K-Verbände Midget Submarines

Plastic kit for building two German midget submarines (Seehund & Molch)

• 1:72 scale
• 6 marking option(s) - 2x for Seehund, 4x for Molch
• unbuilt/unpainted
• Paint and glue not included

The Seehund (“Seal”) was the most effective of German midget submarines. The project XXVIIB was designed in spring 1944. Serial production was developed in Schichau Werk in Elbing and Germania Werft in Kiel. Up to the end of war there were built 285 units. Since January 1945 they took active part in combat. Seehund midget submarines served in 312 K-Flottilla based in Ijmuiden (Holland). They accomplished 142 combat actions and sunk 9 Allied ships. After the end of war 4 Seehund submarines served in French Navy up to 1956.

The Molch was a single-seat ultra-small submarine designed for operations in the coastal zone and belonged to the so-called special assault forces. During development, it was designated as “Thomas II”, and production of serial models, known as “Molch”, began in July 1944. The mini-submarine was equipped with a single electric motor for surface and underwater operation, which limited its combat capability. The depth of immersion was up to 60 meters, and the maximum speed in the underwater position was 5 knots. The hull consisted of three sections, with a chair for a single crew member in the center section. The Molch was built at the Deschimag shipyard in Bremen, and 393 units were produced in total. As part of the special sabotage formation “K”, these submarines were used in the Mediterranean and North Seas, making 140 trips to sea by the end of World War II.