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CV707 Vesikko WWII Finish Submarine (SN72004) 1:72 Special Hobby The CV707 (Manufactures code name) was on paper a submarine prototype ordered by a Dutch Company to be built in a Finnish Shipyard. However the Dutch Company Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw (IvS) was in fact a German font company as the Germans had been banned from building and operating Submarines under the Versailles Peace Treaty. In order to design a new submarine the Germans has two porotypes built the CV707 in Finland and the E1 in Spain. The CV707 was for the time one of the most advanced Submarines in the world, the use of Arc Welding allowed a maximum diving depth twice that of earlier German Submarines. The Vesikko was a prototype for the German Type II submarines. Accoding to the agreement between the shipyard and the Finnish Government Finland had the primary option to purchase the submarine once built, and they took over the boat and she joined the Finnish Navy under the name Vesikko. She would go onto serve in the Winter War and Continuation War and was credited with the sinking of a Soviet merchant vessel. After WWII Under the Paris Treaty Finland were banned from having submarines and she was laid up. Other submarines were sold but not the Vesikko as they hoped they would once again be able to use her. However by 1959 Finland had been unable to obtain permission for this and a sale was looked at. However thanks to a former offices and the Institute of Military History she was converted to a Military Museum Ship at the Suomenlinna fortress. The Kit This is a unusual but welcome kit from Special Hobby under the Special Navy brand. The kit is re-boxing of their 2008 German Type IIA kit (the parts are in this boxing if you want to do a German Boat BTW) . The kit features plastic parts with resin, photo-etch and metal parts. Construction begins with the main hull. This is split into four parts and while slightly more difficult to align you will end up with no warpage you might get with larger casting. The parts are well moulded with the free flood holes in the casing all open which is great. Various holes do need to be drilled to accommodate other parts. Once the hull is together the main deck needs to be added which is in three sections. Various parts of deck equipment are then added. At the stern The propeller shafts, rudder and stern planes are added along with the resin propellers. At the bow the bow planes are added along with their protective guards. We then move to the conning tower. This is quite detailed and features all parts you would expect to see in there or the running of the boat as well as the masts and other equipment. Once made up this can be fitted to the hull. At the bow the anchor is fitted along with the bow cable cutter. Additional guards are fitted at the stern depending on which marking option is being used. Railings in front of the conning tower are then fitted. Deck railings are fitted depending on again which marking option is being used. Full radio aerial can be fitted with the isolaters generally seen on Subs being supplied as resin parts. Actual aerial fit again varies by marking option. Finally a very nice pair of turned aluminium periscopes are added. Markings There are 4 marking options supplied for the kit, A. CV707 1933-39 Early marking with a light grey tower and topsides with a red hull section. B. CV707 1939-40 Here the upper hull and tower are now Black for wartime operations. C. CV707 1943 Here the upper sides are now in a winter white/grey splinter scheme with a German type yellow ID band on the bow & tower (also now the museum scheme) D. CV707 1944 Here the boat has been striped back to the black upper scheme CV707 As a museum (photo credit Wikipedia) Conclusion It is great to see more Submarines being moulded in 1/72, his kit gives you the lesser known option of the boat used by Finland. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of