ICM 1/35 Molch Midget Submarine Build | WWII Kriegsmarine

4 Mar

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 centre section. The Molch was built at the Deschhimag 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. (Taken from the instruction sheet)

As a concept I really like the dual boxing ICM have come up with, and there is no denying that the thought of these German Midget submarines will tick a lot of boxes for a number of modellers, me being one. However, there’s no getting around the shortcomings and the remedial work required on the Molch (at least in my kit). These are things you just shouldn’t have to deal with on a modern-day release and these issues are something you need to know before purchasing this kit.

The joy in these subjects is undoubtedly the painting and weathering, with the harsh maritime environments offering all sorts of possibilities…even if in reality these midget subs weren’t around for very long. Once I started painting the Molch the frustrations of addressing those absent details dissipated and I really enjoyed watching the model come to life.