be left and I would always know how many
parts for required to complete the model. The coat of arms on the bow is in
the look identical with the coat of arms of Cologne, but not in the colors.
In the top part are three crowns, which reminds us on the three holy kings,
in the lower part eleven tears for the death of the Queen Ursula. The original
colorations is top red and bottom white. This are the colors of the �Hanse�.
Cologne belonged as an important trade metropolis not only as a member to
the Hanse but was a founder of it and therefore one of the oldest �Hanse�
cities in Germany. The coat of arms of the model ship is yellow/blue.
After 30 hours building time I had completed a beautiful and appealing model.
