bismarck

[bismarck builder]

hi guys
i was reading the Koop & Schmolke book battelships of the bismarck class and this photo says that we are looking at the tirpitz fitting out but i think that the tirpitz is arrowed and that the bismarck is in fact pictured?its page 97 by the way
cheers
gary

[chuck]

No, it is the Tirpitz on the pierside. Tirpitz can be distinguished from the Bismark at a distance by the black painted funnel cap. Bismark's funnel cap was not painted black. What your arrow is pointing to does vaguely resemble the tower bridge and funnel of a German warship, but I suspect it is not. I think it is just ship yard structure.

[bismarck builder]

hi chuck
yeh i forgot that bismarck has the silver funnel cap i thought i had discovered something there oh well
gary

[Filipe Ramires]

This photo is strangely familiar to me. I've seen this in some book or magazine not long ago and if the photo is the same the ship being targeted by the red arrow was Gneisenau already under "refit" to receive the 6x15'' guns.

[Admiral John Byng]

This photo is strangely familiar to me. I've seen this in some book or magazine not long ago and if the photo is the same the ship being targeted by the red arrow was Gneisenau already under "refit" to receive the 6x15'' guns.

Filipe, can you say more about that?
I didn't know Gneisenau was due to get 15 inch guns. Did she ver sail with them?

Thanks,
Roger

[Filipe Ramires]

Well, to be short, after the Channel Dash and after having received repairs for mine damage Gneisenau was heavily struck in her bow by an allied air raid. She was therefore decommissioned to suffer major repairs and upgrades. Such upgrades involved a new and bigger bow (10 meters longer) and to receive 6X15'' guns which were to replace the original 9x11'' guns...a bit � l� Repulse and Renown style. She was also to receive, apparently, new heavy AA guns, i.e., the 128mm guns to replace the original 5.9'' and 4.1'' guns. Though she went to Gdynia to do such repairs and upgrades the sinking of Scharnhorst raised very little effort in continuing works with Gneisenau. Therefore such operations were abandoned and she ended her days as a blockship in the entrance of Gdynia harbour. Curiously her original 11'' main batteries were moved to Norway for coastal defence and some are still there today as part of some Museum.
You might find some useful stuff in this site:

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

Best regards,

Filipe

[Admiral John Byng]

Well, to be short, after the Channel Dash and after having received repairs for mine damage Gneisenau was heavily struck in her bow by an allied air raid. She was therefore decommissioned to suffer major repairs and upgrades. Such upgrades involved a new and bigger bow (10 meters longer) and to receive 6X15'' guns which were to replace the original 9x11'' guns...a bit � l� Repulse and Renown style. She was also to receive, apparently, new heavy AA guns, i.e., the 128mm guns to replace the original 5.9'' and 4.1'' guns. Though she went to Gdynia to do such repairs and upgrades the sinking of Scharnhorst raised very little effort in continuing works with Gneisenau. Therefore such operations were abandoned and she ended her days as a blockship in the entrance of Gdynia harbour. Curiously her original 11'' main batteries were moved to Norway for coastal defence and some are still there today as part of some Museum.
You might find some useful stuff in this site:

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

Best regards,

Filipe

Filipe, thanks very much.
The Tamiya 1/700 Scharnhorst was one of the first ships I built. But I know very little about Gneisenau.

Regards,
Roger