1/700 IHP Erstaz Yorck, 1919

[Pieter]

True. I was severely tempted when I saw a second hand HP Gneisenau on E**y though.

[PetrolGator]

Small updates:

I've been building many small storage boxes and other deck fittings while I work out how to proceed with the forward section of the battlecruiser. The best plans I have show that significant portions of the fighting top resembles that found on the Bayern class, save the veeeery top. I'm planning to use those components of the Combrig kits, cast by a friend, as I do not want to ruin a perfectly buildable battleship. The rest of the bridge works are also from that kit, but aren't used on an early SMS Bayern.

Name wise, I'm leaning either SMS Ludendorff or SMS Tirpitz. The Germans honored his colleague Paul von Hindenburg with a battlecruiser, so it's not without precedent. Tirpitz would make sense, but would feel almost like a cop out of creativity searching for a German military commander who hadn't (up to this time) been honored with a capital ship. Thoughts?

Next: I'll be waiting on cast parts to complete the fighting top. Until then, I'll work on scratching the main mast and prepping the hull for paint. Dan K's selling me some DKM photoetch that will likely really help in certain areas of this build. Example? I loathe the captains I have installed for now. With the PE tops, I can easily scratch better ones.

Opinion(s):

- German capital ships of this era did have linoleum decks held down with brass strips. I have IJN 1/700 stripping, but am not sure if I'm going to place them on the relevant deck, because scale. Thoughts?

- The aft searchlight platform appears to be deleted in later plans where the funnel receives them. I'm debating using this space for hose reels. Thoughts?

As always, criticism welcome. Note: the tripod is a bit high with all the bits of the fighting top assembled. I'll adjust the length of the legs accordingly.

Pictures. Note: All the dinky fiddly supports for the forward superstructure will be added once I decide how I plan to approach painting and assembly. I'm still waffling. Expect a LOT more detail to be added.

[Vlad]

Really liking the bridgework so far. Open windows really make it stand out. I look forward to the additional clutter and detail you plan to add in this area.

I think tie-down strips for the linoleum decks will add a nice touch of colour and detail, even if slightly overscale.

As for name, I would be inclined to go with Ludendorff, mostly to avoid the overlap with the KM Tirpitz but also for uniqueness (and because he was the bad guy in Wonder Woman )

[Dan K]

I agree, the bridgework is looking very nice. Great progress.

[PetrolGator]

Given that I'm waiting on parts, I'm leaning toward doing the tie-down strips. Of course, this is assuming I have modeling time between now and when the assorted bits arrive!

[maxim]

Looks good!

I cannot remember to have seen obvious tie-down strips on German ships. For sure, there are there, but if they are added in 1/700, they would have to be very prominent on photos of real ships.

[PetrolGator]

Thank you. To be honest, I'm really struggling back and forth. A lot of (newer) German ships have them, but I know it's overscale. Thankfully, I've got too much going on between now and Saturday to do something rash that I might regret! Some PE I bought from Dan K shall be arriving tomorrow! I'm planning to redo the capstans.

[Allan McBeath]

In 700 scale it will be too over scale I fear. Pretty, much like the pe rails on the smoke stacks. Depends on if you want to be purist/ realistic or have eye candy. Neither is wrong. Its your ship. Make it to please you

[PetrolGator]

I went with "no." There's been some progress on this ship, but I just haven't taken pictures.

Thanks!

[PetrolGator]

Update.

The "Erstaz Yorck" project has been even slower than Kongo, largely due to a ton of other after work commitments that I seem to clog my time with...

Current status: Main hull painting is done, though handling and time have made some touch ups required before I clear coat for filters/weathering. The deck's very subtle, with some planking detail (though picture quality seems to utterly wash this out) I've added detailed based on drawings of Mackensen and pictures of the Bayern class, which should approximate what this battlecruiser would have looked like. Special thanks to Christian H�ltge for advice on the deck equipment boxes from Five Star! Those things add a ton of detail to the ship.

Note: Infini cutting mats for masks are indispensable. I would not have gotten those circles so clean without them.

I'm planning on building up the tripod and platforms this week. Once those are installed, I'll check paint, correct, touch up, then clear coat. Weathering will be somewhat subtle on the superstructure, but much heavier below the waterline. I plan to mirror many late war German capital ships' general war-beaten look.

My biggest remaining decision: what do I name her? SMS Prinz Adalbert feels appropriate, given that he's one of the prime architects of the Prussian navy. I'm wanting to avoid Tirpitz, Scharnhorst, or other names which were used in WWII. I briefly considered Ludendorff, given his importance until 1918, but between his resignation and connection with postwar fascism, he's a hard pass.

Any suggestions are welcome.

[MartinJQuinn]

That looks great. I'm really glad to see you stuck with this project.

[PetrolGator]

Oh, I'll finish this. I'm just not sure if I'll be in the nursing home before or after I dullcoat the damn thing.

This week's looking busy. I'm just hoping to get the bloody tripod up.

[PetrolGator]

I haven�t had a lot of bench time, but I have managed to beat out most of the major sections of the forward tripod and add details.

Tripod: styrene with PE ladders and gussets.

Compass platform at the base of the platform: scratched.

Top of rangefinder: heavily modified IHP part. I cut a slit around the structure and stuck styrene strip into it to create the viewports. It�s currently sitting with Mr Surfacer 500 to level it all out. I�ll sand it smooth after it dries overnight.

Next step: rails and ladders. I�ll then touch up paint and paint the upper portion of the tripod black. After that, hull/superstructure railing will be applied and bonded to the hull with Gator Glue. I�ll finally ensure that any chips, overspray, etc are corrected before coating the ship with Future in preparation for weathering and final assembly. I�ll be mounting the hull on the water base prior to final assembly.

Needs to be scratched: Cranes, upper masts, full mainmast

Needs to be made/installed: cable reels, launches, flagstaffs, davits

[PetrolGator]

Note: She still needs a name. Suggestions welcome, though obvious they have to make sense.

SMS Prinz Adalbert?

SMS Kurf�rst Friedrich Wilhelm?

I'm trying to avoid Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and/or any other WWII era ship's name. Plus, naming their new, swanky battlecruiser/fast battleship after one of the lost sisters at the Falklands just seems to... obvious.

Heeeeeeelp!

[Pieter]

That Ersatz Yorck looks very nice. About the name. German battlecruisers seems to have used names of famous generals and admirals which had been in use earlier on corvettes and cruisers. SMS Stosch could be an option. Albrecht von Stosch was the first professional head of the newly formed German Navy.

[kylewoody]

Looking very nice my friend! Love the bridge and mast; clean, crisp and plumb.

As far as the names, I am not too familiar with the German ships - but the idea of picking something seems like something I wouldn't be able to settle on haha.

Kyle

[maxim]

Perhaps you can use Steuben?

[PetrolGator]

Perhaps you can use Steuben?

Oooo. I like this, but I cannot imagine the Kaiserliche Marine naming their newest battlecruiser (really fast battleship) after an officer that later served in the Continental Army, given that the US was at war with Germany at the time.

I'm going to have to think about this, though. Thanks!

Kyle: Thanks man. It's pretty rough right now, paint wise. I need to do a bit of touch up before I seal for weathering.

Pieter: I like SMS Stosch. I feel like this vessel needs a strong namesake.

Wife was sick yesterday, so I had little time at the bench. I'm starting to add rails to the various bridge platforms and will HOPEFULLY be done with this tonight. As with the rest of the exposed railing, I'll cover it in canvas. Next step? Ship's railing. I'll also start working the water base soon.

[maxim]

The Ersatz Yorck was "killed" by the shift of the building programs towards submarines - the very same shift, which brought the US into the war. The ship would have been only completed, if submarine warfare would have not been executed. If submarine warfare would have remained restricted, perhaps the US would not have entered the war. Therefore Steuben would be a fitting name

There were German ships called Steuben and there are statues of Steuben e.g. in Potsdam.

[PetrolGator]

Excellent point, re: submarine warfare. I'll give that name serious consideration.