SMS Szent István

[kriszme]

The theme of this review has been awaited for quite long. Some decades ago, in socialism it was officially forbidden to talk about her and as if the public memory suffered from a general amnesia as well.
And then the silence was broken late 2009 when the Polish GPM came out with the first detailed and very nicely elaborated version of the ship. It was started to be sold with lasercut parts and since such sets are not for cheap, maybe it did not sell so well. Aahm, Szent István (pron.: sent eeshtvahn, in English: Saint Stephen - the first Christian King of Hungary ) is not the Bismarck-category of fame and popularity, hm…
And many of us did not understand either why the publisher has not published immediately an identical but cheaper, plainer version. Well, maybe a bit late but it is here now.
Without any accessories it makes us happy with the beautifully elaborated details and surfaces. It is wonderful from the viewpoint of a layman, because we cannot spot the possible errors in some details. (none of the booklets are flawless) I don’t know how much her sistership Tegetthoff differs from her, in terms of paper modeling, someone who has her could write a comparison.
I cannot imagine either what led our Polish Friends, to issue right the first set in such a hyperdemanding version, ’cause, let us be honest, Szent István did not inscribe herself into chronicles by any outstanding deed. Rather her puzzling, surrealistic fate of her first fare is the fact for which some may remember her.
But the answer to the rhetoric question above is probably even simpler: the publisher publishes demanding works, regardless of the originals’ acts past. And it is a special pleasure for us Hungarians that our Szent István became such a gem. And now in a version that makes it generally accessible. Let’s take the advantage of it !

Z wdzięcznością Wam dziękujęmy, naszy drodzy polski przyjacieli !
Thank you, our Polish friends.

Content of the set:
4 colour pages with the images of the ready model
8 pages of 3D b/w assembly drawings in an eye-friendly size
8 pages of ribs and another „skeleton”-elements on 80 g paper
1 page of railings and other templates
10 pages of spare parts on 250 g papersheets. I really liked the Bismarck-Admiral Hipper-level deckplanking.
1 page of bird- and sideview drawing with final positioning of the assembled units.

The price of the set is medial but the detail-rich shaping promises much more. Hopefully, it will not stay only a promise.

[Wyvern]

Looks like an awe-inspiring kit to build!

Wyvern

[Michael Mash]

I look forward to your work.
Szent István is one of my favorite ships.
I hope you achieve great results with your project.
Mike

[Sakrison]

I can't find this kit on GPM's web site. Where did you find it?

[kriszme]

Hello Mike,
well, this will not be an urgent project. Start not sooner than summer 2012 due to my other engagemets. Not more than the WMC Opel/Moskvich, during the winter holidays., if at all :-(((