HobbyBoss 1/350 German Navy Type 212 Attack Submarine
By Tracy White
Type 212 Background
The Type 212 submarine was developed starting in1994 by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG for the German and Italian Navies. Six of the original design were launched and are in service (four with the German Navy, two with the Italian) and four more improved versions have been ordered.
Featuring X-shaped stern dive planes, fuel cell propulsion, and a blended hull / sail design, the Type 212 can operate under water for longer periods of time than other non-nuclear submarines and in as little as 17 meters (about 56 feet) of water.
The Kit
The instructions would also have the builder affix the various masts to the sail cap BEFORE attaching this cap to the hull, which essentially destroys any ability to fill and sand any leftover joints. The experienced modeler will know not to do this, but a first-timer might not and be frustrated. Lastly, the instructions show the "option" of the two different propellor blades (technically four options), but doesn't define the purpose behind the option; was one used only on certain boats, or at certain times? It's up to the builder to find out.
The next included piece is the color and decal placement chart. Hobbyboss has done a decent job of trying to represent the subtle variations of black these boats have, using flat black, RLM66 Black Gray, and RLM75 Gray Violet in different parts of the hull. I'm not sure how close it will look, as I plan on doing one of the Italian boats they did not provide markings for, which is painted in a beautiful blue above the waterline. Markings are provided only for the four German boats, and not ver clearly breaking down which hull number and insignia should be matched for any particular submarine. The last quibble is that the propellors are shown as being gold, instead of bronze, a perhaps subtle but less garish and more truthful representation. A small sheet of decals is provided, with hull numbers, insignia, depth markings, and two German flags. All appear well done, the depth markings are fine enough to be difficult to see against the backing paper, but should stand out quite well on the dark hulls.Conclusion
The HobbyBoss 1/350th Type 212 should be a fun build for most modelers and a good "dip the toe in" kit for those thinking of "diving" into the submarine model side of the hobby. I find few vices in the kit so far.