Among the various provisions of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles was a strict limitation on German naval construction.
Small boats were not covered by these regulations and led to torpedo boats being developed from the late 1920s.
The design was based on a civilian yacht.
This was modified so that it could carry two torpedoes: the S-1.
The development of the design continued until, in its most advanced models, it reached 35 meters in length and 100 tons in weight.
The space for secondary armament was also gradually increased. The construction consisted of aluminum beams and wooden planking. The distinctive iron deckhouse appeared on the S-100 model and was a necessary response to increasing Allied air superiority and increased low-level attacks.
The boats were primarily used for attacks on Allied ships in the coastal areas of the British Isles, but also for operations in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Mostly under the cover of darkness.
From 1943, after much of the Navy had been destroyed or decommissioned, these speedboats were among the few ships still in the water and able to carry out military operations.
This led to an increasing number of battles and the associated heavy losses.
Plastic model kit
- with photo-etched parts
Scale 1:350
unbuilt / unpainted
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