SMS Sachsen 1917
by Dariusz Mazurowski

1/700 SMS Sachsen Shipyard Diorama, 1917 (WSW)

Only two Bayern-class battleships were commissioned during the war - SMS Bayern and SMS Baden. Sachsen and Wurttemberg, the last two ships, were slightly modified versions of the first pair. To enhance their endurance it was planned to include the Diesel engine, so these ships were to be slightly longer and heavier than older sisters (armor, armament remained the same). Unfortunately, both ships were never completed - SMS Sachsen was stopped about 9 months before completion, when she had all main turrets with 38 cm (SK L45) guns, main belt, deck armor, funnels, machinery and lots of other gears, including the main bridge base. Her guns were later removed and used on the Western Front. Five 38 cm guns formed two batteries along the Belgium coast, called Deutschland and Pommern. Incomplete SMS Sachsen was scrapped after the War, in 1921.

SMS Sachsen (Ersatz Kaiser Friedrich III) Vital Statistics;

• displacement: 28 800 tons standard / 32 500 tons maximum
• length: 182,4 m (181,8 m waterline)
• beam: 30 m
• draught: 9,3 / 9,4 m
• armament: 8 x 38 cm, 16 x 15 cm, 8 x 88 AA guns, 5 x 60 cm torpedo tubes (below waterline)
• shipyard: Germaniawerft Kiel
• laid down: 7.04.1914
• launched: 21.11.1916

I've always wanted to have a shipyard diorama (for example - a battleship during construction). I should ask a question also : "do I like Bayern-class battleships ?" I own SMS Baden (built in 2001, rebuilt in 2004), SMS Bayern (built in 2003) and have decided to build SMS Sachsen, so the answer is - YES ! Anyway a crazy idea, as there're only a very limited number of her photographs (in various stages of construction) and a couple of rough profiles. Having many books and articles on WWI German ships I've noticed that each drawing in fact pictured a different ship. I'm affraid all are rather the products of authors creativity, no one could be called a real ship reconstruction. Conclusion ? It's not possible to build an accurate scale model... But I've wanted to, so I've decided to use the following references:

• large plans of SMS Bayern and SMS Baden,
• photos of SMS Sachsen (mainly from Koop & Schmolke books)
• photos of various WWI German battleships and battlecruisers during construction (mainly from Griessmer and Koop & Schmolke books).

I used the following parts:

• 1/700 SMS Bayern, WSW kit - heavily modified hull and main turrets only,
• storehalls from HP Models 1/700 harbor kit - sides only, heavily modified
• 1/700 crane set#2, Loose Cannon kit,
• 1/700 two dock sections, Loose Cannon,
• 1/700 naval figures, GMM
• ladders, railings etc. (various producers),
• 1/700 Modelkrak and WSW boats,
• various scraps and spare parts from other kits.

The rest has been built from the scratch, including two small buildings, truck, ship funnels and all details. "Dampfklappenprahme Nr. 3" is a scratchbuilt item also. Water - acrylic paint with varnish.

The final result is not perfect, but... I have a shipyard diorama and SMS Sachsen in one. Plans for the future ? Obviously the Wurttemberg diorama, perhaps a launched ship or some like this. Not this year anyway...

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