Scharnhorst, 1943, Part 2 Dragon Smart Kit,

Dragon's 1943 1/350 KMS Scharnhorst continues to be a real pleasure to work on. I am well into the build now and things are beginning to come together. this submission features a mid build photo shoot so the painting is rough in places and some more clean up is required. The close up pictures show my many sins. Alas, I humbly share these for those yet to build this fine model. You can please be patient and critique my work when I submit the final build review article on the KMS Scharnhorst.

This is a great kit! The pieces come off the sprue and clean easily. Even the smallest parts appear to have a strength that makes them able to withstand some gentle abuse. This is my second mid- build review and I have 'little' issues to present.

Before I do, I want to qualify my previous article when I stated the instructions are a challenge, but one I enjoy. That was then, and I'm not enjoying solving the problems so much now. To the staff and management of Dragon, I want to say this beautiful build, that results from great design and engineering by Dragon, is diminished by the frustration that the overcrowded instructions, and somewhat difficult to comprehend 19 sections, presents to the builder. I am retired and have the time to work the problems through, where I can. I'm thinking of other builders, the people who live busy lives and build kits for rest and stress relief. It seems to me, these less than satisfactory instructions might result in fewer 'feel good' moments for the evening builder, who finds an hour after the kids go to bed, to work on this kit. Not being able to make steady progress, or having to return to fathom an unclear section, or having to take a sub assembly apart after finding a problem, would be anything but restful. I would challenge Dragon to respect the time of future builders will invest in this great kit, and resolve the problems in the instructions through revision and a re-print.

Enough of my rant. Here's some examples to be aware of. The ship's hanger presents, what for me, is an unresolvable problem as the instructions stand.

On top of the hanger sits a diagonal piece. I have no idea what it is, or how it is to be installed. It has marking like other walkways, so I assume it is another such. The instructions above show the piece [arrow] and it appears to be angled up, but I'm not sure. The above is the only other view in the instructions and it is no more helpful. In fact it is more confusing as the piece is a parallelogram and can not be placed as shown with the up side, up. The piece has four pins, but no corresponding holes to indicate where it might go. If I place the piece such that all four pins touch, it looks nothing like the instructions. It seems to be a piece to nowhere. Is it a spare ramp? Any assistance in solving this will be appreciated. This section further shows you, the reader, how complex the section of instructions is.

The instructions do not give a clear view of installation of this hanger walkway. Is the walkway meant to have a small airspace between the walkway and the hanger roof? If not, this is the only wrongly sized piece I have found thus far.

The next gripe has to do with the large AA guns.

The instructions show, to me, that the two side panels are to join in the centre, yet they do not. As pic 7 clearly illustrates, the base means they abut the centre piece. Not a big problem as the base dictates the solution, but an easy fix for Dragon also. Nor do the instructions indicate there is a curve to the finished gun base. Again, a dry fit draws the builders attention immediately to the issue, but this could be clearer if there wasn't so much packed into one point of view. I have not found another image elsewhere that shows the curve. In image 8 I show three phases, the three main pieces unassembled, the finished curve showing the side edges do not meet. The third pic is how I give a slight rise to the gun barrel, as otherwise it falls too low for my liking.

The air vent construction can be assembled two ways, one wrong and it will interfere with the positioning of the airplane hanger deck. The pins allow assembly both ways and I almost missed it, so slight was the misalignment.
[pic 10]

[pic 12] The kit comes with both photo etch and thick plastic weather doors. Here you see one heavy plastic weather door ajar, and the other [in the curve] positioned closed and slightly raised. I like these doors with the embossed feature of the slight surface difference conveying for me, the heaviness of these doors.

Thank you to previous readers for your kind comments. I welcome all respectfully critique of my work, and especially tips on where I might improve, or things you have found in your build.

FYI, have purchased two Dragon Scharnhorst kits. This bound will end up in a diorama with a Z-38, and U-boat in an artic setting. The second build comes with the wooded deck and a more comprehensive PE set. This will be my static display.

The history of the Scharnhorst is a fascinating tale of the Kriegsmarine, If you are not familiar with it, look it up. Tragically, like so many of these great ships, the endings were sad occasions with great loss of life in most cases. As I build my ships, I read and listen to the stories and think about the courageous men who served on them.

2 additional images. Click to enlarge.