SMS Derfflinger Model, the Iron Dog of Jutland

[joe100]

Thought I'd share some photos of my recent build. The German Battlecruiser SMS Derfflinger, the Iron Dog of Jutland.

Derfflinger took a terrible pounding at Jutland but survived.

I wanted to get this model finished up as I've been on it for nearly 2 months now. May 31 marked the 100th anniversary of the battle of Jutland, the largest battleship on battleship engagement ever seen. The British and Germans fought to a draw, essentially. The British came off worse in terms of lives lost and ships sunk, but it was a strategic defeat for the Germans as they would never risk confronting the Royal Navy again in the war.

As usual, the ship is 1/700 scale. For those who followed my other build threads, you know I like to scratch-build most of the structure and detail, but having just finished the grueling SMS Viribus Unitis build, I thought I'd take a breather and do something a little more simple, but no less detailed. The kit is made by Flyhawk and depicts Derfflinger just before and during the battle of Jutland in 1916. The decks are real wood, laser cut, and the details are brass. Not much scratch-building on this one, just lots of fiddly detail.

The model is nearly finished except for a few details here and there, and the rigging. I'll take some photos to show the work I've recently completed, but until then, here are some photos I've taken along the way to get us started.

Colorized photo of SMS Derfflinger at sea



Bags and bags of details



Brass detail parts



The raw plastic parts



Hull sides



Nicely molded plastic parts, most will be replaced with brass



Hull painted, decks laid, weathered





Sub assemblies coming together



Still lots of work to do.







So we're getting there.

In case any of you missed it, this is the model that I mentioned above, SMS Viribus Unitis:

[Kingair]

Impressive !

But really nothing for me I guess

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[Rock]

Battleships are amazing vessels - so big with such restrictions on manoeuverability and yet when you see aerial pictures of a naval battle, they really give them a workout.
Great looking model.

[bayerische]

Nice work again!

[Old Expat Beast]

Great work as ever Joe

[cop414]

Love your builds Joe, thanks!

[joe100]

Updated pictures to come soon.

[joe100]

Originally Posted by Kingair

Impressive !

But really nothing for me I guess

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

It's at least 1% more interesting than the "is it safe" and "how did you choose" threads

[joe100]

Originally Posted by Rock

Battleships are amazing vessels - so big with such restrictions on manoeuverability and yet when you see aerial pictures of a naval battle, they really give them a workout.
Great looking model.

One of the greatest naval maneuvers of all time was an emergency escape maneuver executed by the Germans once they realized their T had been crossed by the British at Jutland. Admiral Scheer's forces succeeded in disengaging by an expertly executed 180° turn in unison called the "battle about turn to starboard", or in German Gefechtskehrtwendung nach Steuerbord, which was well-practised by the German High Seas Fleet.

These tightly packed ships made the equivalent of U turn, at speed, and didn't collide with themselves. An unparalleled bit of seamanship.

[teqp]

Awesome job as always on the models, Joe! Thanks for sharing.

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by joe100

It's at least 1% more interesting than the "is it safe" and "how did you choose" threads

For sure but I mean that I don't have the skill and the patience

What you do is amazing

I wish I had your skills!

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[TheBluePrince]

More great work, nice one Joe, have a great weekend :)

[joe100]

Originally Posted by Kingair

For sure but I mean that I don't have the skill and the patience

What you do is amazing

I wish I had your skills!

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

Ha! I know. I was trying to be funny with a play on words.

Anyone can learn the skills needed to do this, just takes patience and with any hobby, money for the right tools. It's a lot of fun to watch history come to life right in front of you. I'd been on a WW2 kick for a lot of years, but having built most of the major battleships of the second war, I got bored. The WW1 battle wagons have rekindled my interest. It's interesting for me to learn about an era I'll never know, an age where chivalry in combat still existed.

I've often wondered what it would have been like to serve aboard a dreadnought type battleship or Battlecruiser. Giant steam turbines still fed by coal (coal oil mixture in most cases). I'll be the noise and vibration in those engine rooms was deafening. Or to see fleet maneuvers in person. The British Grand or Home fleet all firing together, the German Hochseeflotte at speed. Fascinating times. The only issue is have is these ships weren't air-conditioned.... Ha!

[joe100]

Mostly complete except for rigging and a few details here and there. Total build time was about 7 weeks.















So radio antenna and mast support rigging is yet to be started, the complex torpedo bet boom rigging and crane rigging are all yet to be finished. Many hours of work left.

Weathering has been minimal. In 1916 the High Seas Fleet was pretty well maintained but like anything that goes to sea, rust spots happen. By the end of the war she was a sooty, rusty, dirty mess; but for now, she looks good. It's easy to quickly overdue weathering so I tend to be light handed and subtle.

[daveathall]

Great work Joe, that ship shelled the town of my birth (Scarborough).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/york/hi/...00/8123846.stm

[joe100]

Indeed she did.

Here are some shots of her death:

Scuttling in Scapa Flow



Scrapping

[Fleetlord]

Originally Posted by joe100

It's at least 1% more interesting than the "is it safe" and "how did you choose" threads

Your model threads are among the best threads on RF.

Is there a ship that you want to build, but there isn't a kit available?

[TheVTCGuy]

Incredible Joe, absolutely incredible. I have neither the patience nor skill to create such masterpieces. But, I have one extremely serious question I think we all are dying to know:


Is it safe to wear your Rolex while model building?

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by daveathall

Great work Joe, that ship shelled the town of my birth (Scarborough).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/york/hi/...00/8123846.stm

Thank GOD she missed you Dave.....

[mailman]

Fantastic work Joe. Thanks for sharing with us

[daveathall]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

Thank GOD she missed you Dave.....

Now that made me laugh. Thank you.

[joe100]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

Incredible Joe, absolutely incredible. I have neither the patience nor skill to create such masterpieces. But, I have one extremely serious question I think we all are dying to know:


Is it safe to wear your Rolex while model building?

Actually, no it isn't. Getting superglue of stainless is hard

[joe100]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

Thank GOD she missed you Dave.....

Now that is funny!!!

[joe100]

Last nights project was mast rigging. Tonight's will be torpedo net rigging, then we can call 'er done.

[Dr. Robert]

Wow!

[swils8610]

Amazing attention to detail!

[joe100]

Thanks gentlemen

[mph57]

Joe,

Have you done the Bismarck? If so, could you post a picture of that model. Great work?

[Kingair]

Stunning Joe 🖒

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[joe100]

Originally Posted by mph57

Joe,

Have you done the Bismarck? If so, could you post a picture of that model. Great work?

I have indeed. Bismarck as she appeared in Norway just prior to the Battle of the Denmark Strait in 1941, where the British battlecruiser HMS Hood was destroyed by Bismarck in less than 5 minutes.