A new kit January 2022. SM -U 23 Class German WW 1 U-Boat!

Want a U-Boat but don't want a Type 7C? (Don't get me wrong, I like the type 7, but they're,...... everywhere.)

 

 

Introducing the World War One:  SM U-23 Class U-Boot

 The U23-41 Class of submarine was ordered by the Kaiserliche Marine in 1911. They were the last class of submarine ordered by the German Navy before the outbreak of World War One and the second to employ Diesel engines instead of the Parafin /Petrol engines previously used. U-23 was ordered on the 18^th March 1911 and laid down at the Friedrich Krupp Germania-werft shipyard in Kiel at a cost of 2,808,000 Gold marks. Most of her expense was due to her battery capacity.  Launched on the 12 April 1913, she was commissioned into the KM on the 11^th September of that year.

 

With a length of 64 meters and a displacement of 650 tons, these submarines were powered by new twin 6 cylinder Germania Marine Diesel engines, driving two shafts. The introduction of the Diesel engine was a great improvement in performance and reliability over the older less reliable Paraffin petrol engines used up until this time.

 

This Kit encompasses a design that spanned from U-23 up to U-41. The groupings were indicative of the shipyard where they were built. The first and last group were built by Krupps Germania Kiel and then middle group was built at Danzig. As indicated by photos this class developed a fair amount of modification and differentiation throughout their service. As a result, most of these boats will have some design features that differ. I have aimed this kit to model the initial batch U23-26 prior to the start of the war. I cannot cover every design modification within the class over its span of service.

 

German U-Boat SM U-23 Class Kit $240 AUD + P&P

 

About the kit. (Scale 1:154)

 

The main kit hull components are made of Polyester resin fiberglass.  The rest of the components are made of hard wearing Polyurethane resin cast parts. This kit will require a twin motored dive module. The kit comes with basic components including the following:

 

2 x top hull pieces.

3 x lower hull pieces.

 

1 x  One piece sail.

2 x  Bow fore planes.

2 x Bow fore plane guards.

2 x Stern planes

2 x Stern plane guards.

1 x Rudder

1 x Upper Rudder tiller bracket

2 x Rudder push rod hull entry housings.

2 x Propeller shaft brackets.

2 x Propellers.

2 x Shaft hull glands.

1 x Conning tower.

1 x Conning tower deck

2 x Conning tower Canvas frames.

1 x Daughter compass

1 x Helm

1 x Anchor

2 x Torpedo tube doors.

I x  Rudder mount.

1 x Instruction manual in English

Watertight Cylinder recommendation: ZB-1/2

 

Kit does not include Cylinder, Electronics, shafts and other RC parts needed for operation. Differing colour of parts shown is simply due to a new supplier of the same polyurethane resin.

 

This is one of only three World war one Submarine kits on the market that I know of. The kit is 1100 mm long and has a maximum width of about 120 mm. As mentioned earlier the kit is basic and will require scratch building experience. However it is unique and rare.