Calling all Scharnhorst and Gneisenau fans!

[ModelMonkey]

Added April 3, 2011: For those building Dragon's 1/350 Scharnhorst, here's an excellent build thread containing corrections to the kit's instructions: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=68145

[ModelMonkey]

Here is a link to John Asmussen's terrific Scharnhorst class site:

http://www.scharnhorst-class.dk/

John has conducted considerable research into Scharnhorst's paint schemes. Be sure to check out his superb paint scheme drawings:

http://www.scharnhorst-class.dk/scharnh ... _menu.html

Helmut Ehrenstrasser's 1/100 scale Scharnhorst:

http://www.bismarck-class.dk/shipmodels ... asser.html

Francisco Jos� Moya's 1/110 scale R/C Scharnhorst:

http://www.bismarck-class.dk/shipmodels ... tmoya.html

Official German archives' digitalized drawings for Scharnhorst and Gneisenau:
https://invenio.bundesarchiv.de/invenio ... d5abce588/

[Jefgte]

Very nice designer work

From designer to designer...Congratulations



Jef

[Dave Wooley]

Excellent workmanship Thanks for posting Steve look forward to more!
Dave Wooley

[Ivan Ma]

I've been dreaming of scratch-build a 1/350 Gneisenau with 15" gun armed. It will be great. Hardwares are ready (Tamiya Bismarck kit, GMM PE set, WEM AA weapon set, hull plan.......) but no TIME!
Looking forward to see your masterpiece!

[Tom Kristiansen]

I have just received ISW/Commander 1/350 Scharnhorst and the hullshaping and the atlantic bow is not very good. Needs carving and shaping! I think your hull will be much better, Steve! At least what I can see of your pictures.

I will build the ISW Scharnhorst, but I will order your Semi-kit for Gneisenau.

Will post a review of the ISW Scharnhorst before Christmas.

[Hugh Williams]

Would the fact that these ships had variations in bow shapes, i.e. had an 'Atlantic' (clipper) bow fitted later in their lives, be catered for in any new model that may be offered by a manufacturer these days? The scenario would be that two hull types and foredecks would be required, if alternatives were offered in the same box. Also funnel caps would be required, not to mention that the float plane hangar and superstructure would also have to be offered as well. Needless to say, any new, 1-350 scale model would be welcome.

[Captain Morgan]

To properly do the 15" version it needs a complete new bow from the Anton turret forward. This increases waterline length 10 meters. Without the forward end would havw trimmed down so much the armor belt at anto turret would have been submerged. As it was by 1942 the twins were sitting very low in the water.

[Vlad]

as soon as I get back from Telford...I already start another project. I did this part of the build because it is the difficult bit, and now ive done it there's no turning back. The rest of the project is a straightforward build.

My plan is to build Gneisenau as she may have appeared in 1945 following an extensive refit including lengthening the bow and mounting 15" twin turrets. The bow was cut off a Trumpeter Tirpitz kit, from which I will also use main armament and a few other bits. I pinched the bow to fit the Tamiya Gneisenau hull and cut and adapted the deck to fit. Needed a lot of filler on this section and still needs some work, but i snapped a few shots just now. I have the original bow next to it for comparison on one of them, and I have included the camouflage scheme I have drawn that I intend to paint her in.

[Laurence Batchelor]

Now she is almost looking like Hood with that Slender long hull, nice work mate how you going to blend the 2 hull forms together next?

[Mark Deakin]

Vlad,

looks ,like you are going to need a fair bit of filler to blend that hull in, but good luck anayway

Mark D.

[Filipe Ramires]

Looking quite good mate! I see you didn't lost much time!!!

[Timmy C]

Gneisenau's a beautiful ship ^^

[Quincy]

Nice job Vlad. Hull graft looking good.



Bob Pink.

[ModelMonkey]

That's really neat, Vlad!

[Rob]

Already?????????

So we didn't put you off then?

Cheers,

Rob

[ARH]

Vlad, Dont you think the bow is to high, I would re cut near your join and take some off the bow water line to bring the bow down some what, the crew would have to be mountain climbers to get up it, its easaly altered at this stage, from your drawings the bow should be level with the line of the forward and rear gun barrels, the new one looks as though it would line up with at least the top of the second turret,. I hate being critical, but thats my observations, hate to see you spoil all your good work, ARH

[William J]

Hey Vlad

Nice going so far and good luck.

Bill

[Vlad]

thank you all for the comments.

ARH, yes i see what you mean, the original Tirpitz bow is also much straighter but it warped upwards when I pinched it to fit the narrower hull. rather than straighten it (which may have resulted in breaking, or given me an odd dog-leg in the deck) I built up the underside with card to give a flat bottom. but point taken, im just not sure I want to cut it again.

as for the lining up, I will use styrene strips along the armoured belt to get a smoothly curved profile at the waterline, but leave the deck profile as is.

[Stefano]

Vlad, interesting project. I have already assembled all (all but the time) to do it in 1/400. Differently, I plan to cut the hull just before the first turret (as planned in reality) and fill the gap (about 2 cm. in 1/400) with new stryrene. If should be easier to have a continuous hull shape.