ICM 1/72 scale Type XXVIIB "Seehund"
At less than 7" long, ICM’s Type XXVIIB U-boat isn’t as big as Revell’s 1/72 Type VII or Gato-class submarines, but it still makes a grand model – and takes up a lot less shelf room, too!
The “Seehund” (Seal) was one of the best of a number of small, easy-to-build midget submarines the Germans developed to repulse the Allied invasion of Europe. The ICM kit is a good model of this lesser-known submarine.
Unlike other 1/72 scale submarines produced lately, this vessel is only 61⁄2" long. The kit is molded in light gray plastic with crisp details and little flash.
Hull features, weld lines, and limber holes are nicely represented. The propellers and lifting rings are true to scale and thus are fragile; be careful trimming them from the sprue.
The simple, six-step instructions include a diagram of the single parts tree. Parts are not marked, so you will need the diagram.
I started by assembling the hull and dive planes. Some filling was required; the dive planes have indentations that require work. I left parts A7 and A8, the propeller ring, off so I could fill the seam on the hull.
The conning tower went together without any problem after I removed the ejection stubs on the underside of Part A5. Parts A15 and A16 do not fit well; I had to remove some detail from the groove into which they would fit. The parts also must be moved to the opposite side from where the instructions locate them.
The instructions are not clear about positioning parts A30 and A31, either. I checked photos and determined they should be glued on flat to the hull.
The torpedoes went together easily. The propellers and fuses are delicate, so extra caution is advised. The surfaces of the torpedoes were rough, but after sanding and metallic paint they turned out great.
The kit has two options for painting. I used Testors Model Master paints according to the instructions. The decals comprise simple numbers and a German flag; their registration was off, but that only affects the flag. No swastikas are included.
The finished model’s scale is right on, according to Encyclopedia of U-Boats: From 1904 to the Present, by Eberhard Möller and Werner Brack (Greenhill, ISBN 978-1-85367-623-9). I spent 10 hours building it, and I recommend it to beginners and experienced modelers. It is a sharp little kit.