.webp)
With two mini-subs in the one box, Clayton thought it only propper to build both the Seehund & Molch inside ICM's 72nd scale K-Verbende Midget Submarines kit. See how the Seehund goes together today in Pt.I.
K-Verbende Midget Submarines Pt.I "Seehund"
From ICM
1/72nd scale,
Kit #s.020
Two kits in one box
.webp)
As modellers, most of us have that one kit we want to build before we move to that great hobby room in the sky, and for me, that is the 72nd scale Revell U-boat with all the bells and whistles. Which should give you an insight as to why I put my hand up to review the new release from ICM with two 72nd scale midget subs. The Seehund (early) (or seal) and the Molch (or Newt).
Today in Part I, we will build the seehund kit and follow up tomorrow with the Molch mini-sub.
This boxing is a combination of the 2023 release of the Molch and the 2010 release of the Seehund. The Seehund was also released under the Revell banner in 2013.
I’m strangely drawn to these WW2 German submarines, and while the build schedule doesn’t allow for the gigantic U-Boat at this point, it does allow for these pint-sized cousins... so let’s have a closer look...
U-Boat Type XXVIIB “Seehund” (early)
The Seehund (“Seal”) was the most effective of German midget submarines. The project XXVIIB was designed in spring 1944. Serial production was developed in Schichau Werk in Elbing and Germania Werft in Kiel. Up to the end of the war, there were built 285 units.
.webp)
Since January 1945, they have taken active part in combat. Seehund midget submarines served in 312 K-Flottilla based in Ijmuiden (Holland). They accomplished 142 combat actions and sank 9 Allied ships.
.webp)
After the end of war, 4 Seehund submarines served in the French Navy up to 1956.
The parts for the Seehund are all on one sprue, with a handful of them not even required for the build. By my count, the model only requires 27 parts.
Unfortunately, there are no part numbers on the sprues, so identifying parts would have to be done by referencing the instruction sheet and matching those numbers to the position the pieces sat around the sprues.
Construction is very straightforward, with only 5 steps to complete the build.
The kit comes with two suggested schemes, one in monotone grey and the other with an interesting spotted pattern.
The small decal sheet that accompanies the Seehund...
This moulding is from 2010, and clearly ICM has progressed since then. I say that because the first thing I noticed was the observation dome is supplied as grey plastic and not as a clear part. There is no interior; however, given the window is so small, I don’t think that really matters, but having said that dome as a clear assembly would be a big improvement.
The panel lines seem overly heavy and exaggerated, and there was quite a lot of flash that needed to be removed from the parts.
In saying that the join seams did seem consistent and even across the parts.
It was obvious though that this moulding is from another time in the company’s history because the detail and refinement when looking at the torpedoes from each kit is unmistakable. Ill preview the torpedoes for the Molch shortly, but the Seehund offerings were oversimplified and extremely basic and would require a lot of work to make them presentable.
The fit of the two halves was reasonable, as was the torpedo; however, there will be a great deal of sanding and seam removal required. I guess that’s just the nature of a kit like this and should be expected.
As I moved through the build, more and more shortcomings revealed themselves. Little things like positional holes on one side but not the other for the elevator fins. Not hard to get around, just annoying. This was the case in a couple of places as well.
Compare pics of the two sides of the hull below...
The rails that form part of the cradle for the torpedoes were problematic to position, and part of the moulding on the body of the sub had to be cut away to make it sit flush. It just seemed to be a matter of looking at the pieces and working out the best way to make them fit, because the fit was clumsy at best with the instruction not offering much clarity around exact placement.
I quickly lost interest in this model due to the work that would be required to bring it up to standard. I pressed on with attaching the details for the sake of the build review; however, if you were wanting to build this for yourself, I’d suggest leaving the torpedoes off and painting them as a stand-alone part.
So, in terms of the shapes and the look of the model, the basics are there, but there is a great deal of scratch building and upgrades required to help this model into the modern age.
Part II of this review is tomorrow with the Molch submarine...
Clayton Ockerby
Thanks to ICM for sending this kit to Clayton to review for you. You can find out about ICM's other releases on the ICM plastic model kits website
See more of Clayton's amazing works on his YouTube Channel, his modelling portal "Workbench Hobbies," or his Facebook page
