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Bismarck ! Her last voyage.


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This build has been my first foray into the scale 1/700. And I'll be honest, I found that initially I was enjoying it, but the further I went the more a chore it became.

The parts were just SO small, and I kept finding excused NOT to work on her.

So, after having received a robust talking from me, I pressed on and this is the result.

The kit is from Trumpeter, with the addition of PE from WEM. The wood deck is by Wood Hunter.

The paint as always is by Colourcoats.

 

The kit itself had surprising detail, given its small size, and came with the option for full hull or waterline. I did replace the mast on the bridge with a brass one, as the kit supplied one was very flimsy and I doubted to would take too kindly to being rigged.

 

On the subject of rigging, I added the MINIMUM as I really struggled with such fine thread.

 

The PE was ok, but at this scale VERY delicate. 

 

The wood deck, fitted well, with only a little overhang at the bow, it stuck down well but was very fragile and had a tendency to split along the plank lines. Which a couple of times made life hard, but on another occasion made fitting it easier.

 

The Colourcoats paint was excellent, and covered really well and for once I didn't use much due to the small size of the parts.

 

Will I do another 1/700 ? 

Very unlikely as the small size although well detailed, pushed my patience, eye sight and fingers to the limit. So, I'll stick with 1/350 or maybe bigger.

 

Here are a few pictures, which I hope you like.

As always, I've censored the deck marking. 

 

Jon

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33 minutes ago, Faraway said:

Will I do another 1/700 ? 

Very unlikely as the small size although well detailed, pushed my patience, eye sight and fingers to the limit. So, I'll stick with 1/350 or maybe bigger.

Gidday Jon, modeling is meant to be enjoyable, not a chore and if you found that the small size caused you to keep putting the build off then it seems that 1/700 scale is not for you. But you gave it a go, completed it and did a superb job doing it, very well done. The wood deck and the guard rails set the model off nicely, and she (actually the Germans referred to the ship as 'He') looks very good on that sea base.

     So, what's next on the build agenda?     Regards, Jeff.

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A cracking model Jon. I like it a lot. If I was you I'd do another one - Hood, Prince of Wales? I'm not sure what's available in that scale..

 

But I do understand your reasoning. 😀

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Fantastic build Jon, she really is a beaut. I hear you loud and clear on the small size being off-putting to getting to chore-like status. Unfortunately space limitations but a Tirpitzian eagerness to build a fleet, limits me.

 

That being said I reckon you'll look at your next 1/350 project and think of all manner of excuses to add in ever smaller detail. Garbage cans, vegetable storage lockers, toolkits, ship's cat/mouser...it'll look empty otherwise! :evil_laugh:

 

David

Ps. on a serious note, detailing, painting, rigging, pe work, seascape - all of it - quite outstanding. If I had to pick one thing it'd prob be the superbly done railings - no mean feat not to just mangle them and they've come out very nicely indeed. And the crispness of the paint job. The list of one is quite long so I'll stop there. Hood next?

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6 hours ago, Adm Lord De Univers said:

Hood next?

You are very kind, I’m not sure it’s that good, but thank you. As for the railings, they were a royal pain in the ...........

HMS Hood ? Probably, but it will be in 1/350

Jon

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3 hours ago, Bertie Psmith said:

I think it came out well but I totally understand you thinking that 1/700 is too small. Railings in 700? That way madness lies!

:mental:

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On 25/03/2022 at 11:32, ArnoldAmbrose said:

Gidday Jon, modeling is meant to be enjoyable, not a chore and if you found that the small size caused you to keep putting the build off then it seems that 1/700 scale is not for you. But you gave it a go, completed it and did a superb job doing it, very well done. The wood deck and the guard rails set the model off nicely, and she (actually the Germans referred to the ship as 'He') looks very good on that sea base.

     So, what's next on the build agenda?     Regards, Jeff.

Sorry, I have to correct you. Ships in German are always female, so it is "die Bismarck", when you refer to the ship.

 

Btw.: Great model!

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22 hours ago, VolkerR. said:

Sorry, I have to correct you. Ships in German are always female, so it is "die Bismarck", when you refer to the ship.

 

Btw.: Great model!

Now I have to correct myself! Acccording to the article on the Bismarck on the German wikipedia, there was an order by the ship`s captain, Lindemann, that the Bismarck  was on board always to be referred to as "der Bismarck". This sounds really strange to my german ears, but it is historically correct. But I am sure it sounded strange in those days, too.

 

Sorry for my mistake!

Volker

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Great looking ship. I fully share your reluctance when it comes to 1/700 scale. The stuff is just so tiny, and while building takes just as long as1/350 the result is so miniscule that it hardly feels worth the effort. So far I´ve built SMS König (Revell) and Ironclad USS Iowa (NIKO) and enjoyed it far less then my 1/350 models.

On 25/03/2022 at 11:32, ArnoldAmbrose said:

Gidday Jon, modeling is meant to be enjoyable, not a chore and if you found that the small size caused you to keep putting the build off then it seems that 1/700 scale is not for you. But you gave it a go, completed it and did a superb job doing it, very well done. The wood deck and the guard rails set the model off nicely, and she (actually the Germans referred to the ship as 'He') looks very good on that sea base.

     So, what's next on the build agenda?     Regards, Jeff.

Regarding the gender of ships in German: the word Schiff is neutral (das Schiff). However, named ships are refereed to as female even when carrying male names, same as in English: die Bismarck, die Seydlitz etc. Interestingly, in Russian the gender of the ship is changed by the name, so Knyaz Suvorov would be male, while Impreratritsa Maria would be female.

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Superb job, but the swastikas were painted over with grey paint on the 22nd (the wreck shows the grey paint has worn off on areas over the years) and the yellow paint failed to adhere to the secondary turrets being washed off by the sea as soon as it was applied and further attempts to paint them were abandoned.

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8 hours ago, Whitewolf said:

Superb job, but the swastikas were painted over with grey paint on the 22nd (the wreck shows the grey paint has worn off on areas over the years) and the yellow paint failed to adhere to the secondary turrets being washed off by the sea as soon as it was applied and further attempts to paint them were abandoned.

Interesting info, thanks.

Mine will have to represent her, just before the turrets got wet, the sea is pretty calm and just before the crew opened the grey paint tins. :whistle:
Jon

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12 minutes ago, robgizlu said:

Jon - each gets better and better - really nice presentation

Rob

Thanks Rob.

You ok ? You seem to have gone AWOL ?

Jon

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Thanks for sharing this perfect ships-model with us. It looks great, especially taking in mind the scale.

One question. The swastika on the fore and after end. Was this painted on to the deck in the last voyage? To my knowledge this was removed during her last and final operation in the Atlantic.

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10 minutes ago, Orion said:

The swastika on the fore and after end. Was this painted on to the deck in the last voyage?


Robert Ballard, discoverer of Titanic's wreck, also found Bismarck. It is reported that vestiges of the swastika markings were still visible on the bow. Now, whether these had been overpainted and have simply weathered out during the time the wreck has been on the bottom is open to question.

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