As the Admiral Graf Spee is finished shortly I begin already with the way my new project: Operation Cerberus
The whole thing is planned as a waterline diorama with the dimensions 273 x 32 cm. As models, I use two kits of the Scharnhorst by Dragon and Trumpeter kit of the Prinz Eugen. Let's see if I can do it without major problems to rebuild the Gneisenau from the Scharnhorst-Kit. I will enhance the kits with detail sets from Flyhawk, Pontos wooden decks, brass gun barrels and some detail sets from veteran. So enough work for the next two years!
I see you have the same problem as I am having: Info on Scharnhorst is easy to find while Gneisenau is not so easy!
The book "German Capital Ships" has some good photo of Gneisenau. However, far too many of them are taken from too far away to give away details.
It also seem to be with Gneisenau as with other Kriegsmarine ships: Before the war and early in the war, pictures of the ships are gererally good, while pictures from later in the war are fewer and of a lower quality making it difficult to see details.
As I wrote in my own thread, I have found that the Kagero book seem quite accurate and correct when you compare details from the book to ref photo.
Today I received from a good friend who works in a carpenter my custom-made solid wood boards.
The boards now have a length of 100 cm and a width of 40 cm so that the entire Dio now has a total length of 300 cm and I now have about 40 cm distance between each model. After several reference samples is now clear that the ships as well as the location and number of escorts. As escorts 2 T-boats by Heller and 1 destroyer of the Dragon now come with Dio. More would be simply too unrealistic at the data at its disposal place. Here's what it looks even somewhat coherent!
Here are some photos with the location of each model!
This is going to be a very cool build! I don't have a Scharnhorst or Gneisenau yet. But plan on adding them to the fleet sooner or later. There's just so many ships I want to build. Funny how a lack of money seems to get in the way, lol.
Now I finally have all the stuff what do I need to build! In 2-3 weeks I will start with the construction of the Scharnhorst! I wonder if I get finished the diorama in the planned period of 3 -4 years!
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I will steadily follow
This is going to be good. Thanks.
I can not wait to see it all finished 
