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Hi Chap, Very nice indeed!! Cheers....HOF.

Thank you all very much!! I reckon that I can do better hence looking at the 1/200 Trumpeter Bismarck. The only problem is the size of these things. Making the Cabinets is not the issue, its' where to put them.... 🙂 I think that I should put some effort into the Sanson that is not too, too far away from completion. Cheers and Regards, Harry.

Thanks for that!! Appreciated. Cheers....HOF.

Hmmm, Might have to get a couple of better photos....🙂

Hi All, I have decided to call time on the Bismarck and say "Finished." Final touch-ups completed today and a couple of coats of Satin Clear. I did not get to deploying Accommodation Ladders, oh well.... Hawse Drums were re-wound with A/L 0.25 Black Thread, much better, Anchor Buoys also re-wound and fitted. I guess an interesting build for me, my first Ship with "Guns" and a great PE primer having never dabbled in the medium before. It's not perfect but should pass muster, I guess that's part of building with 1.5 arms!! 🙂 Would I do it again? Definitely!! I'm sort of gearing up to have a good look at my Trumpeter version with MK1 detail PE. I have issues with some items included in the kit contents but they got resolved o.k. Many thanks to all that have hit the "Like" thingy, much appreciated. A few of those I wish to thank for thier input and knowledge, well you know who you are, rvchima, Rod, joe100, Joe and many others that have from time-to-time offered ideas or constructive criticism. 🙂 Last but definitely not least, my lovely lady, for assisting completion for this old Chap with one and a bit working appendages. So, some photos in no particular order.... I almost forgot to mention, the Color/Camo scheme is for this day in history May 21 1941. (I believe that the Stripes/Stern Wave was removed shortly afterward.) Cheers....HOF.

I guess if you reduce the thickness of the Decking Planks, you'll need to check if your kit provides enough stock. Have you looked at obtaining 2.0mm wide planks? (M<y experience with A/L stuff is that they usually provide more than enough material, not so with my PD Kit.... 🙂) Yup, Joggling will look really good, I did this on mine with a bit of trial/error. The Mahogany for the King Plank/Coamings/Etc was very brittle in my kit with the only way to prevent wastage was to use a very fine saw blade across grain. Looking forward to your "Fairing" work. Cheers and Regards, Harry.

Hi There, looking good!! Fairing the Bulkheads took me quite a while primarily due to the "Doublers." Take your time and try not to take anything off the False Deck!! 🙂 Decking you'll find interesting I am sure, just have a think about the steps necessary and the sequence. Are you planning to "Joggle" the Deck planks? Cheers....HOF.

Sorry Ian, That should have read $25.00 not $2500!! 🙂 (Corrected the above.) Cheers....HOF.

Hi Chap, If you want to do Decals, I got mine from Custom Hobby Decals in "The West Island", (Australia 🙂) From memory, about NZD $25.00 KMS Bismarck German WWII Battleship – 1/100 1/200 1/350 1/570 1/700 1/1000 1/1200 1/2400 – Water Decal – Custom Hobby Decals There is a Red Background option available but best to drop them an E-Mail if you require that. The advantage here is that you get all the Pennants/Arado Stuff as well. Cheers....HOF.

Ditto!!🙂

Nice!! 🙂 Brings back some memories. Happy to try and lend a hand if needed. I'll follow along. also. Cheers....HOF.

Hi Ian, I used Vallejo Light Grey 71.050 and Sea Grey71.049 (I don't know if they are 100% historically correct) Baltic Stripes are Black and White. One person who could most definitively answer is @Joe100 I guess you could have a test "Off-Ship" with a selection first. "Scale Effect" probably needs to be factored in? Are you going the "Full Monty" Baltic Stripes? Cheers....HOF.

Many thanks Gentlemen, I have taken your advice very firmly on-board!! 🙂 Cheers and Regards, Harry.

Hi Chap, I am quite happy with Vallejo Matt. Wot's your experience with that? Cheers.... HOF.

Hi All, Just a question that came to mind after viewing "Channell's" Trumpeter Bismarck log. In that log there were a few comments regarding paint adhering, (Or not), to the plastic that Trumpeter kits are made of. Does anyone have experience of the above? Cheers and Regards, Harry.

Agree, The "Sea Chest" grills go on very nicely. The Plastic parts leave allot to be desired, my father would have said "By guess and by God. 🙂" The Propeller Shaft Housings, interesting. I had a Paper template/s to position these. One I had carefully shaped the mating surface to match the Hull, i decided to "Key" the Hull and prepped the Housings with a Brass pin, (1.5mm), at each end of the Housing. This gave me correct positioning once I put some thick CA on and pushed the parts together. (Well, that was my madness to the method.... 🙂) Have fun with whatever method you use, it'll be good to see the results!! Cheers and Regards, Harry.

Hi Ian, One other thing comes to mind, when you gat to it that is, My instructions advised to mount the Bow and Stern Flagstaffs prior to installing the Main Railing. I did not find this was a good procedure, The Bow Flagstaff got a real beating due to fiddling with the Railings, I was lucky that I could rescue the Bow Flagstaff and did not mount the Stern one until the Railing was complete. (This did not preclude drilling holes for the Flagstaff installation.) Anyway, just a small detail that may save frustration.... Cheers....HOF.

Hi Ian, That is looking pretty damn sharp!! 🙂 Cheers.... HOF.

Thanks Chap. Yup, the Monofilament is and was awful but eventually had its' day.... 🙂 Cheers....HOF.

Thanks Gentlemen, Appreciated. 🙂 Ian, have a look at the Stanchions that you were provided and "Guage" the holes. My Stanchion holes were 0.3mm, 0.4mm would be better. I'm thinking the "Prod" version may have a larger hole to facilitate threading the awful Mono-Filament stuff. Even so, it was beyond me how you'd thread the Stanchions in-situ, 1: With ought kinking the stuff, drawing it through and 2: If the Stanchions holes are not in-line, the thread won't go through either. My Stanchion spacing was not to the kit specs either, there should have been about 146 on either side, mine ended up 135 inc. the Boe in front of the Hawse holes. Another issue I had, was painting my Stanchions thus having to drill out all the Stanchion holes. 🙂 @rvchima, (Rod), advised that he Blackened his Stanchions, very wise!! You could always PM Rod for extra insight here. All in all, the Railing helps immensely to just "Finish" things nicely. (I still dislike immensely the Mono-Filament stuff provided, it did eventually have a use.... 🙂) Cheers and Regards, Harry.

Yup, I was eight also living in Eastbourne. The wind was really something!! I heard also at the time that it was two storms colliding but called the Storm "Cyclone Giselle." (Please correct me if I am in error.) Cheers....HOF.

Hi All,. It's been a while since I last posted but time for an update.... Main Deck perimeter Railing complete. I procrastinated for quite some time about this. Supplied Stanchions used eventually and the dreaded Mono-Filament material. As much as I tried to thread Stanchions, (After a few test-fitted), it was almost impossible!! I had a breath and decided to dill out all of the Stanchion holes with a 0.3mm drill, I had pre painted these also. So, I don't know if the Amati production kit has holes of greater than 0.3mm. Rod, (rvchima), threaded his Stanchions in-situ with no issues, he said the task was easy. (That was the inference anyway.) I decided to drill all the holes around the Deck with a default of 9.5mm, there were a few exceptions. So 62 to Midships and 66 to the Stern, the Stanchions were threaded on to the Mono-Filament, three threads, top, middle bottom and then plugged into the holes drilled. The join, Midships required a bit of fast thinking, I drilled out a couple of Stanchions to 0.45mm to accept the threads from the Bow and threads from the Stern sections of railing, a touch of CA an done. (I'll attach some photos of these. It took some time but not as much time as trying to thread Stanchions in-situ. And yes, I received the Eduard PE Chain Link Railing, nice but not suitable for this beastie. 🙂 Not much left to do: Paint Touch-ups Stern Flagstaff Anchor Buoys Accommodation Ladders (Probably) I should also mention that my good lady helped me in no small way with the Railing. (I still have limited use of my right arm.... ☹️ Cheers....HOF. Photos:

Very nice indeed!! Good progress also. Cheers....HOF.

Damages the Bilge Keels also.... (If unmodified.) Better to discard, Kindling perhaps?

Hi there, The Channels attach on the 1st Rail (Monkey Rail?) above the Deck so, if pinning, they will not be pinned directly to the Bulwarks. The top of the Rail and top of the Channels are flush. (My experience anyway.... 🙂) A few photos of the Mantua version under construction attached showing Channels. Cheers....HOF.