DKM Gneisenau 1/350

Io stò costruendo il Gneisenau nel 1942 durante il passaggio della manica e tra i tanti dubbi sulla realtà del momento uno mi sta più a cuore degli altri. Quello che vorrei sapere è se sulla torre Anton erano istallati i telemetri oppure se nel 1942 erano stati eliminati come sullo Scharnorst . Non riesco atrovare documentazione dettagliata su quel periodo e quindi chiedo a voi tutti se mi potete aiutare . Grazie

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Great to see some more progress, Jan, however small it may be. :slightly_smiling_face:

We all know these glaciers need a lot of time to chase down and every little bit spent at the bent l bench helps :relaxed:

Good luck moving the dock yard back to home base and we’ll see Gneissenau back on the slipway again soon, I’m sure :slightly_smiling_face:

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No google translate is coming to its limits - but what I understand is you are building Gneisenau in her 1942 appearance (channel dash?) and your question is about the rangefinders in ANTON turret?
I don’t have my reference book here with me, but I think in one book is pretty detailed written down, when which alterations to the ship were done. I don’t have access to that book before like 20 September, so I can’t answer your question with certainty now. But out of my head I am pretty sure those rangefinders were removed while Gneisenau was lying in Brest, so for the channel dash they would have been gone. I can give you a better answer in a little over two weeks…

And I managed some progress yesterday and today, will post the update tomorrow!

Cheers
Jan

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molte grazie . Anche io presumo che siano stati rimossi a Brest ma la documentazione no è chiara. Quindi aspetto la tua risposta

Ok, here comes the promised update.

Despite my original idea to work from front to aft, I did the open p-way lest I forget about it.
First cut the openings, just a little wider than the usual scuttles. As I have no certain idea about the interior and since it is impossible to look inside - the twin 15 cm turrets will sit directly next, as you can see the barbettes - I decided for a simple straight ‘way through’ as it is easiest to do.

Testfitting

Cutting a piece of wooden deck, as the p-way probably will continue from the wooden upper deck

fitting it in the superstructure part, the ‘ears’ filling the material strength

some styrene underneath to bring it in level with the main upper deck

and in place. Once glued down it will be pretty much even with the deck. I decided not to overpaint the wood as it barely can be seen.

In the end you should be able to see the opening and that the p-way goes all the way through, and that there is wooden deck inside, but not much more once the 15 cm guns are installed. I’m quite happy with how that turned out, and one more detail to distinguish her from Scharnhorst. Good hint by Francesco!

But now back to the forward superstructure. The armored bridge in front not build yet, only the single main piece, the structure underneath the the typical turret put together but not detailed, mainly to gen an impression as to how my painted wood will do, and the shape ways 3D print. I’m happy to have that, along with some more parts, as it is very nice for dry fitting and trials. I’m even more happy to have the real good stuff from Steve aka Model Monkey, that I’m keeping back until I am at the point to really install it, so the occasional mishap doesn’t do any harm…

Inclined ladder business for the back of the forward superstructure. The Dragon ladders are not really as I wish them, as it is almost impossible to bend them at the indicated line. I destroyed one and the others don’t look too good, too. So I picked Eduard ones from the HMS Hood kit that I have in my spares part box.

The brass one is dragon, the grey one have been painted earlier on, Eduard. Much better. Same here for the four needed. Right hand side the four Eduard, left the four Dragon, one destroyed, well… The idea apparently is to bend them in the middle of the longitudinal brass stripes, there are clear markings, but the material is too sturdy to allow that. At least I didn’t manage…

The upper ones are two steps too long, but that can be helped. But I was running out of time Sunday evening, so Gneisenau for now rests with one ladder missing. Possibly I can find some time during the week to get the second one in place.

So that’s it for now - the middle platform, the one where the six 10,5 cm AA’s will be placed, is glued down, the funnel not and turret structure, armored bridge and deck in that area are not yet.

I didn’t feel like doing the cable reels…rather doing a little more visible stuff for motivation.
I hope to get one more good update next weekend before I have to dismantle my shipyard for moving.

Thank you all for looking in, and for your patience, but eventually ‘my glacier’ moved at least a little bit!

Cheers
Jan

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Ciao sono sempre io che ti faccio cambiare i piani . Ti prego di controllare con precisione la parte di parapetto davanti alla base del admiral bridge . Quel parapetto non è intero ma ha una interruzione al centro. Se guardi attentamente i disegni Kagero lo noterai sicuramente anche tu .

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Quindi le due postazioni da 37 mm erano divise

Great progress, Jan :blush:

Always good to start seeing the superstructure building up. Keep up the good work mate :slightly_smiling_face:

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Great progress Jan,

Good to see the build progressing.

Cheers, Si

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Thanks Si and Russ for your kind comments

the glacier is moving a little bit, a very small update tomorrow or Monday, and then the shipyard will move again, meaning some weeks break…

Francesco,

I think I know what you’re talking about, that area here

it seems the structure underneath the smaller platform ist entirely different for both ships. I did know that the area is divided there, but it’s some time until I will work on that area… Thank you anyway for pointing it out.

One thing worries me more, that is the base of the forward AA fire control equipment (SL6 I believe they are called, have to check - dubbed ‘Wackelkoepfe’ in German), there’s a very visible difference that I didn’t notice until actually today:

Scharnhorst

and kit’s parts

and Gneisenau

I’m not sure yet how I’m going to tackle that one…

And an answer for Francesco’s question regarding ANTON turret rangefinders.
I found this picture of Gneisenau in dry dock in Kiel, February 1942 immediately after the channel dash. She docked to repair mine damage from the channel dash and was bombed in dock, ending her operational life. This picture shows the charred and completely burned out ANTON turret. As there is no way any modifications could have been done to the turret after the channel dash, this is proof that the rangefinders had been removed while in Brest, as I assumed they were;

I still go to my references at home to see if there’s noted when exactly they were removed.

One little update to come, for now cheers

Jan

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Ok, for the update.

Ladder business, back of forward superstructure

And the bridge shelter and armored conning, test fittet

I did not add the periscopes and stuff yet, as I have the Veteran Models fire control equipment set, only that’s already transferred back home. So I will check that to see if there are better parts in there than the kit offers.

Some touch ups needed. And I will build a cover shield, whatever that is called, that seems to be in front of the open bridge shelter, from PE.
The structures right behind the armored conning added, I will see what kind or equipment I will add - kit’s parts vs Veteran Model parts.

All right, that’s it then, for now. That is Gneisenau as she will start her voyage back, main artillery, the aft structure and anything on the forward superstructure only test fitted, not glued in place.

Now once again I need to ask you for your patience, as next to my shipyard and the Gneisenau everything else needs to move, too. And next to the shipyard, other things at home will be waiting to be done and organized. But as always, work will continue after a break.
Well, I could say, ‘Operation Berlin’ is finished for Gneisenau…

Thank you all for looking in,
cheers for now

Jan

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Jan, Very nice work on those ladders, they can be a real pain to set into place.

Mark :beers:

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molte grazie per le fotografie e per l’aiuto ,era la prova che mi mancava. Procedo alla costruzione di Anton senza telemetri. Per quel che riguarda il controllo del fuoco AA non ti ho detto niente delle differenze tra le due navi perché pensavo che tu lo avessi già notato. Da notare che il supporto è più lungo su Gneisenau infatti raggiunge la torre da 150mm con la sua punta. Ciao alla prossima

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The work on the walk way looks very nice and well executed Jan, nice job. The super structure building up looks really nice and the PE additions really give it a real look with the extra detailing :+1:

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Questa è la struttura del ponte di comando del Gneisenau durante l’operazione Cerberus nel 1942

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Hi Jan,

Nice to see abit of progress, looking good mate.

Cheers, Si

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Hey Jan. Great to see you are still working on her and making some very good progress…Cheers mark

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Thank you all for following and commenting, gentlemen! Very much appreciated!

Francesco, your pictures from your Gneisenau look fantastic, I - and I should think many more here in this community - would love to see more of your build and progress. Why don’t you start a build log of your own - it’s no problem if you have already progressed in your build, and should you be a slow or fast builder, doesn’t matter! It’s really easy to do and I’d love to follow, and we could probably better discuss matters? But anyway, you are welcome to show your Gneisenau here, too.
As for ANTON turret, my source (the Koop/Schmolke book on Gneisenau and Scharnhorst, with a chapter on alterations being done to the ships) is obviously wrong here, stating the rangefinders had been removed before Brest. That would mean before the Atlantic operation “Berlin”, and it is clear from pictures that during that tour, the rangefinder hoods on ANTON turrets still are in place. The burned out ANTON in Kiel however is proof that they were gone for the channel dash “Cerberus”. So, they were removed in Brest.

Ok, my Gneisenau will have to rest a few weeks, but I am very happy that I can show you her safe arrival back home - for now she’s resting with my finished builds on a shelf in my office, as I need the space that was and will again be my shipyard to temporarily store stuff I’m moving home from Berlin…

Gneisenau 115 - 1

Gneisenau 115 - 2

So I have to ask for your patience once again, but the glacier will eventually slide down!

Cheers
Jan

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Given her final disposition, it’s not that hard… Gneisenau in Gotenhafen (Gydnia) harbor after being sunk as a blockship:

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