I've had this kit a few weeks but haven't started on it. I did open the box to survey the contents though and what I found was typical Trumpeter all the way. Most all the frets are molded in their standard very light grey color with the exception of the optional lower hull components in red. The parts are molded with crisp details and no mold flash so trimming and fitting should be at a minimum. The lower hull in red, as with most Trumpeter kits, is a little void of detail but is a reasonable looking replica none the less. Add yourself a set of brass barrels and a photo etch set and you can make this kit look AMAZING. But if you want to build it as it comes out of the box you've got a great kit to work with. I bought the 1937 fit but it's also available in 1939 fit should you want to build her the way she looked when she was scuttled by her captain at the battle of the river plate.

I'd been looking for a kit of the infamous 'pocket battleship' Admiral Graf Spee for quite some time, and finally found this one. It was a challenge to build because it presented things I'd never encountered, such as attaching radio antennas manually to either side of the superstructure. In most kits they are included as 1 piece that goes with assembly of the forward superstructure. Not with this one. There were also a lot of tiny parts such as AA guns, capstans, bollards and winches that needed tweezers to attach. However, I was not unhappy with the final result. This was my first attempt at building a German vessel and the result was impressive.