WEM flaklighter 1/350

[Silenoz]

I've started construction on this flaklighter. The kit is from White Ensign Models and is in 1/350.

For Operation Seelöwe our German friends had made some barges to transport their heavy equipment across the Channel. Eventually the operation was cancelled, but the barges were allready made.

 

(source: http://historisches-marinearchiv.de/)
These were then used to evacuate Crete, but also in Norway, Italy, the black sea, Baltic sea ...

They were rather large with 49m length, 6.6m width, but had a shallow draft of 4 feet, which was their greatest advantage. Most allied torpedo's were functioning ok from a draft of 8feet, so the torpedo's malfunctioned or passed under the hull. With 10 knots they were rather slow and easy prey from the air. So Germans wouldn't be Germans if they hadn't a gründliche solution for this, thus they made the Flaklighter, a heavily armed barge, that could withold itself with most foes at sea. It was armed with 2x 88mm or 105mm guns, 2x a 20mm flakvierling, 2x 20mm single guns and 1x a 37mm gun. These could all engage targets down to earth or in the sky (with exception of the 88mm/105mm guns)




Frankly, the allies didn't love this, and at first it was a complete surprise. PT-boats were instructed to avoid a confrontation with these.

On to the kit:

Not that much in the box:

1 solid resin hull

2x a 88 or 105mm gun emplacement, which I don't know yet if I will use them like this:

a bit PE:

and a manual with different colour schemes:

I've started slowly by adding some splinter shields at the aft. The shields that are casted in the kit are also provided in PE, don know yet if I will use these. I've soldered these first to ease the outlining on the hull (3 separate pieces to align and position at once...




and the first single 20mm gunmount has been assembled:

 

I thickened the PE with solder to give it some more body, PE is rather flat.

 

had some time to work on the main guns. Been looking for references, but that seemed a bit difficult. So I made some educational guesses:

 

original:

 

then I ordered some resin Italian 100 or 105mm guns:

 

drew a new casemate on paper:

 

and cut them out, hardened the paper with CA, weakened the fold-lines and made the casemates:

 

The one on the left was a first try, but I forgot about the taper on the sideplates.

When assembled in dryfit it looks like this:

 

and two parts ready for paint, hope it will work out a bit:

 

Then I ran into some problems with the flakvierlings and other guns, that brought this project to a halt. Ordered some Veteran models replacements (also for the 20mm guns and the rangefinder) to revive this one..

[Ray S]

A very interesting start there. This lighter always looked unusual when I saw it.

 

Look forward to progress.

 

All the best,

 

Ray

[Usman]

I'd quite like one of these (I have a few different kits in 1/700 scale), so will be keeping an eye on this build.

 

Very good start so far!