1/200 Bismarck May 1941 by trumpeter

[Olaf Held]

Guys, I don't speak much German, but I think I can see the frame for the catwalk in the second row down in the right picture??

Sorry, I could swear I hit the PM button...

I was just asking for a larger version of that plan and the photos...


Happy decoding ~ Olaf!

[NigelR32]

Those braces in the second picture connect the superstructure to the deck above to give support due to the catapult. This doesn't have anything to do with a catwalk as the braces reach right up to the deck level. PE braces are included for these in the kit btw.

I dont wish to get into any arguments about this, but would like to satisfy or squash my ideas about these catwalks....

In the first pic I am showing the braces I was referring to, which appear on the drawing and 1/72 model in the previous posts.



In this second Pic I am showing what I meant by "The remaining structure as she lies today". Please note also the amount of debris scattered under where the catwalks would have been????



The poor old girl took nearly 400 hits before going down, and has been described by eye witnesses as a "Burning Wreck", so we must ask ourselves, "If the catwalks were ever there, would they still be there considering the punishment and the 70 years under water"?

Here's a link to a pic found on Google..... It shows "something" around the end of the catapult??

http://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=11144

As I say, I'm not trying to prove anyone right or wrong, but just want to satisfy my inquisitive mind.....

[Perth_shipyard]

nigel hopefully this makes sense to you. Hence why I've opted to not make the catwalks.

[Perth_shipyard]

been busy continuing with the bridge tonight.

One annoyance is the blocked door way on the section of superstructure on the bridge deck. I've opened this up. This leads to a door entering the bridge shelter deck and a stairway leading to the next deck. So while no detail would be seen it still wouldn't be a blocked door.

[Channell]

From what I'm seeing there should be doors into the bridge from both sides in the jutting (somewhat) triangular edges of the bridge area just kitty-corner from the doorway cutout. The kit doesn't have them.



Does the PE set include them by chance?

[Perth_shipyard]

Thanks Channell, yep both the AOTS and the SHipcraft books show this clearly. I bit of plastic card and sorted

[Perth_shipyard]

just read the footnote of your post channell, missed it initially. No the PE set hasn't got them either. I've got some 0.5mm plastruct sheet which will do nicely for it. Luckily Trumpeter actually made this section correct in the first place, even with out the door. The Tirpitz didn't have that jutting out section so I presume the entry into the bridge shelter deck was through the night watch shelter deck - what the open doorway leads too. On most of the plastic kits both 1/700 and 1/350 this section is moulded incorrectly - can't comment on the revell kit but I know the tamiya 1/350 is wrong and has the Tirpitz bridge.

[Perth_shipyard]

There were quite a few differences between the Bismarck and the Tirpitz, Some little which I think explains some of the inaccuracies within the kit world. Even in a few publications i've seen pictures and plans are noted as being bismarck, but are clearly not due to simple things like the extended midship deck and the crane being on the higher deck. This is a very obvious clue when determining between the two ships before Tirpitz was modified. Then other subtle differences like the Tirpitz bridge wing supports having a lattice structure where Bismarck's is solid. I think sometimes too much info can be as bad as too little.

[Herr Nilsson]

The braces under the catapult were for securing the garbage chutes.

[Plastic Habit]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for the info about the door on the bridge Perth. I want to help with some of the inconsistancies about the kit and not just take only info. There is another door problem on the kit dealing with the housing for the search lights on the side of the funnel. The kit provides PE stairs up but no molded or PE part for the door going inside. Thought others might want to know fr their builds.

[Channell]

I just wish I had a decent resource for my Bismark... I went into this knowing virtually nothing about either Bismarck or Tirpitz and am having a grand old time trying to sort out the differences!

I guess that's all part of the fun of a serious build, though.

[Guest]

Im the same way Channell. This is my first ship model, so I wanted to go big. I usually build German aircraft and armor in 1/72, but when I saw the box for the Bismarck I just had to go for it..

[BobaFettSlave_1]

Those braces in the second picture connect the superstructure to the deck above to give support due to the catapult. This doesn't have anything to do with a catwalk as the braces reach right up to the deck level. PE braces are included for these in the kit btw.

I dont wish to get into any arguments about this, but would like to satisfy or squash my ideas about these catwalks....

In the first pic I am showing the braces I was referring to, which appear on the drawing and 1/72 model in the previous posts.



In this second Pic I am showing what I meant by "The remaining structure as she lies today". Please note also the amount of debris scattered under where the catwalks would have been????



The poor old girl took nearly 400 hits before going down, and has been described by eye witnesses as a "Burning Wreck", so we must ask ourselves, "If the catwalks were ever there, would they still be there considering the punishment and the 70 years under water"?

Here's a link to a pic found on Google..... It shows "something" around the end of the catapult??

As I say, I'm not trying to prove anyone right or wrong, but just want to satisfy my inquisitive mind.....

I actually have a slightly clearer version of this photo showing the supports for the cradle that I can put up if you like. You can also see them in the aerial photos taken of Bismarck by the bf-109 before she set out on her final voyage, but they are a little fuzzy.

[BobaFettSlave_1]

Before the glue sets on that decking, you may wish to remove it. If I recall, that deck was steel, and painted like that around the funnel and AA. As is the area just after the aft director.

[Perth_shipyard]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for the info about the door on the bridge Perth. I want to help with some of the inconsistancies about the kit and not just take only info. There is another door problem on the kit dealing with the housing for the search lights on the side of the funnel. The kit provides PE stairs up but no molded or PE part for the door going inside. Thought others might want to know fr their builds.

This should help

[Perth_shipyard]

Before the glue sets on that decking, you may wish to remove it. If I recall, that deck was steel, and painted like that around the funnel and AA. As is the area just after the aft director.

Steel on Tirpitz, planked on Bismarck.

[Plastic Habit]

Perth,

How are you planning on fixing that bridge door? Looking at the model piece, there doesnt seem to be enough surface area to make a tall enough door. Then again it could just be my inexperience with ships.

[Perth_shipyard]

Ill just be making them out of plastic card and strip.

The height is correct. The shelter deck is lower than the deck outside, only by a step but as you would enter the bridge shelter you would step into and down.

[BobaFettSlave_1]

Before the glue sets on that decking, you may wish to remove it. If I recall, that deck was steel, and painted like that around the funnel and AA. As is the area just after the aft director.

Steel on Tirpitz, planked on Bismarck.

I'm still almost 100% certain that its the other way around. I dont see any evidence of planking on this level on the wreck, but it may have been swept away. I may still be wrong though, and if so I've learned something new. Hopefuly Olaf or Herr Nilsson will help answer this one.

Dana

[109]

Hi,

If there was teak planking that has gone you would see the welded on threaded bolts that fasten the planking via nuts to the underlying steel deck.