1:72 U-boat VIIC

Eduard 1:72 U-boat VIIC photo-etched set

A metal photo-etched fret replaces plastic parts wherever the thickness of the molding is technically fixed and too great for the scale. On a submarine model that means above all the external sheet-metal features and the small fittings on the deck and the tower, which at close range decide the credibility of the whole hull. The set is cut for a model of the Type VIIC submarine in 1:72 scale and assumes a basic kit has been bought.

The real subject

Type VIIC was the most numerous variant of the German Type VII submarine of the Second World War. It was a medium-sized ocean-going vessel with diesel-electric propulsion, that is with diesel engines for running on the surface and electric motors below it. The individual boats differed in details of the tower and the armament according to the year of building and to later modifications, which matters for the modeler: accessory sets are made for a particular form of the vessel, not generally for all units of the type.

Building tips

• Separate the photo-etched parts with a sharp knife on a hard surface, not by twisting.
• Make the bends in a photo-etch bending tool; a bend made by hand tends to be uneven and it shows on a long part.
• Use super glue applied with a wire and work in small sections.
• Degrease the metal and spray it with primer, otherwise the paint will crack.
• On a submarine the hull is a large continuous area, so plan in advance which parts you will fit before gluing the halves together and which afterwards.

Who the set is for

• For modelers building the Type VIIC submarine in 1:72 scale.
• For builders who have worked with photo-etch before and have the necessary tools.
• For collectors of naval subjects who display a model at close range.