1. French Cruiser Submarine “Surcoufâ€
2. Scale 1:100
3. Publisher and model number Gomix/Fly Model #139
4. Designer: Piotr Turalski
5. Distributor: Lighthouse Model Art et al
The one-of-a kind French cruiser submarine “Surcouf†was the largest submarine in the world in the years leading up to WWII. Designed as a long-range commerce raider, (and named after an 18th C pirate) not only did Surcouf carry the usual complement of submarine weapons, it also featured two 8†(230mm) guns with a range of 30 miles, and a hangar for a MB-411 reconnaissance seaplane. (This was necessary to help spot the fall of shells from the big guns as the sub lay too low in the water for shot to be spotted beyond 16 miles!) For further historical info, see http://groups.msn.com/Surcouf .
Gomix/Fly Model has done a creditable job in reproducing this unusual weapons system in 1/100 scale. The kit itself is a 15-page 11 x 17 booklet, with a handsome cover illustration by naval artist Grzegorz Nawrocki (www.SubArt.com) . There are 3 pages of history and instructions (in Polish), with drawings and templates for masts and antennas, 6 pages of 80# paper to be laminated to various thicknesses of cardstock, 4 pages of 90# cardstock, and a backing page of 1.5mm stock. Parts count is just over 400.
This is a BIG model ( but Surcouf was a big submarine!!): 110cm long x 9 cm wide x 9.5 CM deep (less masts). Print quality and registration are very good. A lot of the smaller parts cry out for photoetching!! It is a full-hull kit, with no provision to be built up as a waterline model. Construction is “skin panels over egg crateâ€. The level of detail is very high: guns elevate, the turret traverses, and the seaplane, with crane and hangar, looks nicely done.
If there is a major drawback to this kit, it is that the research process on the operational colour scheme did not go far enough. The cover painting by Grzegorz Nawrocki shows the Surcouf in its as-launched “Horizon Grey†scheme, yet the superstructure of the model is printed in a dark green (no doubt after the model in the Musee de la Marine in Paris: which is incorrect : see “Surcouf Colours†at http://groups.msn.com/Surcouf.) When I get around to actually building this, I will either have to re-master the green parts in Photoshop, or paint them to get the proper shade of “Dark Prussian Blue†(basically, Payne’s Grey) . There is no weathering.
As a beginner at card modeling , I definitely want to hone my card-modelling skills and tune up my somewhat-rusty fine-scale scratchbuilding techniques before tackling this project: but I am looking forward to it. No doubt there will be more to follow!
This will be an interesting ,welcome, and challenging addition to the collection of any submarine modeler.
Regards!
Jim
“Fishcarverâ€
2. Scale 1:100
3. Publisher and model number Gomix/Fly Model #139
4. Designer: Piotr Turalski
5. Distributor: Lighthouse Model Art et al
The one-of-a kind French cruiser submarine “Surcouf†was the largest submarine in the world in the years leading up to WWII. Designed as a long-range commerce raider, (and named after an 18th C pirate) not only did Surcouf carry the usual complement of submarine weapons, it also featured two 8†(230mm) guns with a range of 30 miles, and a hangar for a MB-411 reconnaissance seaplane. (This was necessary to help spot the fall of shells from the big guns as the sub lay too low in the water for shot to be spotted beyond 16 miles!) For further historical info, see http://groups.msn.com/Surcouf .
Gomix/Fly Model has done a creditable job in reproducing this unusual weapons system in 1/100 scale. The kit itself is a 15-page 11 x 17 booklet, with a handsome cover illustration by naval artist Grzegorz Nawrocki (www.SubArt.com) . There are 3 pages of history and instructions (in Polish), with drawings and templates for masts and antennas, 6 pages of 80# paper to be laminated to various thicknesses of cardstock, 4 pages of 90# cardstock, and a backing page of 1.5mm stock. Parts count is just over 400.
This is a BIG model ( but Surcouf was a big submarine!!): 110cm long x 9 cm wide x 9.5 CM deep (less masts). Print quality and registration are very good. A lot of the smaller parts cry out for photoetching!! It is a full-hull kit, with no provision to be built up as a waterline model. Construction is “skin panels over egg crateâ€. The level of detail is very high: guns elevate, the turret traverses, and the seaplane, with crane and hangar, looks nicely done.
If there is a major drawback to this kit, it is that the research process on the operational colour scheme did not go far enough. The cover painting by Grzegorz Nawrocki shows the Surcouf in its as-launched “Horizon Grey†scheme, yet the superstructure of the model is printed in a dark green (no doubt after the model in the Musee de la Marine in Paris: which is incorrect : see “Surcouf Colours†at http://groups.msn.com/Surcouf.) When I get around to actually building this, I will either have to re-master the green parts in Photoshop, or paint them to get the proper shade of “Dark Prussian Blue†(basically, Payne’s Grey) . There is no weathering.
As a beginner at card modeling , I definitely want to hone my card-modelling skills and tune up my somewhat-rusty fine-scale scratchbuilding techniques before tackling this project: but I am looking forward to it. No doubt there will be more to follow!
This will be an interesting ,welcome, and challenging addition to the collection of any submarine modeler.
Regards!
Jim
“Fishcarverâ€
