Dawie van Rensburg

Build Report 03 - Decking Detail in progress and 95% complete:

Thought it wise to protect all these small and delicate parts

Build Report 02

I continued working on the Pontos Upgrade parts

Various parts painted and ready for final fixing to the model

Wooden deck prepared

Tripod cannons also ready for placement on the model

Finally Bismarck arrived - had to unpack and see what I was in for! A very intimidating model . . . .

Testing the size of the base - all fits well!

Drilling holes for the port holes and ladders

Seriously small stuff to fix! 0.3 and 0.5 mm holes to drill and ladders to fix!

Inserting the mesh for the water ports

Primer and pre-shading

The hull painted and water line added

Preparing and painting the camouflage stripes and false bow wave

The entire hull sealed with Pledge floor polish, weathered and finally sealed with matt varnish

Wooden decking added

Preparing and painting the top deck markings

Bismarck is now permanently fixed to its base from where the rest of the build will continue . . .

Brain, you are a 100% correct. My estimate is that you can spend at least a few months working on just the upgrade kit before you have to start assembly of the actual model. I must admit though, really looking forward to assemble and work with something with substance!! These small parts and micro assembly  doesn't do it for me anymore - will be wonderful to work without a magnifying glass and tweezers!!

Thanks for the encouragement and support!

Dawie.

Kevin,

Yes, thanks for the feedback. Found a few discrepancies so far on the Pontos Kit - follow the link below for more detail as posted (start at the bottom of page 39)

http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=123012&sid=d89ee9cde371cb241cf079add3d34030&start=760

Regards,

Dawie.

Started my build log yesterday - Bismarck by Dawie van Rensburg - Trumpeter - PLASTIC - Scale 1/200 Pontos Detail Up set "Advanced" upgrade kit. Obviously plastic most probably molded in China?, but will be built by myself here in sunny South Africa.

Brain, when I did my research on which ship to build, I seriously tried to get hold of the Amati model, but I just could't find any. My quest must have been driven by my wood modeling background . . . . !! Made peace with this and decided to try the plastic world of modeling - I think the availability of the Pontos Advanced upgrade kit made the difference and the challenge worth my while . . .

Dawie.

For the record - here goes . . . . Build Report 01 
 

Still awaiting the delivery of the actual Trumpeter 1/200 Bismarck model. Has been cleared through customs and should arrive soon!

Ordered and received the Pontos 27001F1 Detail Up Set Advanced upgrade kit late November 2014:

Promptly started to short all the different parts:

Started building the catapult first - less intimidating? 

Small gets another meaning when you work with photo etching parts:

Good progress with the masts and some ladders and walkways:

Again, small gets another meaning - building the 20mm flack guns:

Some of the upgrade parts completed, painted, weathered and ready to be fixed on the actual model:

I decided to complete the future base for the model as well. Dimensions 1450mm x 400mm - ironwood. (6mm glass panels to be ordered on completion of the model). I think once the hull is completed and painted, I will mount it to the base and work on the rest of the build from this position.

Lessons Learnt 01

Early days, but I feel can share the following:

1. The Pontos upgrade kit is both excellent and intimidating! Don't underestimate the patients and skill required to construct these parts.

2. In some cases their is a definite lack of detail to construct some of the parts. This makes it difficult and sometimes very frustrating to complete!

Will appreciate any feedback, comments and/or build suggestions going forward.

Regards,

Dawie.

For more detail on the Pontos 1/200 Trumpeter Bismarck visit the ModelWarShip Forum  - follow this link: http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/index.php. Go to modelwarship.com General Forum, Manufacturers and Suppliers, and click on Pontosmodel 1/200 Bismarck Detail Up set Kit. The best summary for the present 1/200 Bismarck kits from Pontos is the following (copied from this forum):