The Ship Model Forum

I am now 3 years into my project of scratch building The Prinz in scale 1/200. This includes about two years research and drawing up plans.
I am still drawing up separate plans for the details as the build progresses.

The hull is almost finished as well as some of the decks and part of the superstructure.

Here are some pics of what I have completed so far:



The Hangar




Lower superstructure, front


Rear superstructure


I hope you enjoy it as much as I do

Hello Poulw nice to see you back again.
Nice building

Dang! Lookin' real good!

Awesome you scratch guys rock. Kevin

Very nice.

Scott

Brilliant!

The top level of the rear superstructure under construction



It is starting to getting a bit complicated with the slight differences in structure/colour of the timber decks with another type added.
Until now 3 different types of timber decks, but so far so good.

Super class! Wooden bars deck +5!

Hello again,

After 7 months off working on my house (it really needed it) I am now back into modelling mode and continuing on the rear superstructure.
It took a while to figure out how to construct the signals platform (holding the main mast) that sits above the hangar, but I think I cracked it.

Here is a pic of the rear superstructure (at present) loosely dry-fitted



Status: Total 3855 parts so far

Nice work Poulw

Really looking forward to this. The Admiral Hipper-class were the most attractive ships of the war in my opinion (next to the Pagoda-equipped Japanese battleships, of course) -- keep it up!

Thank you for the nice comments.
It has been a busy month since my last post with 500 more parts produced - and the front superstructure is now growing.
On a rainy day here in Melbourne, what better to do than post an update?
Three points need to be absolutely aligned here:
the 2 large rangefinders at the back (with domes and not shown) and the front wall, which goes all the way up the three levels.
The front wall and the swing-out bridges will be next before starting on the tower itself.
Here are some dry-fitted pics of the progress. The structure looks a bit clumsy on the pics, but the reason is the masking tape between the levels and over some of the planked decks. It will look much nicer with the masking tape removed.

Side on:



Angle from the front:



Close-up of the combat centre and front rangefinder:

Growing steadily

Front superstructure almost ready except for some fences on top and four range finders



The tower only needs some platforms and the wheel house on the Admiral's bridge

Hi Poul,

Were you planning to make use of any of the fittings that Hachette provided in their partwork Bismarck?

The AA guns particularly come to mind.

No FrancisMcN, the challenges of building as much as I can myself is what I love most about scratchbuilding.

Finally my Photobucket seems to work so here are some updates with pictures:

Tower platforms with timber decking



and seen from underneath



The support platforms for the night rangefinders (placed on the front superstructure) seen here together with the revolving catapult assembly (the catapult is still to come).
The catapult rail was a bit of a nightmare to construct as a 3-sided u-profile from only 0.25mm thick polystyrene sheet - breath too heavily and the rail falls apart
Succeeded at the third attempt though
Also shown is one of the two swing-out wings at the top front of the superstructure



Earlier I finished the main mast on the signals platform (over the hangar roof) where the search light platform also had to fit in (a really advanced puzzle in 3D)



That'll be all for this time
Now I "just" have to construct the night rangefinders, the domes for the large rangefinders, all the fences and the top of the hangar to finish the superstructure.

It's Nice and fantastic Poulw.

great work

Thanks mick and Capitao

Night rangefinders finished (just a bit of clean-up needed)



and I also finished a couple more loudspeakers, they are disbursed throughout the superstsucture



they are so tiny that I can hardly hold them with my tweezers

This is some awesome work such a great looking cruiser!




Jose