Anyone else "Building the Bismarck" ?

[Gordon Williamson]

Just wondered if anyone else here is doing the 1/200 scale Hachette partwork "Build the Bismarck" ?

My first venture into wooden warships. Quite a challenge, though those accustomed to working in wood would probably find it quite simple.

The hull has to be constructed with a wooden framework over which "planking" has to be glued/pinned

[Gordon Williamson]

Takes for ever to do, then you end up with a hull shaped broadly similar to the actual ship. . Thats the stage I'm at. Now comes many, many happy ( ) hours of sanding, filling, more sanding and filling, and even more sanding and filling before "sealing" the wood to get a nice smooth finish when the paint primer goes on.

This is just the basic shape, with a huuuuuge amount of elbow grease still needing to be applied before paint primer can be added.

Thankfully, the bow and stern "caps" are in pre-shaped resin, so that cuts out a lot of work but getting an "invisible" join between the smooth resin and the grained wood ain't easy.

[Gordon Williamson]

I decided not to put too much effort into the lower hull as I intend to "sink" her into a block of styrene foam "seascaped" as a waterline model.

Once the hull is done it becomes much easier and more enjoyable. The superstructure is a wooden "carcass" over which etched brass sheets are laid and these are what carry the detail. This is the side wall of one part of the superstructure. At around 48 inches long, she can carry a huge amount of detail.

Although marketed by Hachette, I believe the model itself is produced by Amati who are quite well known for good quality wooden ship models.

Anyone else doing one ?

[Snoopy]

Hello Gordon

That's going to be a fantastic model, and a lot of work and dust. Please post more pictures, as the work progresses.

All the best

Snoopy

[Bob Lyons]

The model was released in Australia a few months back, I bought Part 1, and then chickened out on the rest, I figured

by about Part 10 it would be in the back yard with me dancing all over the top of it, then getting dragged off to the

funny farm, but I do look forward to seeing your finished results Gordon, it will be a beauty when finished, and I hope

you keep us posted on your progression.

Best wishes, and lots of luck and patience!

cheers

Bob

[Guest IMHF]

This WWII German BattleShip is my all time favorite of War Ships:

This is going to be a very beautiful piece....... Look the side walls of the ship have so much detail in them.

I cant wait to see when this is complete.

Are you going to paint the huge Swastikas on bothe ends of the Ship?

It would not be complete with out them.

Lorenzo

[Gordon Williamson]

Taking a little break from working on the hull, I thought it might be interesting to show an example of the level of detail achievable in 1-200 scale.

First, here is a pic of the signals platform (located at the bottom of the mainmast) from the most recent "state of the art" kit of the Bismarck in Plastic, ( 1-350 scale by Revell of Germany). A one piece plastic injection-moulding.

[Gordon Williamson]

Here is the same thing from the 1-200 scale Bismarck. Made from sheet brass and assembled from a total of sixty parts just for this tiny sub-assembly alone.

[Gordon Williamson]

And the two together for comparison

[Gordon Williamson]

An example of how the structure (here a part of the forward superstructure) is made up from a wooden carcass.

[Gordon Williamson]

And how it looks when the brass "cladding" begins to go on. In the background is the "decking" sheet which will be added after painting the structure.

[Bob Lyons]

Fantastic, now I wish I had persevered....

Gordon you have to do something about that bloody snake, I cringe every time I see it..

Bob

[Laurence Strong]

Looking forward to seeing more. You have more patience than I do....never liked sanding anything :cheers:

[Gordon Williamson]

....never liked sanding anything

Me too, that's partly why I decided to embed her in a block of styrene foam as a waterline representation - saved sanding complex curves under the waterline !

I need maybe one more days work on the hull. It's nearly done now and the first coat of primer has revealed a few spots where a bit more work is needed.

Here she is roughly fitted into the foam base onto which waves will be sculpted. The sides of the block will be smoothed over and painted black with a representation of the ships crest.

Problem is she is so big that to get her hull all in-shot you have to pull back so far that very little detail can be seen.

[Gordon Williamson]

Gordon you have to do something about that bloody snake, I cringe every time I see it..

Bob

OK, just for you, promise I'll look for something else less scary !

Its my most favourite ever clip. Just love to see jumped-up TV "naturalists" getting what they deserve.

Only a total prat would go into the rain forest and stick his face in up close to a wild Boa. Mine is "raised from a hatchling puppy dog tame" and I wouldn't go face to face with her, let alone a wild one.

[Bob Lyons]

I am greatly soothed, thanks Gordon !!!

I recall a military excercise we did up to far North Queensland way back in the 1970's, and our troop

sergeant had a love for the damned wriggly things, and found a 6 ft python in the rain forest there, he

was over the moon, had the thing wrapped around his arm and was showing the troops his latest pet,

when it decided his hand looked juicy, and chomped on it, with much yahooing, it took three of the

guys to prize the jaws of the thing off his hand, and then it was a sulky trip into the Cooktown base

hospital to get tetanus shots, but that python went up a few notches with some of us, as the good

sergeant wasn't too well liked, so I guess it was a happy ending

I am off subject for the Bismark a little bit, sorry 'bout that !

Bob

[Guest IMHF]

Wow the ship is going to look awesome..... How much longer do you think it will take to finish it? I cant wait to see it. The detail on all the parts a great, it will give the ship th realistic look.

Thank you so much for showing the progress of this beautiful model

Lorenzo

Edited July 24, 2008 by IMHF

[Gordon Williamson]

Another little sub-assembly. First the conventional plastic kit version. Assembled from two parts. By far the most accurate representation so far in a plastic kit, but the limitations of plastic moulding for detail at this scale is obvious.

[Gordon Williamson]

Now, the 1/200 version, made from wood dowelling, brass rod and copper tubing. Approximately fifty parts.

The box shaped structure is the rudder indicator housing. One each face is a small indicator paddle which reflects the angle of the rudder and can be seen clearly from most areas aft of the main superstructure. When pointing directly down as shown here, it indicates that the rudder is at zero degrees, in other words the ship is going straight ahead.

Looking a bit bare just assembled and primed, but once the rigging is added at a later stage this area will be very "busy".

[Guest IMHF]

The ship is coming more alive each day: can't wait to see the 2 large swastikas at both ends of the ship.

Lorenzo

[nesredep]

Hello!

Gordon

You have a big talent for modelling.

All the best

Nesredep

[Guest IMHF]

Are you going to paint the large swastikas on both ends of the massive ship? Are you going to give her a crew?

Thank you

Lorenzo

[Gordon Williamson]

Are you going to paint the large swastikas on both ends of the massive ship? Are you going to give her a crew?

Thank you

Lorenzo

I believe it may be possible to add some crew figures. There is a company which makes figures in 1/200 scale for use with architectural models and could be modified.

The aerial recognition swastikas on the deck would make it look colourful, but were only carried during her trials in the Baltic. They were painted over in grey paint before she went into operational service. As I want to complete her as she was when she saw combat, I'll just be showing the overpainted grey bands like this.

The scouring effect of sea water over the decades has exposed these swastikas again on Bismarck's wreck, but they weren't visible at the time she went down.

[Guest IMHF]

I believe it may be possible to add some crew figures. There is a company which makes figures in 1/200 scale for use with architectural models and could be modified.

The aerial recognition swastikas on the deck would make it look colourful, but were only carried during her trials in the Baltic. They were painted over in grey paint before she went into operational service. As I want to complete her as she was when she saw combat, I'll just be showing the overpainted grey bands like this.

The scouring effect of sea water over the decades has exposed these swastikas again on Bismarck's wreck, but they weren't visible at the time she went down.

That is good information to know I can't wait to see the completed model.

Thank you

Lorenzo

[Terrence]

Oh My GOSH.....

Gordon, your work is absolutely amazing yet again!!!!

Would you post pictures of your working desk for these masterpieces, please? Lighted magnifing lenses? tools? etc?

If you lived in the US, I would invite myself over for a look and an afternoon of chatting.

Best regards,

Terrence