The “Molch” (German for "Salamander" or "Newt") was the first midget submarine developed by the Kriegsmarine, with the intention being a single person manned delivery vehicle for a pair of torpedoes. The first Molch was delivered on 12 June 1944, and AG Weser in Bremen would build nearly four hundred (depending on the reference, the number varies from 363 to 393). The electric propulsion system was designed for coastal operations, providing a range of 40 miles at a submerged speed of 5 knots. The complicated trim and dive controls made combat operations hazardous at best for the submariners, and the boats were later relegated to train submariners for using the follow-on, more advanced mini-subs.
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Kagero has come up with another winner if you’re a Panzer IV nut, like I am. The book is soft cover with heavy stock and full color art on the front and back covers. This book covers the Panzer IV J. The strength of the book isn’t the text, unless you read Polish. The 1/35 scale drawings are beautiful, showing all the angles of the tank, in all twenty seven pages. The drawings do have some text in English, so you know what variant you’re looking at. The reader does know which production version is being represented. Included are exploded drawings of the different muffler systems, return rollers, idler wheels, road wheel assemblies, treads, muzzle brakes, cupolas, and armor skirts. There are also four pages of 1/48 and 1/72 scale drawings. Thirty one pages in all. Add to this four pages of full color prints, with two tanks on each page.
This kit is a re-box of the Vision model 35002 WWII Russian BA-64 Armored Car with new decals to depict a captured armored car in German service. Plus the addition of a MiniArt figure set that calls them the “crew”.
Looking over the figures, they had very minimal flash, and no ejection pin marks. What mold lines that were there were easily removed with a sharp blade. There are no decals provided and the painting instructions are for Vallejo only. You will need to refer to what you see in the illustration or any references that you may have access to. There is not even any part numbers on the sprue, just a picture on the back of the box with the numbers listed next to the part.
I was intrigued by the title of this PE set when I was notified by John Noack of its availability and was very excited when it arrived. You would think that a set titled “WWII USN Accommodation Ladders and Gangplanks” would not stir the imagination, after all accommodation ladders are available in other sets. But I have never seen gangplanks offered anywhere. It is a subject often neglected by PE manufacturers – “how do you get on and off a ship.” Well, this PE set is the answer.
There is a lot of detail and options packed into this small set: