Italeri Biber - not quite a Whif, but it should have been!

Started by Faust, March 10, 2016, 02:35:37 PM

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Faust

One of the odder classes of weapons to have emerged to something akin to prominence during WWII is the Midget Submarine. Like assault gliders, they seem to have been something of a fad that came and went rather swiftly. However, during their heyday, they were deployed by most major powers in the conflict.

One of the less-than-greats in this category was the German Biber (beaver) one-man sub. This obnoxious and often mortally crude little tin-can is not a sub that gets a lot of love, and with good reason. It was poorly made and not that successful. However, it is a cool-looking boat, and when you consider that about half of its mass is made of the weapons it carries, you have to admit it's at least academically interesting.

Thankfully, for those who want one, Italeri popped out a nice looking kit in the massive scale of 1/35! Thank goodness Bibers are small... at least this thing still fits on a shelf!

I build this sub as a present to my dad, since my grandfather was apparently trained on these boats late in the war. It's a surprisingly unforgiving little model, with what I would say is too hefty a price tag. Still, it was fun and it looks neat on display.

Check it out, and as always, feedback is much appreciated!

https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/italeri-135-biber-midget-sub/



Captain Canada

Great job on that one ! Something I don't really know much about, that's for sure.

:cheers:
CANADA KICKS arse !!!!

Long Live the Commonwealth !!!
Vive les Canadiens !
Where's my beer ?

NARSES2

Quote from: Faust on March 10, 2016, 02:35:37 PM
I build this sub as a present to my dad, since my grandfather was apparently trained on these boats late in the war.

That's nice  :thumbsup:. I've seen a few of those built at shows over the last couple of years or so.

Experiences like your Grandfather's need to be written down for posterity. It's real history that could easily be forgotten
Do not condemn the judgement of another because it differs from your own. You may both be wrong.

Modelling_Mushi

Faust, that's a lovely build. I'm not usually in to subs.  :thumbsup:

Have to admit that the subject line fooled me ... I guess I thought I might find a garlic eating wannabe singer here (perhaps Mario Beiber, a lesser relation?). Then your description nearly had me totally fooled ... could he have tri-nationality, being perhaps Wolfgang Beiber-hauser?

Quote from: Faust on March 10, 2016, 02:35:37 PM
One of the less-than-greats in this category was the German Biber ... This obnoxious and often mortally crude little tin-can is not a sub that gets a lot of love, and with good reason. It was poorly made and not that successful.

Yep, seems to fit him perfectly. Now if only we could strap a torpedo onto Justin and send him into Taranto ....  :wacko:
Going to be finished in 2021 BEFORE I start any da*!#d new ones - CF-IDS Wolverine; Douglas Mawson; Bubba Wants a Fishin' Rig; NA F-100

Against the Wall - Maton Dreadnought; Fender Telecaster; Epiphone Les Paul Studio

Rheged

Quote from: Modelling_Mushi on April 08, 2016, 05:03:33 AM

Now if only we could strap a torpedo onto Justin and send him into Taranto ....  

Do we get to drop said torpedo from a passing Swordfish?
"If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you....."
It  means that you read  the instruction sheet