1:72 Scale German WW2 Heavy Battle Cruiser K.M.S. Scharnhorst 1943

Great craftsmanship Paul! Prosit!

Dottore

impressive use of different media, you are the man!!!  What a beauty, every part you produce is a model in itself.

Good morning My SSM brothers,

Louis, Ray, Cyril, Dottore and Brian - thanks for the kind and encouraging words.

The work is coming to a final stage and would like to post some pictures.

Here goes.

The searlight nearing completion, but still a lot of details to go in.


A side view


A view from the rear.


Hiw the whole assembly shall look - very meaning.


A front elevational view. Note - nothing is permanently fixed yet, just placed for the photo session.


Shall post more pictures next week.

Impressive detail, mean machine!

kurzita x'sa tuza ghal hgiega?

Ivan

Really starting to look the part now Paul....

Inspiring!

Dottore

What a tremendous piece of work. It is really amazing to see it come together after all those components.  Keep it up!

Well Paul.... I didn't know you were a master scratch builder of such standard!

The work you do is just amazing!

My hat off to you!

Good evening Brothers,

Thank you all for your kind interest and encouraging words.

Ivan, for the bridge windows, I used clear plastic and it worked, so I think I shall be using the same or 1mm thick glass - the ones they use in conjunction with microscopes.

Sorry Paul was refering for the floodlight ... would you work similar?

Hi Ivan,

Yes no problem at all. The only thing that you will have to take care of is a good seating for the clear piece or glass. Fixing in place is no problem. Just use PVA adhesive. apply it with a copper o.5mm diameter wire, let it set. and then put the outer frame in place.
Just follow my progress pictures, as I shall be posting as many as I could to make the explanation clear to all.

Ray wrote:

Noel Petroni wrote:Well Paul.... I didn't know you were a master scratch builder of such standard!

The work you do is just amazing!

My hat off to you!


Noel, how come you didn't know Paul was a master scratch builder of such standard?

You both were in "that" same "other" club at some point no?  

I was member in many clubs. And yes I had the honor to be in Paul's club as well. I had seen a couple of AFV's presented by Paul at the club meetings but never had I known that he was a mega master scratch builder!!!!!  Maybe Paul was humble enough not to boast about it!

Good morning all,

Brothers - bygones are bygones. Now we are all in the same group and proud to be so. let's put the past aside once and for all, and look towards to what the future has in reserve for us.

Ray and Noel - thanks - your opinion regarding my standard of building really matters to me. Sometimes it is the energy pill that keeps me working on this mega project.

Come on boys, next year's annual exhibition is on it's way, so let's get cracking - scale modelling please.

Long Live SSM.

beautiful work Paul...well done as always
in nannu8)

Hi Paul,

I'm a new member of the forum, living in California, and I'm scratch-building a 1:144 Bismarck. I've been admiring your work, and especially the FuMO 27 radar. Can you tell me where you got the plans for it? Also, in your research, did you come across any documentation for the difference between the FuMO 27 and the FuMO 23? I can't tell by looking at photographs what the differences are, and if you could shed any light on this, I would be incredibly grateful!

Best regards,


Rob Wood

Hello Rob, 

First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you. Thanks a lot for looking into my build log and for your kind attention.
Information on German ships is very difficult to find, and I literally had to battle my way through numerous books, internet sites and any photographs you can lay your hand on.
First of all, I would suggest that you buy these books: Anatomy of the ship - Bismarck, issued by Conway maritime; Nemieci Pacernici Tipu Bismarck/Tirpitz parts 1,2,3,4 & 5, issued by AJ-Press Poland, and finally the 3D Bismarck issued by Kagero Publishing. these books shall furnish you with all the details you require, except for the hull details. If you need those details, like water cooling inlet and outlets, seacocks openings, sonar, and other; there is a good thread on Model warships forum.
The FuMO 27 was somewhat larger than the FuMO 23. reason being that although both radars operated at a frequency of 368Mhz, the FuMO 23 had an operational range of between 14 & 16 Km at an accuracy factor of +/-3, while the FuMO27 had an operational range of between 20 & 25KM at an accuracy factor of +/-0.25.
The dimension sizes of the radar matrasses are mentioned in the above books.
One note to point is that the FuMO 27 had an array of 20 di-poles, which required different lengths of wires. As such these were coiled up and sited at each side of the radar. The below picture of showing the FuMO 27 on board the Prinz Eugen, shows clearly the array of coils. Please note that the radar lacks the protection frame and mesh screen.



Hope this helps you. If you need anything else, please do not hesitate to ask.

Paul, thank you so much for the warm welcome! People say that music and romance are universal languages, and they're right - but I'll add a 3rd: a passion for model building! Especially warships, and especially scratch-building Kriegsmarine ships. There is just something about them that kindles the imagination, and the challenges around getting the details right on tem, with so little documentation available, just makes it even more fun. Frustrating at times, but fun.
 
I have developed so many friendships around the world since I started this project (has it really been 10 years?) - wonderful people I would never have met otherwise. On books: I admire Miroslaw Skwiot's work, but of the five on the two capital ships, I only have Volume 19 (cz. 5) in my library. On your recommendation, I'll get the other four:
 
 
 
However, I do have a nice collection of some of his other books, including volumes 1 and 2 of his series on German Naval Artillery, and Kriegsmarine Colors (volume 1). I also have three of the fantastic Kagero books: Bismarck, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen, Jack Brower's Anatomy of the Ship, José Rico's The Battleship Bismarck, The Complete History of the Ship, both of Josef Kaiser's books, Das Modell and Das Original, John Asmussen's and Kjetil Akra's Tirpitz: Hitler's Siste Slagskip, and also John Asmussen's German Naval Camouflage Vol I: 1939‑1941.
 
I also recently acquired a digital copy of German Naval Radar to 1945, written by Erwin F. Sieche. I have Erich Groner's German Warships, 1815-1945, Garzke and Dulin's Axis and Neutral Battleships of World War II, and most of the standard works familiar to most modelers (Squadron Signal publications, Steve Wiper's Classic Warship books, Schmolke/Koop, etc.). I even have an original handbook on electrical systems maintenance used onboard the Tirpitz.
 
I have hundreds of Bismarck and Tirpitz photos, including all that are available from the Bundesarchiv, and a scan of an entire album of snapshots taken by a Tirpitz Arado 196 mechanic, including photos of the aircraft in the hangars, being moved from the hangars, being placed on the catapults, and so on.
 
For plans and drawings, I have a few copies of original sheets from the Bundesarchiv, a partial set of Harhouse drawings, Much of Thomas Schmidt's work, Stefan Draminski's 3D work, a couple of CAD drawings by Nick Fox (based on Hans Gally's work), and a complete set of Han's Gally's fine Bismarck drawings, which have been my foundation for my build.
 
What I don't have is a clear drawing of a FuMO 23 or a FuMo 27 radar unit. The Anatamony of the Ship drawings aren't even close, and the drawings I have in books, or that came with books, are too small to be of any use. So, my question is: Where did you find the drawing you used to build your FuMO 27? Did you draw it yourself? Can I get a copy?
 
Finally, the main reason I asked about the difference between the FuMO 23 and FuMO 27 is that there is some controversy over which one was carried by Bismarck. All reference books state that Bismarck carried the FuMO 23 in all three locations (aft command center, foretop, and forward command center), but some historians say that this information was first published in 1982 in Sieche's German Naval Radar to 1945, and every reference work published since then has taken it for granted. However, Prinz Eugen was outfitted with the FuMO 27, a much-superior unit to the FuMO 23 (as you illustrated), with greater accuracy and greater range, so, the argument goes, it would have been illogical to install the modern unit in PE, and the obsolete unit in Bismarck and Tirpitz.
 
As I am building, or at least trying to build, an accurate model of Bismarck, I need to know for certain. Any advice?
 
Thanks again for any help from you, or anyone else in this forum.
 
Rob

Hello Rob,

Well yes - you ended up like me - some 47 books, all related to the Scharnhorst.
I know that there is some confusion regarding the radars on board the Bismarck. During the fitting out stages, it was equipped with a FuMO23, but later on this was dismantled and instead a FuMO27 was installed. At least, that is what I read on various sites, but they also advised that this was an assumption. I got the Dimensions of the FuMO27 from the Kagero 3D book (Scharnhorst) which was of 4mtrs x 6mtrs. from what I once read the size of the FuMO23 was of 2mtrs x 4mtrs. In my humble opinion, I don't think that a FuMO27 was ever installed on the Bismarck. When she left the fjords for battle, not all the range finding equipment and radars were installed.
As for the drawings, I personally studied all the pictures and photos I had and drafted a few sketches. I will try and re-sketch them again for you. Nothing fancy.

Paul Salomone wrote:Hello Rob,

Well yes - you ended up like me - some 47 books, all related to the Scharnhorst.
I know that there is some confusion regarding the radars on board the Bismarck. During the fitting out stages, it was equipped with a FuMO23, but later on this was dismantled and instead a FuMO27 was installed. At least, that is what I read on various sites, but they also advised that this was an assumption. I got the Dimensions of the FuMO27 from the Kagero 3D book (Scharnhorst) which was of 4mtrs x 6mtrs. from what I once read the size of the FuMO23 was of 2mtrs x 4mtrs. In my humble opinion, I don't think that a FuMO27 was ever installed on the Bismarck. When she left the fjords for battle, not all the range finding equipment and radars were installed.
As for the drawings, I personally studied all the pictures and photos I had and drafted a few sketches. I will try and re-sketch them again for you. Nothing fancy.

Please don't go to great trouble on my account, Paul - as much as I appreciate it. I was hoping that you had found it in a reference work.

On the radar carried by Bismarck, it seems to me that a determined investigation might reveal the facts. The one photo we have that is indisputably of Bismarck in his final configuration is this one:



I realize the reproduction isn't very good, and the overall quality is poor, but I can't see a single "mattress" attached to any of the three rangefinder locations. You'd think there would be a large dark rectangle visible on at least one of them. The next oldest is this one, before he reached Norway. The mattresses are visible:



Of course, the main problem in verifying anything to do with Bismarck's fitting out is that Bismarck's logs went down with the ship. Photos are not necessarily reliable, either, as some photos purporting to be of Bismarck equipment were actually taken on Tirpitz. However, Blohm & Voss was not destroyed in the war, so maybe they still have records pertaining to the equipment that was installed on Bismarck, and when. Other suppliers may also have records, and copies of much of this information eventually made it to the Bundesarchiv.

It always amazes me to realize that these ships were always undergoing changes, much as living creatures. Modeling one moment in their lives, even with a great deal of documentation available, is a real challenge.

Well, I've taken up enough of your time. Back to work! What's next on your build?


Rob

Hello Rob,

Very interesting photos. They depict the rues version of what the Bismarck carried on the last Voyage. I made some research, and from what I gather the FuMO27 was introduced in 1942, so it would be a bit impossible for the Bismarck to carry the FuMO27. But as always, we have to do our bit of research very carefully, as many a times, historians and authors, depict history as they deem fit and not what really happened.
A few years ago, I started off with a model of a passenger liner of the Emperator class, owned by Hapag Lyod. This was a class of three ships - Emperator, Vaterland and Bismarck, and were launched in 19112, 1913 and 1917 respectively. These ships were far more larger than the Titanic class and far more luxurious. The three ships were built by Blohm & Voss, and the order number for the Emperator was "111". So I phoned up the marketing manager, but to my dismay, he advised that they suffered a flooding, and the Archives which were in the basement levels were, totally flooded with water and mud - thus destroying everything they had including records.
I hate to be the messenger of bad news. As a matter of fact, when the time arrives for me to finalize the hull; I will have to go personally to visit the Bundes military archive, and see what Hull plans I can get my hands on. Bloody expensive, as the archives are situated next to the Black Forest. So I will have to fly to Munich, get a train to go to the nearest town and then board another train, which takes me to the place. Adding to that, since the town is not a tourist attraction, I think it's going to be hard to find a decent hotel, just guest houses I suppose.

With regards to the mounting frames of the radars, please note that every ship had different radar mounting frames, so please be very carefull. The Germans had nothing standard. They were very innovative people, so they always improved on everything. So that leaves us with a bunch of riddles to solve. Even the secondary guns and the anti-aircraft gun mountings were different, so please check well.

Paul, it's obvious that we are both extremely careful in researching every aspect of our subjects before building anything, both of us having learned the hard way not to assume anything. That's one reason I'm 10 years into my build, and still only 1/2 done. Let's compare sources. According to my research, the FuMO 27 was available in 1940. On the day Prinz Eugen was commissioned (August 1, 1940), she carried both a FuMO 27 and a FuMO 23, as well as FuMB Sumatra antennas.

The FuMO 27 - the 1940 series - was installed in both Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in the Summer of 1941, while both ships were undergoing refitting. Previously, they each had been equipped with FuMO 22 units only - the 1939 series. At the same stay in Brest, both were fitted with two triple torpedo mounts each taken from light cruisers - Leipzig's going to Gneisenau, and Nürnberg's going to Scharnhorst. All of my sources agree on these facts.

Let's assume that my research is solid, just for the sake of discussion. If it is, then the question remains: Why was Bismarck equipped with FuMO 23 radar, instead of FuMO 27?

Here are my sources:

Internet: German Naval Radar, NavWeaps.com: http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WRGER_05.htm

Books:

1) Axis and Neutral Battleships in World War II, by Garzke and Dulin
2) Kagero: The Battleship Gneisenau, by Motyka and Skwiot
3) Kagero: The Heavy Cruiser Prinz Eugen, by Goralski and Nowak
4) Battleship Scharnhorst, by Gerhard Koop and Klaus-Peter Schmolke
5) Naval Radar, by Norman Friedman. Excerpt follows.

Summary of German capital ship, cruiser and destroyer radar of WWII, with (in some cases) year deployed:

Seetakt - The first of the German naval radars, installed in 1936 aboard the 'pocket battleship' Graf Spee, operating at 80cm (368mc/s). Peak power was 7kW, for a range of lOnm against large ships (6 against cruisers). The antenna was· a mattress fixed to the rangefinder, its upper part used for reception and its lower for transmission. The reception portion was divided in two for more accurate bearing measurement, and accuracy was 0.2°.

FuMO 21- Light cruiser and destroyer radar, originally designated FMG 39G(gL), on a bridge pedestal, with an effective range of about 1 Onm. First tested in the cruiser Nürnberg. It was similar in characteristics to the other 1939 radars, FuMO 22 and 23. Peak power was 8kW (PRF 500 5-microsecond pulses), and antenna dimensions 4 x 2m.

FuMO 22 - The standard German capital ship radar of 1939, accurate to within 5° and capable of detecting a battleship at 13nm. Originally designated FMG 39G(g0).

FuMO 23 - Radar for mounting on a fire-control director, originally designated FMG 39G(gP). Mounted aboard Bismarck and Prinz Eugen.

FuMO 24 - First of the improved 1940 series of radars, designed to be mounted on a pedestal on a ship's bridge. Peak power was 8kW and antenna dimensions 6 x 2m. In 1944 many were upgraded to FuMO 32 by the replacement of their transmitters by 125kW units. The others in this series were FuMO 25 through 28, and they replaced the FuMO 21 series. However, naval radar production after 1941 was very limited, so that these 1940 sets remained through the war. By mid-April 1941 all German destroyers had either this set or its immediate predecessor, FuMO 21.

FuMO 25 - Mast antenna, with a 6 x 2m or 4 X 2m antenna, otherwise equivalent to FuMO 24. Many were upgraded to FuMO 33 in 1944.

FuMO 26 - Radar for ftre control directors, using a new horizontally-polarized 6.6 x 3.2m antenna. It was credited with a range of 20-25km. By 1945 the set aboard Prinz Eugen had been upgraded to a peak power of 60kW (4-microsecond pulses) and had a range accuracy of 55yds and a bearing accuracy of 0.25° - the latter betraying its fire control origins. Some were upgraded to FuMO 34 (125kW) in 1944, range increasing to 40-5Okm.

FuMO 27 - Combined optical rangefinder and radar of the 1940 series, with a 4 x 2m antenna.

Hello Rob,

From what I see, we both share the same references. There is another good site - www.Scharnhorst-class.dk - this site is very informative.
Both the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau, spent nearly a year in Brest - from March 1941 to February 1942, during which they were bombarded by the RAF and refitted. It was during this period that both ships were equipped with the FuMO27 radar sets. But due to the fact that they came operational during Operation Cerberus - the famous Channel Dash in February 1942, historians refer this date as the date during which the ships were equipped with the FuMO27. The Bismarck and the Prinz Eugen, sailed out from harbour of Gotenhafen on Sunday the 18th of May 1941, at 02.00hrs, for Operation "Rheinübung". A voyage that destiny never intended to grant the men of the Bismarck, a safe return home.
In view of the above, The FuMO27 Radar, had to be installed in 1940 or in the early months of 1941.

These are the types of Radars installed on the Kriegsmarine ships.
1 - 1937: DeTe –I –Surface search, Gunnery ranging, Air warning. 57cm. 25km range to large surface ships.

2 - 1939: DeTe-G (FuMG39G FuMO23) Surface search, Gunnery ranging, air warning. 80cm 25km range to large surface ships. 113km to aircraft

3 - 1940: FuMG40G (FuMO27) Surface search, gunnery ranging, air warning. 80cm, 30km range. FuMO24 is destroyer version (range 20km DD to DD)

4 - 1941: FuMO27 still main German radar, Closest Allied Equivalents: Type 284 for Gunnery (range 23km) Type 271 for Surface Search (range 25km). Some U-boats get FuMO29 (range 7km to destroyers).

5 - 1942-mid 1943: FuMO27/FuMO24 still main German radar now with blind fire capability. Closest Allied equivalents: Type 273P surface search (32km range), Type 284M fire control (27km range), SG surface search (30km), Mk3 fire   control (aka FC) (25km). Flakleit -G with blind fire capability against aircraft. Closest Allied equivalents: Type 285M, Mk4 (aka FD). FuMO30 replaces FuMO29 on U-boats. Closest Allied equivalents: American SJ (range 9km to destroyers) British sub radar is Type 286W (3km range to ships)

6 - Late 1943 FuMO26 replaces FuMO27 or FuMO27 is upgraded to latest specs and common mode antenna. FuMO26 Seetakt, is now mainly designed for firecontrol. Range ~40km. Closest Allied equivalent is MK8 (aka FH) (Range ~ 40km). SG-II and Type 273Q are surface search Allied equivalents. FuMO26 can also target aircraft superseding Flakleit G. Closest Allied equivalent in flak direction context is probably Mk22/Mk12.
7 - 1944 FuMO62 Hohentwiel K for surface search (range 36km). FuMO81 Berlin 6cm for surface search with multiple PPI (Range 30km). American equivalent is SG-II (40km). British equivalent is Type 277/293 (range 28km) FuMO26 (FuMO34 with high power module) is firecontrol. Closest Allied equivalents: Mk8, Type 274. FuMO213 (Wuerzburg) is for flak on TP. No Allied equivalent available to FuMO213. FuMO30 is replaced by FuMO63 Hohentwiel U (10km to DD) SJ is closest Allied equivalent. 2x6 vertical polarized antenna version of FuMO34 for some destroyers (range 40km to DD) No Allied equivalent.

But as I said, The Bismarck left for battle with some of the rangefinders missing. So a good research is an absolute must.
From further research, I found that the FuMG39 (FuMO23) equipment was superseded by FuMG40 (FuMO27) equipment in May 1940. This is why PG completed in Aug 1940 had FuMO27 sets.
FuMO23 sets had a radiated output of 2kw with pulse repetition rate (PRF) of 2000 per second. FuMO27 had minimum output of 8kw and a PRF of 500. When Bismarck sailed the radars were recorded as testing with 9kw output and a PRF of 500. This confirms FuMO27.

You can put your mind at rest. The Bismarck sailed with three FuMO27 Radar sets.

Good evening all,  

Some more progress pictures related to the construction of the search light emplacement.

Here goes:

Some views of the searchlight, which is now ready for the finishing phase.

Something very interesting to note, is the way the searchlight emitted the beam of light. The system used is of the electric arc system. two electrodes linearly positioned to produce a north and south pole were set up in the center of the interior housing. The two electrodes were installed at a distance of some 150mm. A strong electrical current was fed into one of the electrodes and literally bridged on to the next electrode. This created a beam of light. More over this was magnified on to a chrome finished reflector sited at the rear, by means of a magnifying lens. This arrangement produced a beam of light equivalent to 36,000,000 candle lights, up to a distance of 5000mtrs.
Now I know why the original photos show a heavy power cubicle sited near the searchlight. This was the isolator and fuse holder cabinet for the three large electrical power cables, entering into the searchlight platform.


















The start on the two meter range finder.















Shall be uploading more pictures.

Very nice work Paul, very nice work indeed......