1:700 Top Grade German Bismarck Battleship

I Love Kit 1:700 Top Grade German Bismarck Battleship

A kit of the German battleship Bismarck in 1:700 scale from I Love Kit, listed as the Top Grade edition. The maker uses the Top Grade name for the higher version of its ship kits; exactly what the package holds is given by the instructions in the box. 1:700 is the most widespread scale for large warships and the finished model will fit into an ordinary display case.

The real subject

The Bismarck was the first of two battleships of the class of the same name, and at the time she entered service she was among the most powerful surface units in Europe. The main armament was eight 38 cm guns in four twin turrets, backed by a secondary and an anti-aircraft battery. The ship became famous during her only combat sortie in May 1941: in the Denmark Strait she sank the British battlecruiser Hood, but was damaged herself, and in the pursuit that followed by a British force she ended on the bottom of the Atlantic on May 27, 1941.

Building and painting tips

Work from the hull and the deck and only then fit the superstructure and the cranes. Leave the main battery turrets movable until you have finished painting; it is easier to reach the walls of the superstructure that way. Spray the base coat with an airbrush and grade the shades by height, so that the large area of the sides does not look flat. Railings, ladders and aerials belong on the model right at the end. If you are planning a waterline presentation, decide before you glue the hull together.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of German surface ships of the Second World War
• Builders of ships in the most widespread scale, 1:700
• Modelers who want a well-known subject in a higher edition
• Anyone interested in the famous naval encounter in the Denmark Strait

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.