Bismarck 1:200 Trumpeter, May 21th, 1941

[Stein Gildberg]

This is my contribution to the large selection of 1:200 Bismarcks in this forum.

The model was completed more than three years ago and won Best in class, Exhibitors price and Best in Show in the Norwegian annual �Skala� exhibition.
As my main interest in modelling is the Kriegsmarine, and although I have built at least 10 models of this ship before, I could not resist the challenge to take on this 1:200 project.

From the outset I decided that I would try to utilize as many details as possible that are not already in place in this well designed set.
I don�t intend to write everything about the build process, that is fairly well covered by others before me, but rather focus on small improvements and scratchbuilt items picked up from different sources.
If you have the interest and patience this thread should be able to give you further ideas when building YOUR Bismarck!

I did not buy and build the kit at first chance, but waited until Pontos were ready with their comprehensive PE kits including resin and brass parts as well as a wooden deck.
Smaller items were sourced from Veteran Models and lots of stuff from the spare bin, Plasticards etc. Colours mainly from Lifecolor sprayed in my two Iwata airbrushes, 0.2mm and 0.5mm.
My version of the ship is built trying to correct and detail some of the areas that I have been able to spot in my references. I guess that quite a few of you out there are able to correct me if I have things wrong � please do! If you have questions, feel free to ask, and I�ll try to answer as far as I�m capable.

The more important reference books are the two �Schlachtschiff Bismarck� by Josef Kaiser, Simon Frey Verlag (publisher). The volume �Das Modell� is interesting, but it is the other volume �Das Original� that you will find first hand, excellent pictures of the ship. And mind you: As built!!!
Nice pictures down to details such as rigging, ventilators, hatches, labels on lockers etc.
As you already may know, Bismarck was modified is several areas before putting out on her fatal operation. So always check other sources if you intend to build the ship in another timeframe.
If you don�t have access to these books, many of the photo can be found on net and in the Bundeswehr archives. Also, nice ref photos in AJ press series on Bismarck and Tirpitz, but be careful: the colour drawings are always accurate!
And do consult the Internet � with caution of course. And check your findings with different sources.

Some of my other Kriegsmarine models can be found here:
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... index.html

Have fun!

[gms]

Very nice!

[Stein Gildberg]

Thanks gms!

The hull:
Pictures are showing different modifications made to the hull. Water in/outlets in the lower hull (PE-kit) as well as small spill water outlets along the waterline (made from brass tubing).
The reason for all these �holes� in the side (and not the bottom) of the ship seems to come from the fact that the ship has only marginally less depth than the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, the strategic channel between the Baltic and the North Sea. To avoid sucking rubble and sand into the cooling systems most openings are on the side of the hull.
is this modification worth the effort: Well, very little of this is seen when the hull is finished.

Small outlets for spill-water etc are found along the both sides just above the boot-topping. 0,6mm tubing were inserted in drilled-out holes in the plastic.

All portholes are drilled out in 90 degrees to the hull sides. Since all portholes are made 90 degrees to the horizontal, some are not round at all. Portholes are of course 90 degrees to the ships sides, so do fill those original holes that are inaccurate with putty and drill new ones!
Then, use white glue into the holes and let dry, after all painting is done, of course: and there you have your glassed portholes.

[Dan K]

Yours is a superbly beautiful build, Stein. As are all your builds.

[Stein Gildberg]

Close to the stern, almost at the boot-topping, there are two outlets. Those are outlets for smoke screening. Check your ref and drill the holes.

Some deck details

I use to disagree strongly with a friend about the colour of the capstans in German warships in general, and in Bismarck in particular.
I do have original colour pictures form different Kriegsmarine ships supporting my view: They were (often) coloured in red (BB) and green (SB). See picture from a destroyer (and I have actually seen the colours myself on the wreck of Z2 in Narvik.
I do not have any colour pictures showing the capstans on Bismarck, but I decided to use colours in my model. Anyone that can provide evidence whether I am right og wrong?

[Stein Gildberg]

Wreck of Z2 close to Narvik before it broke further down some years ago. Not my own photos by the way, but here you can quite clearly see the colour of the capstans- red and green.

[Mr. Church]

Very nice. I love the attention to detail of the particular day.

Little did Bismarck realise on May 21st that she was already in the last week of her life.

[Stein Gildberg]

Some more detail:

105mm inner gun for practice firing with 15� main guns:
Ever wondered what is the purpose of these cannisters? Several comments seem to suggest they are for storing cleaning rods for the main (15�) guns. Well � they are not!
Each such cannister contain a 105mm practice gun that was used for live firing practice with the main guns. I have seen such a gun myself: Not in a cannister, but inside the gun housing og the 15� gun housing in M�vig, Kristiansand in Norway. The 15� inch gun in M�vig is a gun museum, complete with a Bismarck/Tirpitz gun, bunker etc, etc. I must see if visiting to Norway!
So, what about the cannisters? Well, take a look at the picture from Tirpitz after an aerial attack: The picture shows the barbette of gun Bruno. A bomb hit has blown the cannister open, and beside it � the inner gun! The larger, huge section at the end og the tube has a broad ring around it. This is the liner that centres the 105mm inside the main gun.
Such inner guns in quote common. I have used it myself in 14mm calibre inside a 155 mm M109A3G-howitzer to practice direct firing.

Lanterns:
Picture is showing some of the lanterns hoisted and used for signalling. Also notice the flag signalling platform.
Bismarck bars are simply an arrangement for mounting lanterns in patterns for signalling at night. If you study pictures of Tirpitz, you will not find these bars, but instead an (seemingly) electric arrangement to fulfil the same purpose.

[Stein Gildberg]

Long time, no time..but here we go again:

The superstructure is well detailed by Trumpeter, so it was a pity to remove all details just to add new (and more detailed) ones.
First level:

[Stein Gildberg]

More details from 1st level

[mick]

great work

[MartinJQuinn]

Great work. Love the details you've added.

[Iceman 29]

Great work, some details are amazing!

On the other hand, there is damage to the main deck railing, which can be dismantled at sea so that it is not washed away by the sea and is made of cables or chains between the uprights. MK1 Design kit offers this option.

[Stein Gildberg]

Thanks for all nice comments!
The railing from MK1 is nice!
Pontos includes separate stanctions both with and without supports. To make "chains" - which are not available in this scale, I used copper wire .2mm fra elektrical cabling.
But to drill and install this railing all around the main deck was too much labor of love for me, so I stuck to the other option- the simplified "fence".
To make this railing absolutely correct is probably too much to undertake in this scale as the railing is in no way "standard" all along.
Pictures are from my destroyer Z11 in 1:100 scale where I had nice documentation that alloved me to construct the railing to a good standard compated to the original (still probably not 100% accurate )

[Iceman 29]

This is the problem with PE kits, there is in one what there is not in the other, and vice versa. One would think that there is agreement between them... And not only for this one.

I had bought two kits for the Bismarck, the complete MK1 Design and BigEd kit from Eduard, the budget was going through the roof...

Nice destroyer!

[PCB5656]

First off, beautiful work. I am also working on my 1:200 Bismarck, being built and painted as she was on 21 May 1941 when she left Norway. I only hope I can do half as good a job as you are doing.

One thing you have spotted which I haven't seen on anyone else's models are the racks for mounting the Davits or support cranes. I thought the one between the S1 and S2 turrets shown in your photo was for the boat davit. You have a boarding ladder davit or crane mounted there. How did you determine it was the boarding davit not the lifeboat davit. I know the main deck boats were landed before she left Norway, were the davits landed to? And more importantly, I have searched every photo I can find and I don't see another set of brackets for the stern ladder or boats. Any idea where they might be?

Thanks in advance for your reply.

[Stein Gildberg]

PCB5656:
The davit you are referring to is, I take it, the one marked with a red circle in photo above. Well, it is a boarding ladder support. This support is also shown in raised position in another photo above.
The support is mounted to the wall as in picture below.
I have not been able to find such support(s) in other positions- sorry!

Regarding deck-mounted boats etc: Yes, they were removed before Rhein�bung. I have not spotted any boat davits in any picture. The cradles were probably also removed as they were mounted on top of the teak deck and (I take it) easy to remove. As mounted, they would only be in harm�s way.

There are a lot of such issues that you will face during your build. Detailed pictures can be found in Internet, but the very best sources (at least to me) are the books �Schlachtschiff Bismarck�, vol 1: Das Modell , and Vol 2 Das Original, by Josef Kaiser. In �Das Original� all sides and installations of the ship is described (in German) with pictures of the different gear. The photos originate from German sources and is mainly showing the ship as it appeared as delivered to KM.

[Stein Gildberg]

And some pictures of the funnel: I scratch-built the ammo-lift from deck to the searchlight platform.
Original pictures show posters on different lockers etc informing about content, hazard etc. It was not possible to produce those with correct lettes/words in 1:200 (!), so I had to guess color and produce something to make it look like letters/words...

[Stein Gildberg]

Hangar area and Arado's

[ModelMonkey]

Brilliant.