1:700 German Battleship Gneisenau 1940

The real subject

The Gneisenau was a German fast battleship of the Scharnhorst class and the sister ship of the vessel the class is named after. She carried her main gunnery in three triple turrets, two forward and one aft, and together with her high speed that made her a dangerous opponent for lone convoys. She entered service at the end of the 1930s and in 1940 she joined the operations off the Norwegian coast.

What the set contains

A wooden deck for a model in 1:700 scale in the rendering matching the year 1940: a thin veneer cut to the outline of the decks with a fine rendering of the gaps between the planks. The wood has a shade and a grain of its own, so the area looks faithful without shading with paint. How many parts the set contains and how they follow on from one another is described in the enclosed instructions from the manufacturer.

Building tips

First lay the parts down dry and compare the outline with the model, above all around the bases of the turrets and the vents. Fix the deck before you fit the superstructures, the cranes and the railings, otherwise the veneer will not get under them. The way it is attached is described in the manufacturer's instructions; if the deck has no adhesive layer of its own, apply the glue in a thin continuous coat, so that the wood does not buckle. A gloss varnish spoils the look of the wood; a matte overcoat merely unifies the shade.

Who it is for

The set suits a modeler who is building the Gneisenau in her 1940 state and wants the deck to the same standard as the rest of the model. Unless stated otherwise, the model, paints and glue are not part of the delivery.