Allied Warships
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This model of the U-107 of the type IXB is done in 1/200 scale therefore making it a pretty small model at about 380mm long. First, I have to state that Mini Hobby Models is the original Trumpeter brand, by the look and plastic quality of this model, I can say that it was one of their early productions at least. If your modeling taste is in the bigger scale, I suggest this model to be a quick and easy build.
The model...
Upon opening the box, I noticed the two hull halves that were cut along the waterline, the upper hull is molded in gray while the lower hull is molded in red plastic. The deck condition is okay but you have to be careful when it comes to painting, as some of the tiny holes can be hidden if too much paint is used. The kit also comes with one piece deck guns, the bow and stern guns were okay (since this is a small model, there might not be that much detail on the guns themselves) but as for the anti-aircraft gun on the conning tower, it had this oddly rectangular shape, I recommend re-shaping this piece with styrene and scrap plastic.
The conning tower was an easy job, the tower is cut into two halves along the vertical axis, you simply have to put them together and insert the bridge piece. The instructions gave little detail on where the life-savers are to be placed, along with other minute details of the conning tower. I recommend painting the pieces before you install them as it can be tough to maneuver a paint brush or airbrush along the small spaces of the u-boat without getting paint on the other pieces. Some pieces of the conning tower are also rough and asymmetrical, I recommend using sand-paper and filler to fix this problem. As for the wintergarden, the thick sprues of the kit makes cutting out the railings pieces a bit challenging, I did not use these pieces however.
Moving aft, the sub rudder/propeller/diving plane installation begins, you have to be careful cutting these pieces out because it can damage some of the details, I guarantee that you will have glue on your hands after this step! As for the front of the sub, the bow diving-planes can be a tricky process, make sure that you develop some kind of method to hold the planes in place while the glue is drying. There is also some sanding to be done on the anchor and torpedo doors to make a correct fit.
In conclusion, I really liked building this model because it was my very first model in the field of model submarining, this model might be small but has its own advantages, if you're looking for a quick build, and easy project, I hardly recommend trying out this kit. There might not be aftermarket details for this kit but you can still get a good job done if you put your modeling skills to it. Being on a trip while I built it, I didn't have access to professional paint/tools in building this model, but I'm sure that others modelers can do a much better job if they put their mind to it.