Bismarck by Ian B - Amati - 1/200

[Joe100]

DDP,

 

You’ve linked to some very old information there, and the photos of the launch in 1939 predate S-Anlage installation by almost 2 years. When that thread was posted at KBismarck, no one knew sonar had been fitted to Bismarck, this is new information within the past 8 years or so. 

 

The Schallanlage or S-Anlage active sonar was/is an extremely classified piece of equipment due to the fact the US used it as the basis for their submarine sonar after the war. Even today, not a huge amount is known. Research in this area is developing, and I just received the German archive box numbers containing information relevant to S-Anlage for Bismarck. I know someone who has quickly gone through them, and they state that sadly it’s just drawings and technical details, no photos. However this information will pin down dates and other technical details beyond what we already have. 

 

However, we do know Bismarck received her S-Anlage active sonar equipment in December 1940, which postdates the famous dry dock photos from October 1940, which is why the oscillators aren’t seen at the time. Mention is made of it exclusive to the GHG, so we do know it was installed and deployed for Rhine Exercise. 

 

Around this time Adm. Scheer received her S-Anlage sonar system, slightly before Bismarck, and we do have photos of that. I can share if they’re needed. 
 

S-Anlage active sonar had a range of about 9nm, maybe a bit further in colder waters. Few of Bismarck’s sensors were over the horizon, but a skilled GHG operator could and would pin down allied ships right down to the class.

 

In summary, any model of Bismarck in 1941 should carry the 6 S-Anlage oscillators on the bow. 

Edited April 4, 2023 by Joe100

[ddp]

Joe, where were they located on Adm. Scheer, in the bow or on the lower hull sides?

 

"SONAR and hydrophones are seperate technologies. The former is an active detection system using high frequency sound, the other is a passive listening device with directional capabilities. Hydrophones were developed in WW1 and SONAR came along in the interwar years. By the 1930s Germany had its own version of SONAR, called an S-Geraet, which was developed independently of British SONAR (ASDIC) research. The German GHG hyrophone arrays were highly developed and efficient, but like all hyrophones, was effected by sea state and ship speed. To the best of my knowledge, only escort vessels had the S-Geraet, although it appears that most large surface ships in the KM had the GHG as a passive early warning system."

https://www.kbismarck.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=140

[Joe100]

Hey DDP, 
 

Here is the photo of the equipment installed on Scheer

 

 

Here we see the oscillators on Gneisenau

 

In this photo of GU, it appears only the side oscillators are recessed. On SC, they installed bump guards, probably to at least alleviate some damage if she was grounded. 
 

Bismarck was run aground just before Rhine Exercise and had to be dry docked. This was to inspect the hull and to inspect her sensors for damage. 

[Joe100]

Most of the people in that thread on KBismarck are friends of mine, however that information is nearly 20 years old now, and a lot has happened research wise since then. At that time it wasn’t known if Bismarck and Tirpitz carried S-Anlage, however the information about its installation has been found in German archives, so we have dates and specifications. The surface fleet was equipped with S-Anlage by the end of 1941

[Ian B]

I know when she was launched she never had them but had it installed soon after, apparently they made sure any pictures of her out of water never showed the bow or doctored it to disguise its installation. The book on the wreck discovery mentions it's. It is described as schallanage active sonar in AOS. Tirpitz had it fitted post 1940 and in a listing differences wth Bismarck it was not mentioned. So I think the assumption is both Bismarck and Tirpitz had the upgrade..I guess we'll never get a definitive answer 😕

[Ian B]

Thanks everyone, every day is a learning day..I'm definitely going to have it also I will be adding a disguising cable...

[ddp]

Ian, the degaussing cable, on the hull near the main deck or on the deck itself?

[Joe100]

Bismarck’s degaussing cable was just below the waterline 

[Ian B]

I have some nice copper solid wire and a plan for the fixings... Not long now 🤫

[Ian B]

A bit more sanding then should be ready for second planking 

[hof00]

9 hours ago, Ian B said:

A bit more sanding then should be ready for second planking 

Looking really good!!

(Nice workshop space also. 🙂)

(HOF is still struggling with the Main Deck Railing but I think that my solution is working, I'll post soon also.)

 

Cheers and Regards,

 

Harry.

[Ian B]

@hof00 thanks Harry, this is my first dedicated workshop in 12 years and the first build on it,. So much nicer having space and all my tools to hand ..

 

Definitely not looking forward to the railings 🫡😂

[Ian B]

second planking done--- now limbering up my sanding arm---sand, fill, sand, fill, sand, fill, sand, fill 🤪🤪🤪

[hof00]

12 hours ago, Ian B said:

second planking done--- now limbering up my sanding arm---sand, fill, sand, fill, sand, fill, sand, fill 🤪🤪🤪

Nice!!

One luxury that Amati provide over the "Partwork" is the Portlight/Stern Grab Handle PE.

 

Enjoy the filling & sanding!! 🙂

 

Cheers and Regards,

 

Harry.

[Ian B]

For those of you following in our footsteps of building this kit here is an idea of what slack you have with materials from first and second planking-- The lower strips are what I had left over from 1st planking and the upper from second planking... so enough for you to make mistakes or re-do bits

 

[Ian B]

A quick light coat of primer to see all the imperfections 😬

 

 

[Ian B]

so grey primer rubbed down, then I masked off any PE and where any PE will go then sprayed the hull with a high build filler primer-- and yes-- rubbed it down again--- now to give it a thick coat of varnish --then a fine rub down which 'should ' just leave a few spots and areas to tidy up---well that's the plan, and we all know what happens to a plan 😜

 

 

[wernerweiss]

Hello Ian, you' re on the right way,  the plan is quite simple....."just" fill and sand and fill and sand and....until the hull looks like made of plastic without the slightest indication of planks....

My way was as follows: when I was content with filling and sanding, I gave the hull a coat of parquet lacquer. When it was dry, I polished the hull with a polishing disc on a drilling machine

 

Regards Werner 

[Ian B]

3 hours ago, wernerweiss said:

Hello Ian, you' re on the right way,  the plan is quite simple....."just" fill and sand and fill and sand and....until the hull looks like made of plastic without the slightest indication of planks....

My way was as follows: when I was content with filling and sanding, I gave the hull a coat of parquet lacquer. When it was dry, I polished the hull with a polishing disc on a drilling machine

 

Regards Werner 

Sounds like a good technique, almost done 👍👍

[Ian B]

almost there !!!  just a few spots needed doing.. The long white line from the bow is just the reflection from the drying varnish .

 

 

[Ian B]

Hideous ladder type stand .that needed changing!!  Nice and simple ...

[stuglo]

20 minutes ago, Ian B said:

Hideous ladder type stand .that needed changing!!  Nice and simple ...

I also remade it. Some much of this kit is brilliant, that I wonder if some of the simple stuff (mainly wood) was designed by someone else! 

[Ian B]

5 hours ago, stuglo said:

I also remade it. Some much of this kit is brilliant, that I wonder if some of the simple stuff (mainly wood) was designed by someone else! 

I reckon you could be right 👍

[hof00]

14 hours ago, Ian B said:

Hideous ladder type stand .that needed changing!!  Nice and simple ...

Damages the Bilge Keels also.... (If unmodified.)

Better to discard, Kindling perhaps?

[Ian B]

Once it is finished it will have a clear two part stands displayed on a glass shelf.the large ship HMS Vanguard was unfinished at this point so still has her old stand. I have builders in at the moment so they are all safety put away...I always display my current project so visitors see it grow..

Edited April 27, 2023 by Ian B

[Ian B]

finally after far too many hours of sanding, filling, painting --repeat and repeat-- she is smoooooooooooth

 

The grey flat piece of wood is so I can practice spraying with my air brush-- I bought this in 2020 and its the first time I'm going to use it it anger ... I want to try and add panel lines, well a hint at them through the top coats of paint and to very subtly weather her-- another first for me. If all else fails-- she will be in pristine paint LOL

 

 

[hof00]

Hi Ian,

That is looking pretty damn sharp!! 🙂

 

Cheers.... HOF.

[Ian B]

1 hour ago, hof00 said:

Hi Ian,

That is looking pretty damn sharp!! 🙂

 

Cheers.... HOF.

Thanks @hof00---As I type this I am sat here installing the PE below the water line (fits really nice) and fitting the rope runners on the bow.  The plastic parts for this are very poorly moulded, needed some filling and cleaning before they can be fitted. The propeller shafts are ready to install. So doing all the nice bits  

[hof00]

10 hours ago, Ian B said:

Thanks @hof00---As I type this I am sat here installing the PE below the water line (fits really nice) and fitting the rope runners on the bow.  The plastic parts for this are very poorly moulded, needed some filling and cleaning before they can be fitted. The propeller shafts are ready to install. So doing all the nice bits  

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.

[Ian B]

Test fitting degaussing cable