Does anyone have info on the building of the Bismarck, level of difficulty, etc. I had been considering the Arizona until I read all of the bad reviews . Also, being new back in the hobby, is there a ship and armor modeling club available in the Pittsburgh, Pa. area. Thanks for the help, I am also interested in finding manufacturer catalogs, if there is such a thing.
Earl Denner
I’m about half way through the Bismarck. Building the kit out of the box isn’t extremely difficult, I’d rate it about 3.5 out of 5. It’s a fairly standard build for a battleship just bigger. I’m adding a high detailed photo etch set which takes the level to about 4 - 4.5 out of 5. The kit does not have the issues I’ve read that the Arizona kit does. I think the Arizona kit was originally an RC kit converted to static but the Bismarck was always designed for static from day 1 I maybe wrong tho. There is little to no flash, ejector pin marks are well hidden, the hull is quite good. Putting the bottom of the bow on required multiple coats of auto body filler then model putty to get smooth. The deck had some minor fitment issues and the hull could have used a bit more internal structure bracing. Nothing hugely problematic for an experienced builder. I’m not sure I would recommend this kit for a beginner. You need a lot of time and patients. The reviewer in Fine Scale or was it Tamiya mag took 400 hours building it out of the box. I would double that for the beginner modeler. There is a lot of photo etch in the box which is nice but quite heavy compared to after market PE. I’m about half way done and I’m probably at 300 hours now.
The FSM reviewer also said there was a paint issue with the kit too that you might check out.
I have had some issues with paint adhesion. First time I have ever run into this. I forgot to mention it. I did wash everything down in rubbing alcohol which is my usual step. When I was painting the black and white cammo stripes on the superstructure the grey peeled when I removed the tape. Thank god I lightly sanded the hull before priming, didn’t have any issue when I painted in the black stripe.
Thanks FLAVER 2.0, why is it that some Tamiya acrlic paints take sometimes as many as 3 coats even with primer applied first. This happens with using a brush to apply on small parts for ships? I presently use liquid dish detergent using warm water and then using cold water to rinse.
I know that many people will disagree with me but a hull that size, to me, just screams to have 4 motors put in it and converted to R/C.
I generally use Model Master paints, but most paints take more than 1 coat, as you run the risk of getting runs and an uneven paint job. I find it best to lay down a light coat first then building up heavier coats. Tamiya paints don’t seem any different, they don’t seem to dry as fast as MM. Valeo paints seem to dry very fast which played havoc with my airbrush having paint dry on the needle tip. For small parts you may need more than 1 coat when brushing, again I prefer MM as it brushes nicely as does Valeo, but I find Tamiya isn’t as good for this. Priming is for sealing the surface for the paint to have good adhesion, also helps when looking for problem areas from sanding. It doesn’t help with paint coverage in terms of how many coats you will require. Some people don’t even prime.
As for cleaning I also use dish soap on large areas like hulls, but smaller parts I use rubbing alcohol and q-tips
If a piece of styrene has to have its surface sealed, there’s something wrong with it.
Modern enamel and acrylic hobby paints are designed to adhere directly to styrene. Primer has one big function on a plastic model: to cover the entire surface with one color, in preparation for finish painting with a different color (especially a lighter one). It also comes in handy, as Flaver 2.1 points out, for revealing flaws in the surface so they can be fixed before the finish coat is applied.
I haven’t seen the big Trumpeter Bismarck (and the chances of my buying it are just about zylch), but I’ve read about that problem with paint adhesion in several places now. It sounds like the styrene is some sort of freakish formulation (maybe something to do with the fact that the parts are so big). I sure hope the problem doesn’t show up in Trumpeter’s 1/700 kits, which I really like.
I stand corrected, styrene doesbt need sealing, but being in the construction trade to not prime first is a sin, so I guess its habit. Though I’ve always been worried about this paint peeling issue from not priming abd it happened anyway. But being the first time ever happening to me my guess it’s soemthing in the styrene like jtilley suggested. Again sand the hull before painting and any flat surfaces on this model!!!
I guess it’s just my frustration after building wood models of airplanes, ships and houses for model railroads that peeling and lack of adhesion was never a problem.
Honestly I am starting to wonder if this is more a problem with Valjeo paint. I have never sprayed it or used it before, and I’m not to happy. I usually use model master. Never had peeling with MM ever. Tonight I sprayed all the PE and small parts on the sprues and the coverage was horrible. It comes off easily with my fingernail, and lightly running my finger nail. I washed everything before spraying and I am again not happy.
Why is it such a problem today with the lack of adhesive that was not a problem many years ago. When I was building plastic models back then, a good scrubbing of dish detergent and warm water followed by a drying off using old gags and then letting air dry. I get really discouraged by the problems associated with today’s kits, with trying to paint them. Apparently the mold release chemicals used in today’s kits are too strong for the methods we used in the past. Somebody has to have the answer but
why is it not passed on to the rest of us?
“Honestly I am starting to wonder if this is more a problem with Valjeo paint. I have never sprayed it or used it before, and I’m not to happy.”
I think it is highly unlikely it’s the Vallejo paint; I think your answer lies in one of the posts above…“The FSM reviewer also said there was a paint issue with the kit too that you might check out.”
I wrote my last post in frustration. It probably is more the kit rather than Valjeo paint. Probably just a coincidence with the adhesion to the PE.
That’s okay flavor, I am getting serious thought to building the 1;200 Arizona. I know that this will be a lot for me to take on. But you never know until you try
I use only Model Master enamels. I have absolutely zero experience with acrylics. Way back in the '80’s, I started thinning my enamels for the airbrush with Lacquer thinner. I’ve NEVER had trouble with the paint lifting or crazing of the plastic. The paint seems to dry a little faster, too…
All the best
Ray
Thanks for the tip Ray, I intend to try some enamels in the future. Regards, Alpha 43.