Calling all Bismarck and Tirpitz fans

[Werner]

Berky, you raise two interesting points which have been hotly debated on this site.

First, although we can respect the Bismarck for her design and military powers, and the sailors who served and died aboard command our respect, it is hard to divorce the Bismarck as a ship from her political purpose. For that reason, I have suggested those who build this ship be prepared to discuss the political reasons for which she was built and why it was so important to emblason her with the national symbols. The ship without her swastika is incomplete as an interpretation of her place in history.

Second, we have had great fun over the years debating a battle between Yamato and ships with substantially smaller guns. For example, while an 8-inch, 335 pound shell will not penetrate the battleship's deck or sides, it is still going to play heck with command and control, electrical systems, range finders, turret bearings and roller paths, shock sensitive systems and of course the people aboard. Bismarck did not suffer the sort of critical hit from which her armor was protection. She was lost to the accumulation of damage of the sort that might occur in such a hypothetical lop-sided engagement.

[RNfanDan]

However, I will have some trouble painting the swastika... My Jewish parents would never allow it! I don't think I could even paint it on [there] myself.

One possible solution to your concern, is to build and paint the ship as it appeared when it left Norway---i.e., with the swastikas painted-over in grey. This may help maintain the peace and respect your folks' very valid and understandable wishes.

[Ben Berkowitz]

I don't know why all those <edited> say the Hood is the best looking ship of the 20th century. No way, it looks old and clumsy. Not as bad as a Fuso, but still ugly.

The Bismarck and the Tirpitz are the most handsome ship designs, ever.

Ben - I doubt you meant any harm, but your term - which I edited out - may have been offensive to some of our members of the board. Please be mindful this is an international community. Thanks!

[Laurence Batchelor]

Don't worry I think us Brits have been called worse things than Limey's!

Bismarck's form while looking very industrial does not compare with Hood's fine and well proportion lines.

You will find in a lot of the literature also Hood is considered by many the most beautiful warship of the early 20th Century.

I have never read this about Bismarck, they normally always describe her as the most powerful in the European theatre, not most beautiful.

[Ben Berkowitz]

The Bismarck doesn't have fine and well proportioned lines? I think it is more flowing than the Hood. Its turrets are almost stream-lined, they are tucked into the superstructure, and it just gives the impression of a well-built smart looking ship.

[RNfanDan]

I don't know why all those <edited> say the Hood is the best looking ship of the 20th century.

Ben, it's cool to have opinions on ugly and beautiful ships. Myself, I have a "thing" against Essex-class carriers, and a few guys on this board swap evil barbs with me from time to time about that; but it's all good-natured, for the most part.

As far as Hood is concerned, it's not hard to explain why people like the looks of that ship. She was long, slender in the beam, had a certain graceful sweep to her lines, and a profile that included a rather handsomely-raked bow stem---in sharp contrast to most other large warships of her day, which had jutting "ram" bows and fat, stubby hulls.

Hood's beauty also was derived from a stateliness and balance, mostly created by her twin, widely-spaced funnels. The ship just looked fast and elegant, and she was by far the most "modern"-looking warship, for many years.

Certainly, I agree that the German battleships were good-looking, too. However, their beauty originated in their symmetry, massiveness, and their implied power.

Ships can be beautiful for many reasons, and those reasons may not be in agreement with everyone. That's why there's a hobby of building model ships, in the first place. Parallels can be drawn with automobiles---beauty is in the eye of the beholder---and you're bound to find people who love and hate certain ones, but they all deserve respect.

I hope you find your time here, to be well-spent!

[angeleyes]

These are a few samples of my pics of my finished now bismarck in 1/700 from dragon.Good kit , but i would say inferior to trumpy's one .If i only knew before i started it.

and

and as for elegance.......

[PreDreadNut]

Hello,I just found this thread and have been drooling over all the great pictures.The level of detail is tremendous!!Im right in the middle of overhauling my 1/144th scale Bismarck and this thread will be a good source for details.Im fairly computer illiterate,so I cant post a link to my ship,but if you go to the St Louis Admirals R/C boat website and click on the Fleet botton then scroll down to the Bismack.Click on the photos to enlarge.I know that there is ALOT of things wrong with it,it was my first attempt and I didnt know much so go easy on me.Im correcting some of these mistakes and ommisions right now.The model is 69inches long,has two working smoke units and 5 working searchlights.I would like to say that I feel a little uneasy about the swatsikas also and Ive gotten one bad coment.I just told the man,that I love their ships not the politics.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have a link to photos of the original builders model of Bismarck from Blohm Voss in Hamburg?

[Fil]

Here you go

Part 1
Part 2

[FW_Allen]

...they don't necessarily depict a ship as actually/finally built. Sometimes modifications are made to the ship whilst fitting out...and these don't always get incorporated into the model. Sometimes, the ship isn't quite complete when a situation arises...in such cases, the ship never gets the chance to be "final" like the model.

This is definitely the case with Hood...she was changed a bit and was not an exact match for her builder's model. It appears that the same was true of Bismarck (or, as I like to jokingly call her, the "Mid 1970s East German female weightlifter"). I haven't viewed the builders model in great detail, but two things automatically come to mind- the wackletopf over the after directors (not yet fitted to the real ship) and the planked deck around the after 38cm fire control station. Bismarck had painted steel on this deck (and STILL does...I'm looking at a wreck pic right now). Her sister Tirpitz did have this planking though.

Frank

[Anonymous]

Question:
Why does the Bismarck have Nazi Crosses on the front and rear deck, while it has such a characteristic shape? I bet every pilot will recognize it from the air, or are the crosses there for something else?

[RNfanDan]

The ships were painted with these deck markings especially for aircraft recognition. There is very little that is "characteristic" to an attacking pilot's eyes! During wartime, in an age where information didn't move at today's speeds, pilots weren't exactly well-trained on the latest and best overhead warship recognition.

Interestingly enough, during Operation Rhein�b�ng, British torpedo planes mistakenly carried out an attack on HMS Sheffield. Their intended target was Bismarck, a ship clearly much larger and seemingly unmistakable, compared to the cruiser. What's even more incredible, is that the pilots knew their own Sheffield class of cruisers very well, which---comparisons with Bismarck notwithstanding---proves conclusively that silhouettes and profiles meant little under wartime conditions.

The Italians also had several of their own ships attacked by "friendly" aircraft, resulting in large red and white diagonal stripes being painted on a number of their ships' upperdecks to prevent confusion.

[Antonio Bonomi]

Ciao all,

well I think I want to leave my hello to everybody here in, .... for both Bismarck and Tirpitz.

Any help needed on those ships camo and technical evolutions ,.. just feel free.

I saw some camo schemes, .. but they do not look right for me, .. be careful.... with your models,..especially that one on Trondheim on May 1942, .. with Brown and Green, .. on the one side camouflage scheme.

By the way making 7 models of Tirpitz on 1/350 all together now,... all with PE parts from Eduard and WEM,...

If anybody needs to know exactly were the air recognition marks were applyied on those ships ( turret colours and or swastika's) ,.. just ask.

.... do you think I am a real Bismarck / Tirpitz fan

Ciao Antonio

[Antonio Bonomi]

Ciao all,

many are surely looking for the portholes correct type and positioning on the Bismarck / Tirpitz after having purchased the photo etched parts.

Here I have tryied to give some references, .. maybe helpful :

http://www.kbismarck.org/forum/viewtopi ... ee77c#9619

... more to come soon ... and feel free to ask,... in case,.. no secrets, .....

Ciao Antonio

[largeallan]

Is there a UK supplier of the wooden 1x3 planking that anyone knows of?

TIA..Allan

[Anonymous]

is there any way to join the three main deck pieces together on the academy kit so the seam want show so bad. the only way i know of is to use real wood decking. if there is a painting solution or other please let me know. thank you ezell [/b]

[Antonio Bonomi]

Ciao all,

I think this guy found a very good solution for the Academy/Tamiya deck problem on Bismarck and Tirpitz models.

http://www.ontheslipway.com/index.jsp?ID=7

never to forget that the layout of the details on the main deck was different between the 2 ships and neither Tamiya nor Academy ( or the same kit under other kit builder names ) are close to it, so you can fix that as well.

Ciao Antonio

[rpezell]

does anyone know of a good material to make blast bags with. i want the guns to move up and down so i need something flexible. thought about kitchen & bath caulk. any ideas.

[Commodore Rob]

Quick question howmany 1/350 scale Tirpitz kits are on the market and which is the best?