1:700 DKM Tirpitz (ForDagon 7081)

The real subject

The Tirpitz was the sister ship of the Bismarck and, together with her, the largest surface unit of the Kriegsmarine of the Second World War. She spent most of her service in Norwegian fjords, where the mere threat of her sailing tied down considerable enemy forces, and she was destroyed only by repeated raids with heavy aerial bombs. On a model the expansive upper deck is the most prominent part: it is exactly what the viewer sees first from above and exactly where it shows most how much work a model has had.

What the deck offers

This is a deck from the range of wooden decks, cut for 1:700 scale and for the Dragon kit listed under the manufacturer's part number 7081. It covers the surface of the plastic deck and replaces the engraved representation of the planks with the real grain of wood, which neither paint nor the best shading can imitate. In 1:700 scale it is one of the most effective interventions in the look of a model of all.

• a deck for a Tirpitz model in 1:700 scale
• cut for the Dragon kit with the manufacturer's part number 7081
• it replaces the engraved representation of the planks with the real grain of wood
• the surface must be flat, clean and degreased
• the superstructures are fitted only after the deck is laid

Laying tips

First rid the plastic deck of projections and unevenness, so that the part is not lifted anywhere. Check in the manufacturer's instructions whether the deck has an adhesive layer or is glued separately. Lay it on dry as a test and only then permanently, because moving it back tends to be difficult. Fit the superstructures, the equipment and the armament last. The surface is usually left in its natural shade; if you want to varnish it, try the varnish on an offcut first.

Terms of supply

The ship kit, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.