1/35 German midget submarine (Micromir)
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by Maksym Bazhal |
1/35 German midget submarine (Micromir)
After initial designs in the Spring of 1944 altogether just 3 or 4 prototypes
were constructed, model tests started in July 1944 and real tests with
the prototypes in November 1994 at the River Trave close to the city of
Luebeck. Later at the city of Neustadt at the Baltic Sea, north of Luebeck.
In January 1945 1 prototype was lost after its collision with an escorting
ship, the tests were stopped and all three remaining prototypes were scuttled
on 1st of May 1945.
The "Delphin" was no real midget submarine, as it has no diving cells
like normal U-Boats. "Diving" for the attack was achieved dynamically by
the speed of the vessel and the steering mechanism allowing the vessel
to be brought under the surface for the short time of the final attack
run. Just a small displacement tank was mounted under the driver seat to
compensate a volume of cockpit. The 5,5 meter long and 1 meter wide vessel
had a displacement of 2,6 tons. The prototypes were propelled by different
engines: (1) a tail of electric torpedo G7e-III was simply mounted into
a stem of the Delphin; (2) motor from electric torpedo G7e-III; (3) Otto-Motor
engine, which stemmed from the production line of the Opel "Kapitän"
sedan.
Originally it was supposed that the Delphin did not carry a torpedo,
it rather was steered full of high explosives towards the target to hit
it like a "Kamikaze" aircraft, the pilot had to eject prior the hit. Later
this initial idea was refused and all prototypes mentioned above were designed
to be able to come back after attack. The submarine carried an electric
torpedo or a mine being towed.
Model.
I used a kit from Micromir. They provided a clear half of hull to allow
a view inside. However, that half of hull was really not transparent. So,
I cut windows in a “normal” plastic half of hull and assembled all together.
In addition to the kit parts, I’ve made own elements. I changed the
driver seat, made new (smaller) balloons, made air inlet pipe (from snorkel
to the driver seat), and installed a tail of electric torpedo (from Micromir)
into a stem of the replica (according to E.Rossler. The U-Boat: The Evolution
and technical history of German submarines). Moreover, I’ve made and installed
all three batteries into the Delphin-1. I could not find long time any
information and pictures of the battery. Later, I’ve just found that the
Delphins used batteries 8 MAL 210. The same batteries were used at Zeehund
(the most successful German midget submarine). Here (http://www.one35th.com/seehund/sh_develop.htm)
I’ve read that the battery consisted of five 17T torpedo troughs, the plates
of which were replaced by stronger ones, so that the battery would have
a greater capacity and a longer life in conditions of low discharges. The
designation of this altered battery was 8 MAL 210.
