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Author Topic: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project  (Read 4315 times)

BenVK

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1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« on: June 16, 2014, 06:56:23 pm »

Hi guys, thought I'd post my first thread here about a Trumpeter Bismarck that I bought already built (very poorly) from fleabay.

In my rush to get going, I didn't take any before photos which I'm kicking myself about now so you'll just have to take my word that it was a right mess! Poly cement drips all over the place and lumpy hand brushed enamels.

My goal was to get it converted to RC asap and not worry about achieving a super detailed model because a lot of parts were either broken or missing anyway and the paint so thick in places that removing it meant losing some of the moulded detail underneath. I tried brake cleaner and other stuff but the paint just wouldn't budge so had to be sanded instead.

First photos show it stripped down as much as possible and then sprayed with Molotow acrylic aerosols, grey blue light for the superstructure and grey blue middle for the hull. I decided to go with aerosols because a model this big would cost a fortune in airbrush paints.
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BenVK

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2014, 07:24:27 pm »

I knew that a wooden deck would expensive so decided to try and paint the deck instead. First time of trying this.
Again, I use an aerosol for the base colour and then applied a few washes to bring out the detail. It looks very yellow in these pics but has since been toned down with deck tan wash.
Washes were applied to the superstructure and turrets as well because so much grey painted plastic doesn't really have any contrast.

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BenVK

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2014, 07:35:50 pm »

Next up was the rotating turrets, another first for me but I've always wanted to try it. It worked out much better than I could have hoped for. Installation of the servos was a bit tricky but not difficult and I bought some servo controllers with reduce the speed and increase the travel. The turrets are just a push fit onto the servo gears, that should do. If it sinks, the turrets will fall off just like the real Bismarck!  ok2

Their a bit jerky at the end stops at the moment but I've been told it's probably running them off one main 7.2v lipo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_pD-PTib_M
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BenVK

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2014, 07:42:06 pm »

On to the rudders now and luckily I had the perfect size ones in my box of bits. Not sure of the manufacturer, Graupner maybe?
I cut the bottom off an old servo casing to create a box that I've filled with grease to keep the water out. The rudder servo is mounted under the deck, using one of the cross members to secure it to.
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BenVK

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2014, 07:49:15 pm »

I wanted to use brushless motors because I'm more familiar with them than brushed cans and decided to just go with twins for the time being. The centre prop will just free wheel.

Magnets were installed on little plinths to hold the superstructures down.


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BenVK

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2014, 08:12:36 pm »

You may be wondering what that lead bar is in the above photo?

It's a scuba diving weight that I bought for ballast, I bought 2 of them, 1kg each.

The bath test proved that I'll need at least double the weight which I was very surprised to find.
That's about 15 quids worth of ballast! any cheaper options out there guys?
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BenVK

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2014, 08:16:57 pm »

Back to the detailing and I wanted something to mimic window glass so bought this jewellers product which works pretty well.

I've re-done them since this photo, solid black didn't look quite right.
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BenVK

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2014, 08:23:16 pm »

Having seen these wireless speakers for sale all over the place recently and for dirt cheap prices, I bought one and started on creating my own sound effect MP3 file for it to play either from an SD card or from my mobile phone. Bluetooth range is about 10 metres.

Here's a brief snip, the aim is to create an hour long version which should be plenty long enough.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud9HC0X5cXY
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BenVK

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2014, 08:55:15 pm »

So that's about it for now. Still lots of detailing to do but he's ready for sea trials.
I started this project at the start of May with the intention of getting him in the water before my birthday on the 29th, two days after the anniversary of the sinking back in 1941 but I failed due to miscalculating how much ballast it needed...
Ironic really...if only they'd had topped upped the fuel tanks, a miscalculation with tragic results,  it's a fascinating story and I've been hooked since I was a little kid.

If only Trumpeter would release a 1:200 Prinz Eugen, that would really make my day.
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BenVK

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #9 on: June 19, 2014, 08:44:50 pm »

Anyone out there?

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1sgt

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #10 on: June 20, 2014, 12:25:04 am »

Ben,
   Nice looking work considering having to unglue and remove all the paint.  The residual paint does kinda give a bit of a weathered appearance though.  I like how you did the turrets as I plan on RC'ing mine as well.  Could you take a pick of how you secured the turret servo though.  Thanks again and I'm looking forward to more installments.

Jim
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BenVK

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #11 on: June 20, 2014, 07:38:15 pm »

Hi Jim, thanks for taking an interest.

Here's how I mounted the turret servos. It was a bit tedious cutting and shaping all these little wooden blocks but worth it in the end. I got the cheapest servos I could find from Hobbyking, something like £2.50 each.
I then bought two of these servos controllers to increase the travel and to slow them down rather than go to the trouble of modifying each servo individually. One controller for the front turrets on one channel, the rear turrets on a different channel.

http://www.modelradioworkshop.co.uk/products/turret-servo-controller
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1sgt

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #12 on: June 20, 2014, 07:47:14 pm »

Ben,
   Thank you so much for the pic and servo controller idea.  While you said you had to fiddle with the wood blocks,  the rest looks kinda simple.  Thanks again.

Jim
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BenVK

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #13 on: June 20, 2014, 07:58:33 pm »

Very simple indeed.  :-))

I was half way through building the Hachette Bismarck (another rescue project!) when this one popped up on ebay so thought I'd use it as a sort of test bench.
I'd really like to make the secondary turrets operational as well on the Hachette version.


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spooksgone

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #14 on: June 20, 2014, 08:22:23 pm »

Hi Ben. I love the sound system idea,that seems to work really well, and sounds pretty realistic. And I must say, I think that you have the patience of a saint. Keep at it. :-))
Cheers Ben.
Phil
 
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BenVK

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #15 on: June 20, 2014, 08:31:10 pm »

Thanks Phil,

The simple answer to having the patience to do it.... no kids!  {-)
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NFMike

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #16 on: June 20, 2014, 08:31:32 pm »

Nice job Ben.
That's about 15 quids worth of ballast! any cheaper options out there guys?

I use lead flashing from a builder's merchant. Comes in rolls of various widths and is easy to cut and work to fit where you want it.

type82

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #17 on: June 20, 2014, 08:34:23 pm »

I like the idea of the servo to control the turret i might use that idea on my HMS Bristol ;)
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Harquebus

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Re: 1:200 Bismarck restoration project
« Reply #18 on: June 23, 2014, 07:57:07 am »

Hope to see the results of the servo controller in action--but to be realistic (and I may be setting an impossible standard here) the turrets as massive and heavy as they are in the 1/1 Bismarck; they have to move sloooowly.

Better than linkages and ridiculous 'move all the turrets at once' setups, this holds great promise.  :-))

As far as paint removal goes, I obtained some half-built kits myself with the resultant and typically thickly applied paint to deal with. I was NOT going to sand all that paint off and possibly ruin or alter the underlying plastic. Solution:
Bought a bin to soak the hull in (model tugboat) one side at a time and after an hour or so the paint had turned to mush and could be removed entirely by scrubbing with a toothbrush and rinsed with more degreaser. When done I rinsed the hull under tap water. The styrene was not harmed in any way and I gambled a few times to see if a longer soak would harm it but no such thing occurred. Just an option to consider... for smaller kits!  :o
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