German Submarine Type XXI with interior

[Paul A H]

German Submarine Type XXI with interior

1:144 Revell

The Type XXI U-Boat was an advanced ocean-going submarine that mercifully arrived too late to see meaningful service in World War II. It featured a number of important innovations including a super-streamlined hull, a snorkel for the diesel engines that allowed it to run submerged for extended periods and a huge battery capacity that endowed it with unprecedented underwater speed and endurance. Facilities for the crew were also much improved over the previous generation of boats, with individual showers and freezers for storing food amongst the home comforts available.

U2540 was launched in early 1945 but never actually made it as far as a combat patrol due to fuel shortages. Instead, she was scuttled in May 1945, only a few months after her launch. Some 12 years later, U 2540 was salvaged and returned to service with the Bundesmarine as the Wilhelm Bauer. Following retirement from service in 1982, Willhelm Bauer was put on display as a museum ship at Bremerhaven, where she remains to this day.

Packaged in a long, slim version of their usual end-opening box, Revell’s latest issue of their Type XXI/Willhelm Bauer kit is comprised of 163 parts spread over 4 large sprues of grey plastic. All of the parts included in the previous releases of this kit are present, but this time around there are 2 extra sprues containing all of the interior parts, plus a new hull, one half of which has a large cut-away area to show off the interior detail. All of the mouldings are nice and clean, and there is little in the way of flash or sink marks.

Construction begins with the fore dive planes. These feature a clever little mechanism that will allow the planes to retract once installed. The aft planes and propellers are also assembled and installed at this point. Assembly then turns to the interior detail. As you might have guessed by now, this is where most of the serious modelling is done. Before any of the details can be installed however, the inside walls of the hull have to be painted. Unfortunately it will be a challenge to get all the detail painting right as the painting diagrams are comprised of rather small black and white images. It might be a good idea to refer to the box artwork for further guidance.

The interior of the boat is essentially one large sub assembly and can be completed in its entirety before being installed in the hull. The basic structure is made up of a series of bulkheads and decks, onto which are added various details. The torpedo room is up first, and a full load of 12 torpedoes and racks are provided, ready to be loaded into the launch tubes. Just aft of this section is a sleeping compartment for the crew, complete with some natty little beds. Underneath this area are 2 huge rows of batteries, needed to power the boat when submerged too deep for the snorkel to be used. The bridge and control room areas are next up, complete with periscope system, followed by another sleeping compartment and more batteries. Towards the stern of the boat are the diesel engines and gear mechanisms, and very nice they are too. As mentioned above, once the interior assembly is complete, it can be buttoned up inside the hull.

Just the one colour option is provided, for U-2540 in a smart two-tone grey scheme. As mentioned above, the painting instructions are not too clear, so it might be a good idea to gather some references. Happily these are plentiful as the real thing is conveniently parked up on display in Bremerhaven.

Conclusion

This is an interesting update of a nice model. At just over 53cm (21 inches) long, it’s an impressive beast and for once we have a kit where all the care and attention lavished on the interior detail won’t go to waste!

Review sample courtesy of

[Basosz]

Nice Review Paul. Thank you

This looks very interesting. I've always had a bit of a yen for German subs and this looks like something I might actually order

[Basosz]

Turns out I liked it so much that yesterday I ordered it. Today it arrived in a HUGE box with lots of bubble-wrap inside and tucked in there was this rather cool thing. Hull halves are pretty big so it will be a challenge to place this thing once done. Fortunately it's slender and not too high. Anyways... big sucker, big cool!