Bismarck by Jeff 59 - Trumpeter - 1/200 - PLASTIC

[Jeff59]

Hello guys, good to be back into modelling after short break, hope everyone are well. Did say this would be my next build and here we are, dug this out of the attic, wouldn’t think you could lose this 🙄 eventually found it. Looking at dates l purchased the Pontos detail sets this has been up the attic for over ten years, how time flies. This is certainly going to be different from my last build ( Mikasa 1/200 ) loads of photos and references on this one as apposed to very little on Mikasa, almost relaxing 👍 shall put up some photos of starting point next. Basically starting with hull and main deck, this constitutes Months of work for me, almost straight forward, just slightly larger. Started by dressing up hull, lots off filling and rubbing down, drilling out port holes and contouring A Frames and propeller shaft housings using photos as references, this is ongoing and where I am at presently, as usual don’t hold your breath waiting on progress, you know me by now. 😂

[S-boat 55]

I shall follow along on this one, always worth following a build of Bismarck, such a handsome ship, those details sets are going to be phenomenal, I look forward to it all progressing,

[Landlubber Mike]

Awesome!  I bought this kit from a member a few years ago.  Itching to start it once I can find a place to put it!  Looking forward to following along!

 

I have the Pontos sets but didn't realize there were the CMK sets.  What do you think of them?

[hof00]

Ditto to the above!!

I'm interested with the Trumpeter version which I have in storage. I completed the "Partworks" (Amati) version but feel the Trumpeter version has more detail, esp. with the upgrade stets.

(Maybe I'll get to this one day.... 🙂)

 

Cheers..... HOF.

 

 

[PvG Aussie]

I'm in for the ride as I finished the same build with the Pontos extras about a year ago. Loved it!

Cheers, Peter. 

[Azzoun]

Great Topic - looking forward to the next update!

[Jeff59]

Sorry for the slow progress guys, making update just now 👍 Opted to use G Factor propeller’s over Pontos ones, just the G Factor ones slide right onto the metal shafts on kit so made it an easy starting point. Started on Portside of hull first, this prop and the middle prop rotate in anticlockwise direction for forward motion, turns out to be my first stumbling point, G Factor have their set the other way around, having the Starboard and middle props turning Clockwise for forward motion, just have to use one of the Pontos propellers after all. Spent a bit of time grinding down the Portside prop with a small burr, followed with fine sanding sticks then wet and dry emery paper, took a good few hours but worth the effort I think, shall put up couple of photos comparing finished one with the Starboard side one still to start. 👍

[Jeff59]

Purchased a good book that shall be extremely helpful with my build, 

[Jeff59]

Used Mr White Putty R for the flaws in hull, seems to work fine, just take precautions when using it, does carry a lot of health warnings so be sensible, other part on hull I’ve been doing is the portholes drilling out and countersinking on the inside of hull, it’s a bit more tricky at the extreme Bow and Stern, end up having to cut various drill bits down in length, like 20mm long 😂 trying to get these fat fingers into this space and countersink the holes is a real pain 😂 end of fingers are all hacked up, shall put photos up and you’ll see the difference though.

[Jeff59]

Problem is the portholes are all drilled at 90 degrees on a vertical and horizontal plane so you have to drill through and plug all these with suitable dia styrene stock, then trim flush to hull, then you have to drill a pilot hole, say 0.5 at 90 degrees to the hull plate at each porthole as the contour changes, you have to do this to get a true plane through the hull which varies in thickness throughout its form. You can see where my small pilot hole is in comparison to the plastic rod plugging up the original hole, this small pilot hole is the true drilling plain for countersinking the portholes from the inside. Seems a lot of work but works a treat 🤛

[Jeff59]

[Jeff59]

Looks like butchery on inside, but guess what, nobody sees it 😂 Other thing to take note of is when fitting the three hull bracers inside to stiffen up the hull be careful, l found the deck didn’t quite fit at Bow, tad tight, so l broke the joint to side of hull on the forward brace, re glued it and fitted deck in place using a clamp letting the glue dry whilst deck held in position with clamp. Sorted, worked a treat, also put some bracers in to support deck at three points as l felt it benefited from this.

[Jeff59]

Another part achieved was the hull detailing forward below waterline, looked like lots of simulated holes on hull in a horseshoe shape possibly a scuttling point l thought, drilled these through the hull just to define them a little better, they weren’t hundred percent like drawing in the book but l didn’t fancy try to replicate this, thought l was doing fine just drilling it out, first mistake 🙄 whilst fitting jig for boom ladders at Stern discovered there was a jig for this, Pontos went to the bother of correcting and making this but not to telling you in their instructions about it 😳 Am looking at all those holes in side of my boat that ain’t right 🤪 out with plastic rod and plugged them all. Discovered they were in wrong position anyway, so altered it all to suit drawing, same scale as well so just measured it  like for like, little bit doctoring then more drilling. Turns out these are for sonar microphones, nothing to do with scuttling point, a well learning all the time 👍

[Jeff59]

Think lm going to look at simulating some of hull detailing regarding the plating, that might add a few hours. 🤪 That’s me up to speed for now, think lm going to look for previous Bismarck builds for help 👍 Take care lads.

[Jeff59]

On 10/9/2024 at 12:24 AM, Landlubber Mike said:

Awesome!  I bought this kit from a member a few years ago.  Itching to start it once I can find a place to put it!  Looking forward to following along!

 

I have the Pontos sets but didn't realize there were the CMK sets.  What do you think of them?

Forgot I had them, can’t even remember were I got them it’s that long ago I must have purchased them. They are certainly an improvement on kit parts, the Arado float planes are excellent, there seems to be a great selection of aftermarket parts for Bismarck in 1/200 scale, going to be mind blowing looking through it all. 👍

[madtatt]

Hello Jeff.
I'm particularly looking forward to your construction report on this famous battleship, since I've already built her.
I'm curious how you will implement this model. Knowing your Mikasa, fantastic. The ingredients are very similar to mine. Pontos, CMK and the excellent book by Draminski. This will serve you well. Maybe take a look at the company Veteran Models, they have a few fantastic details for DKM ships in their program.

 

[Jeff59]

Thanks Joelle, appreciated 🤛 found your build log on Bismarck and was blown away, absolutely superb, the details and paintwork are brilliant, funny we are on same models opposite way round but can say mutually beneficial to both of us👍 your build of Mikasa is also turning out shall we say rather special, shall be following this with admiration to the end, am sure you’ll find it a challenging model as l did, especially with lack of guidance for this ship model, looking at old photos and visiting the Mikasa museum is as good as it gets, the rest is guess work and artistic licence. It’s a great feeling to complete it though and have in collection. Slow and easy best way forward. 🤛👍

Edited December 10 by Jeff59

[Jeff59]

 Hi guys, going back the way with Bismarck just now as l keep changing my mind, after spending a while marking off and grooving the lines, it started to show up irregularities in the shape of the hull, especially at the bottom towards the stern, also after a while getting to grips with the drawings and understanding how the flat bottom worked have decided to try and fix this discrepancy. I was aware that the hull had issues from back when the model was introduced, 2007 think it was, possibly a review in Tamiya magazine, shall have to try and find it, then post it. Anyhow, had to move the sonar microphone position again, hull plating showed it up still slightly wrong, third time lucky 🫰work is ongoing so shall put some photos up showing progress or lack of it and say next time l might have the flat bottom fitted back into hull, this should highlight the discrepancies.  

Edited December 18 by Jeff59

[Jeff59]

Ain’t going to float noo 😂

[Jeff59]

Bought this little jig saw to help me with removal of bottom, you can never have to many tools 😂

[Jeff59]

That’ll be me till next year, so have a merry Xmas and a great New Year everyone. 🔔🤛

[Winnie]

Amazing work!

[madtatt]

That's absolutely right Jeff.
Not only is it funny, but it benefits both of us. I have already incorporated so many of your tips into my Mikasa. I hope that my construction report on the Bismarck, can help you a little too.

And yes, slow and easy is the best way forward. 👍

[Jeff59]

On 12/12/2024 at 1:25 PM, Winnie said:

Amazing work!

Thanks Winnie, afraid this is going to progress rather slowly in my hands, at least I’m retired now so shall find more time to enjoy it 👍 Think will be stuck on the hull for months yet, but starting to enjoy the challenge of fixing it. Trumpeter seem to have a knack of pushing out their models like on a production line schedule and kind of lose focus on quality sometimes, seem to have had similar issues with hull on Arizona and Titanic, think they fixed the Titanic possibly because of public demand and interest. So this is a crash coarse on fixing Bismarks hull for me, love the look of this ship, when I was a young boy, eight or nine the Airfix 1/600 model of her was one of my favourite looking ships and still is, she just looks right, Anyway, got of the track there 🙄 thanks for compliment 🤛

[Jeff59]

On 12/15/2024 at 11:22 AM, madtatt said:

That's absolutely right Jeff.
Not only is it funny, but it benefits both of us. I have already incorporated so many of your tips into my Mikasa. I hope that my construction report on the Bismarck, can help you a little too.

And yes, slow and easy is the best way forward. 👍

Definitely Jolle, think I’ll be asking you for help in near future for what I have planned for her. The Veteran model details are definitely on cards as is Micromasters Main gun turrets, have to break this to Jacqueline gently further down the road 😂

[Jeff59]

On 10/19/2024 at 11:41 PM, PvG Aussie said:

I'm in for the ride as I finished the same build with the Pontos extras about a year ago. Loved it!

Cheers, Peter. 

Good to have you on board Peter, always need advice from previous builders, am only at start and enjoying it already, one of my favourite looking warships since l was a small boy off eight or nine, must have built this kit at least four times, remember leaving it in front of coal fire thinking this will help dry the glue quicker. Not one of my better ideas, as you can imagine, looked more like her at her end shall we say. 🤛

Edited December 18 by Jeff59

[Jeff59]

On 10/9/2024 at 1:03 AM, hof00 said:

Ditto to the above!!

I'm interested with the Trumpeter version which I have in storage. I completed the "Partworks" (Amati) version but feel the Trumpeter version has more detail, esp. with the upgrade stets.

(Maybe I'll get to this one day.... 🙂)

 

Cheers..... HOF.

 

 

Thanks Hof, my own one has been in storage for twelve years or more, so finally getting dusted of and started. Think us modellers all have the same problem, too many models in stash and not enough time for modelling 😂

 

On 10/19/2024 at 11:41 PM, PvG Aussie said:

I'm in for the ride as I finished the same build with the Pontos extras about a year ago. Loved it!

Cheers, Peter.