ICM offers 1/72nd-scale K-Verbande Submarines in a 1/72nd scale

From ICM

1/72nd scale,

Kit #s.020

Two kits in one box

As modellers, we all have that one kit we want to build before moving on to the great hobby room up there. For me it is the 72nd 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

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. This should help you understand why I decided to review ICM’s new release of two midget submarines in 72nd scale. 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. Project XXVIIB, designed in spring of 1944, was the most effective German midget submarine. Serial production began in Schichau Werk, Elbing, and Germania Werft, Kiel. Since January 1945, these units have been actively involved in combat. The Seehund midget subs were part of the 312 K-Flottilla, based in Ijmuiden in Holland. The model only requires 27 parts. 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. The first thing that I noticed is the grey observation dome. It’s not a clear piece. 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. It’s the nature of this kit and I suppose that should be expected. There were little things, like the positional holes for the elevator fins on one side and not the other. This was also the case in a few places. Compare the photos of the two sides below…

The rails which form the cradle of torpedoes was difficult to position and part of moulding on body of sub had to cut away in order to make it fit flush. I was not interested in the model because of the amount of work required to bring it 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

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