Pre-order - Trumpeter 03703 - 1:200 German Battleship Tirpitz

Pre-order product! Orders will be fulfilled after the model is released by the manufacturer. Estimated availability: late October 2026. The delivery date is approximate and may change due to circumstances beyond our control.

Plastic Model Kit of the Battleship Tirpitz in 1:200 Scale

Trumpeter 03703 is a plastic model kit reproducing the battleship Tirpitz – the second Bismarck-class battleship of the Kriegsmarine, built at the Kriegsmarinewerft shipyard in Wilhelmshaven. The kit is based on Trumpeter’s 1:200 scale tooling series, closely related to that used for the Bismarck kit (03702). For years, Tirpitz represented the greatest active threat to Allied Arctic convoys – its mere presence in the Norwegian fjords forced the Royal Navy to commit substantial naval resources.

In 1:200 scale, the completed model measures approximately 1240 mm in length, making it an impressive centerpiece in any collection. The kit includes photo-etched parts for fine superstructure detailing and a water-slide decal sheet with markings and nameplates.

Inside the box you will find:

• Plastic sprues with hull, superstructure, armament, and deck equipment components
• Photo-etched parts (railings, ladders, antennas)
• Water-slide decal sheet
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model technical details:

• Scale: 1:200
• Catalog number: 03703
• Manufacturer: Trumpeter
• Completed model length: approx. 1240 mm
• Difficulty level: advanced

Note: The kit does not include glue, paints, or modeling tools. The model requires assembly and painting.

Building the model:

A model of this scale is a long-term project requiring experience in ship modeling and patience during the assembly of hundreds of small superstructure components. Photo-etched parts (railings, ladders, antennas) require precision tweezers and cyanoacrylate glue. It is recommended to paint the hull and deck in sections before joining them together, leaving the installation of deck details for the final stages.

For most of its service life, Tirpitz carried a Dunkelgrau (dark gray) paint scheme with various operational camouflage patterns. A typical finish uses dark gray paint (for example Tamiya XF-54 Dark Sea Grey or equivalent) combined with a wood-tone deck finish (such as Tamiya XF-78 Wooden Deck Tan). Washes and rust weathering effects below the waterline greatly enhance the realism of the finished model.

Essential tools:

• Model sprue cutters for removing parts from sprues
• Modeling knife or scalpel
• Files and sandpaper
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Cyanoacrylate glue for photo-etched parts
• Paint brushes in various sizes and precision tweezers
• Model paints and matte varnish
• Wash for highlighting details and hull plating lines

About the ship – Battleship Tirpitz:

Tirpitz was the second Bismarck-class battleship built for the Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid on November 2, 1936, in Wilhelmshaven, she was launched on April 1, 1939, and commissioned on February 25, 1941. Armed with eight 38 cm SK C/34 guns mounted in four twin turrets, she was structurally similar to Bismarck, although later modifications increased her combat displacement to approximately 52,600 tons, making her the heaviest battleship ever built by a European navy.

Unlike Bismarck, Tirpitz never conducted an Atlantic sortie and spent most of her service life stationed in Norwegian fjords. Her mere presence tied down substantial Royal Navy forces. The British launched numerous attacks against her, including attacks by X-class midget submarines during Operation Source in 1943, which seriously damaged the ship, followed by repeated air raids. On November 12, 1944, in Tromsø Fjord, three 5.4-ton “Tallboy” bombs dropped by Lancaster bombers of No. 617 Squadron capsized the battleship – approximately 950 crew members were killed.

Technical data of the original vessel (Tirpitz, 1944):

• Combat displacement: approx. 52,600 tons
• Length: 251 m
• Beam: 36 m
• Draft: 10.6 m
• Crew: approx. 2,608 personnel
• Main armament: 8 × 38 cm SK C/34 guns (4 twin turrets)
• Secondary armament: 12 × 15 cm guns, 16 × 10.5 cm guns, 16 × 3.7 cm guns, 70 × 2 cm guns, 8 × 53.3 cm torpedo tubes
• Propulsion: 3 × Brown Boveri steam turbines, 163,000 hp, 3 propellers
• Maximum speed: 30.8 knots
• Sunk: November 12, 1944, Tromsø Fjord

About the manufacturer – Trumpeter:

Trumpeter is a Chinese model manufacturer based in Zhongshan, specializing in large and highly detailed warship, aircraft, and military vehicle kits. In 1:200 scale, Trumpeter offers a series of major World War II warships, including Bismarck, Tirpitz, Gneisenau, and Scharnhorst, which – thanks to their impressive size and high part count – are flagship projects aimed at advanced modelers. These kits are appreciated for their detailed engineering and comprehensive contents, although they require experience in handling the looser fit tolerances typical of some Chinese-produced kits compared to Japanese manufacturers.