HANDSOME 1:35 SCALE S-BOAT FROM ITALERI

 

NAVAL MODEL FANS will be pleased to see the latest Italeri update of the 1:35 scale Schnellboot of the World War II German Navy.

AHOY THERE! GIANT 1:35 SCALE VOSPER MOTOR TORPEDO BOAT FAST APPROACHING!

SMN Report:

Success for Italeri with its other 1:35 scale motor torpedo boats, the German Schnellboot S-100, Italian MAS, and US PT Boat, means that another World War II veteran is on the slipway, nearly ready for launch. The upcoming British Vosper Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) will complete the Italeri torpedo boat fleet, and details of progress make it look unmissable.

OOPS... ITALERI SCHNELLBOOT IS NOT THE BIGGEST KIT...

It just goes to show that perhaps we shouldn't take promo material literally. Model guru Mat Irvine points out:

"Incidentally and re: yesterday's posting, in no way is the Italeri boat
the 'biggest kit' - if by 'biggest' you mean longest/tallest - and I
presume you do as you quote 'metre'?"

"Revell's 1:96 Saturn V is 4 feet tall and Lindberg's Japanese submarines
are almost five feet long! Pretty sure Renwal's Visible Chassis was
longer too."


Well, we had another look at the Schnellboot, and strictly speaking, Italeri declares it as the "biggest 1:35 scale plastic model kit", so maybe that claim still stands. No matter, it's a good one!

THE WORLD’S BIGGEST KIT SPEEDS BACK - ITALERI PUTS THE 1:35 SCALE SCHNELLBOOT BACK INTO PRODUCTION

SMN Report

Good news for model ship enthusiasts with Italeri’s announcement that ‘popular demand’ is bringing back the metre-long  (well, 999 mm to be precise) kit. The Italeri 1:35 scale Schnellboot - ‘fast boat’, also known to the Allies as the E-Boat - really is one of the best-ever World War II naval models in any size, but especially in the big military scale, and it certainly dwarfs the 1:72 scale competition from Revell and Airfix.

INCOMING! ITALERI 1:48 SCALE ARMOUR HEADING OUR WAY

At last 1:48 seems to be the scale of choice for new AFV plastic kit offerings. Tamiya already have a mouthwatering range of military subjects, even if it’s not terribly large.

And now Italeri is launching a range of new-tool 1:48 scale vehicles. The first two are due soon, and are both World War II subjects.

The armoured car is an Italian Autoblinda AB 41, in production from 1941, hence the number. The utilitarian looks belied its usefulness (though the four-wheel-steer system caused problems) and some were fitted with metal wheels to speed along Italian rail tracks. After Italy surrendered in 1943, German forces confiscated some 57 AB 41s and built 120 more. And one of these is the subject of this kit, complete with Iron Cross markings.

The Kfz 305 truck is a soft-top three-tonner that was used in virtually every Axis combat arena, and Italeri’s kit features a metal chassis frame, which should give the finished model a nice heft. Decals are included but, sad to say, the stern-looking driver figure shown on the box top is not part of the kit. Shame on your Italeri for that omission, but let’s hope there’ll be 1:48 scale figures out soon. The larger scale 1:35 figures made to match Italeri’s superb S100 Schnellboot are excellent, so there’ll be no problem in sculpting a new set of troops - let’s hope the marketing bods reckon they’re a goer.

Four-view drawing courtesy Giovanni Paulli

These vehicles will be in model stores and online suppliers soon. Meantime, feast your eyes on a range of Italeri stuff, including the S100 Schnellboot here.

Italeri also produces a smaller AB 41, to 1:72 scale here.

1:35 SCHNELLBOOT IS THE BIGGEST PLASTIC KIT IN THE WORLD, SAYS ITALERI

The general enormousness of this metre-long kit makes SMN disinclined to argue with that claim! And it certainly leaves 1:72 offerings from Revell and Airfix far behind in its wake.

The World War 2 Schnellboot (the name means ‘fast boat’, also known to Allied forces, as an ‘enemy’ or E-boat) is becoming widely available, at a typical price around £90.00 GBP ($143 USD). This is a fairly gulp-making outlay, but does seem fair value for such a huge kit. There’s a good review of the mighty craft from Kyle Bodily here.

Meantime in the UK, work has already started on restoring the S130 (bottom picture), reckoned to be the last surviving Schnellboot. As planned, it’s a full-on restoration to German Navy operational spec, including engines and armament.

You can follow the progress of the restoration company, Roving Commissions, here.

Model stores and online sellers that stock the Schnellboot, include Model Hobbies here.