The Ship Model Forum

Ok another update from your sponsor

Modified the searchlight platform adjusting the port side as it should be. All PE added was from the KA set with only the three catwalks under the platform and above the bridge from the kit. They say a picture tell's a story so if you have any questions shoot away.

Admirals bridge and final assembly.

The main part of note are the railings on the roof which are not included in the kit or KA, but they are there on the real ship.

I've added two of the round window roundels - the skinny bits on the bridge windows which keep water from flowing on... but are barely visible. These aren't provided again by either kit or KA so I just used thin brass strip. Not sure if it was worth the pain but at least I know they are there.

Last thing I need to do to this section is to add two braces which lead from the top of the admirals bridge roof to the undersides of the searchlight platforms. There are two each side going under where the guns are mounted. I need more brass rod!

Oh I forgot I mention, if anyone is dubious of the glue on the self adhesive wooden decks... Don't be!
When I removed the planked decking on the bridge... Let's say it was a pain...

It sticks very very well. I was a little worried mysel earlier this week when I was laying it down initially as we had 41+ days and that's Celsius with over 80% humidity. Even with the AC on it was still a tad sticky in the house but there wasn't a problem at all with the decks.

Though with all my plastic kits in the past I wash the parts in soapy water and let them air dry an with the areas that will have the decks on I sand away any over spray.

Anton, you are becoming the guide for us all to follow on this kit. Thankyou for picking up the gauntlet!!

So, let's free your mind of some more knowledge...

You say you used the kit supplied catwalks? What is the kit PE like, I ask because I have the Dreadnought and the brass is thick and brittle. Have you annealed it?

Where you're using PE which is not supplied by the kit or Ka, such as the railings on the roof, are you using the kit supplied railings. How do they compare to the Ka railings ?

Is there any chance you caould show us all a real close pic of those grates..... they look amazing!!

Thanks for answering my question on the conning tower windows. I look forward to scratching them, or digging deep into my spares box.

Thanks again for putting together this amazing thread

I pinched the picture below from Plastic Habits post earlier..

What on earth were Trumpeter thinking when they made the mould for this part?? It must have come from a CAD model, so why oh why didn't someone ask "Why is that door higher than what it's attached to"??? AND... looing at it, the feature probably required a slide mould!!!

God only knows what else is wrong with this kit, but it's still a bargain!!

Anton, this is a fantastic build, and will be a terrific resource for anybody building the Bismarck in any scale. I have the Revell 1/350 waiting in the wings. Your build really makes me want to get mine started.

Regards, Dave

Thanks for the comments guys this is great being able to share such a fun hobby.

Oh that door Nigel, is right. Behind it there will be a convex curve allowing for people's heads. The door will lead directly down a stairwell, it's very common on ships especially on this era and earlier.

Ok the kit PE... It's a bloody nightmare! Far too thin to use in my opinion. The solid bits like the catwalk are ok because they have substance but the rails around them and the railings bend with the breeze an not in a good way. I started using the kit PE railing though for items missed by KA as my wife says I'm anal retentive hahaha I just take it as a compliment but I find it impossible to work with compared to the KA stuff. I have a stash of 'Scale link' railings in 1/192 and will pass as its barely any taller scale wise. I don't know if you know Scale Link but they make a huge range of PE fittings for 1/192 through to 1/72. I bought it originally for the main deck before I bought the KA set. The KA stuff looks like brass it tarnishes and is nice and solid - you still have to becareful with it but the kit stuffs part from being a gold colour must be a very cheap quality. It's still usable but I'm not impressed with it.

the wood gratings Nigel.

Sorry I don't have a macro lens at hand so this is the closest i can go.

NigelR32 wrote:I pinched the picture below from Plastic Habits post earlier..

What on earth were Trumpeter thinking when they made the mould for this part?? It must have come from a CAD model, so why oh why didn't someone ask "Why is that door higher than what it's attached to"??? AND... looing at it, the feature probably required a slide mould!!!

God only knows what else is wrong with this kit, but it's still a bargain!!

Nigel,

the shelter house is an intermediate story. When opening the door you go down a few steps the to intermediate level of that shelter house.

The boxes on its rear wall are two switch boxes and one telephone box for communication.

HTH,

Bernd.

Perth_shipyard wrote:
Oh that door Nigel, is right. Behind it there will be a convex curve allowing for people's heads. The door will lead directly down a stairwell, it's very common on ships especially on this era and earlier.

Ok the kit PE... It's a bloody nightmare! Far too thin to use in my opinion. The solid bits like the catwalk are ok because they have substance but the rails around them and the railings bend with the breeze an not in a good way.

Sorry Anton, I guess I should have looked at my kit before jumping to any conclusions, however, being a builder of trumpeter kits for many years, I wouldn't put anything past them. As for the trumpeter PE, have you tried heating it and letting it cool naturally, this may harden it a little and improve it's rigidity?

Thanks for posting the pics of the grating, it looks really amazing!! I guess you'll have to buy another set for the grating alone?? You should contact Ka, for all the free advertising they're getting from you they should give them to you!!

Looking at 109's loaded pics, the door should have a porthole in it?? Thanks for loading the Pics Mr 109. Where did you get them from? If correct, they will be a great modelling aid.

I've tried heating and it doesn't work. I honestly think its just down to the material.

With the door, most have a porthole unless it's a watertight door onboard a ship.

I think I may just leave the deck now without the gratings but you never know they might release an update set once I've got in contact

Seriously nice work here.

Thanks Dan for the compliment

Nigel, these are pictures of my Bismarck. I do not claim to be free of mistakes and errors. Btw, I saw that the point of the intermediate story was solved on the previous page.

109 wrote:Nigel, these are pictures of my Bismarck. I do not claim to be free of mistakes and errors. Btw, I saw that the point of the intermediate story was solved on the previous page.

Hi ,

There are no pictures!!

NigelR32 wrote:

109 wrote:Nigel, these are pictures of my Bismarck. I do not claim to be free of mistakes and errors. Btw, I saw that the point of the intermediate story was solved on the previous page.

Hi ,

There are no pictures!!

The pictures of the main Artillery command post in my posting above.

109 wrote:

NigelR32 wrote:I pinched the picture below from Plastic Habits post earlier..

What on earth were Trumpeter thinking when they made the mould for this part?? It must have come from a CAD model, so why oh why didn't someone ask "Why is that door higher than what it's attached to"??? AND... looing at it, the feature probably required a slide mould!!!

God only knows what else is wrong with this kit, but it's still a bargain!!

Nigel,

the shelter house is an intermediate story. When opening the door you go down a few steps the to intermediate level of that shelter house.

The boxes on its rear wall are two switch boxes and one telephone box for communication.

HTH,

Bernd.

Looking at your pictures 109, I want to go back to my original idea and build her in 1/125th! Alas the admiral won't have it! Hahaha

Foretop mast complete well, the structures anyway.

Have added a few extras not included again. Ladder rungs on to the yards - realised i also have to add some on the outer edge of the searchlight platform for the lower set of yards. An A-frame structure on the forward end of the top control platform has been added using brass rod. This is for a cable coming down from the top radar to the lower platform. They've included the lower two supports but not this top one???... anywho. Also added PE from the KA set replacing the mast support which is plastic in the kit.

The radar structure has also had a small adjustments. The kit depicts a later each side and hard up against the housing. She only had one on the starboard side further back, so I've changed this and added railing.

the cool Star Wars looking contraptions - Rangfinder Cupola's have been added. The Cupola itself I've painted a slightly darker shade of grey compared to the rest of the structure. They look to be a different colour in photographs and most modellers have seem to paint them almost as dark as the decks... personally I think thats too dark, so mine are closer to the hull colour.

started work on the funnel assembly.