By Dariusz Mazurowski
1/700 SMS Bayern WWI German battleship (WSW/scratchbuilt)
Twenty or maybe even more years ago (when I was a schoolboy...) I encountered my first WWI book - with nice photos of Bayern class battleships. And I wanted to build the ship I liked so much (and still like more and more...). Well, dreams come true - just buy the kit and... OK, it's not so easy, esp. if You want an exact replica, but I've decided to try. WSW kits are very detailed, so even out of the box models looks great, but this time I take my Bayern as a craftsman kit - that's why the final result is rather a mixture of scratchbuild and pre-produced (original) parts.
My model is based on the following references :
1. large scale (1/100, some details even in 1/50 or 1/25) plan from
MZ Modellbau,
2. Vom Original zum Modell, Die Linienschiffe der Bayern-Klasse, book
by Gerhard Koop, Klau-Peter Schmolke,
3. Die Linienschiffe der Bayern- Klasse, another (excellent !) book
by Gerhard Koop, Klaus-Peter Schmolke,
4. Planmappe: Die Linienschiffe der Bayern- Klasse, cutaway profiles
and plans by Gerhard Koop, Klaus-Peter Schmolke,
5. tons of pictures, other books and magazines.
First of all : WSW model pictures a 1916 fit, with torpedo nets (but You'll find in the box optional late war tripod center leg and aft mast, mouted in 1917...) - I wanted to build a 1918 version, with two masts, four 8,8 cm AA guns (enclosed plan is not correct, Bayern as built carried only two 8,8 cm guns, the reaminig pair were mounted during post Operation Albion repairs). Using precise hobby knife I've removed nets and then correct hull shape. Finally I've used only hull, main turrets (both corrected and superdetailed), 8,8 cm guns mounts (plus lots of miniature parts), motor-boats (superdetailed) and range finders. Added PE parts are : ladders and accommodation ladders, anchor chains, watertight doors, cable reels from GMM, railing, stairs and more ladders from various producers plus numerous misc. details from obscure sets (even an 1/35 tank, found by accident in local store !). The rest is entirely scratchbuild (yes, the tripod !). Just call it crazy idea, but I've built my own searchlights, masts, funnels (I do not like solid funnels, a 1/700 standard), cranes, platforms, bridge structure, coal scuttles, deck lights and lots of other parts. For rigging I used hair-thin copper wire (I don't like stretched sprue), for water - acrylic paint (basically Prussian Blue, right shade for German WWI ship...) with acrylic varnish. Note the lack of weathering - I prefer clean, fresh paint look of my ships.
Accuracy, details, exact painting scheme... ouch - yes, this ship was and perhaps still is my obsession. But this is sane and safe... insanity, I hope. Take this story as a preview - I'm going to make better pictures (not only vintage BW) of this diorama. After several weeks with my Bayern I was still in the right mood, so I finished another project : SMS Kaiser. And decided to add minor vessels to Bayern diorama - boats and M 50 minesweeper.
More ships by
Dariusz
Mazurowski
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