Italeri continues its line of unique 1/35 scale naval subjects with this new German World War II midget sub, the Biber (Beaver). The one-man craft went into action in 1944. Though more than 300 were produced, technical flaws and the progress of the war prevented them from being much of a threat to the Allied navies; losses far outnumbered successes.
The kit, neatly molded in gray plastic, has no flash or ejector-pin marks, and includes variations for the torpedoes, interior cabin detail, photoetched-metal parts, and two figures.
Construction is divided between the submarine body and the external torpedoes. I started the hull construction by painting and installing the cockpit details, which consisted of a seat, instrument panel, and multi-piece control wheel. You have the option of building the instrument panel by simply applying a decal to a smooth plastic piece or by using a different decal on the same piece and overlaying a photoetched-metal panel. The kit allows posing the hatch open to show off the interior.
Assembly of the main hull components was trouble-free. However, there are 21 photoetched-metal pieces for the sub’s hull exterior; 14 photoetched-metal supports are bent to shape and attached to the hull’s side rails. I found them troublesome, as the instructions were somewhat unclear; I wished there were optional plastic parts to use instead.
The conning tower windows are provided in die-cut clear acetate. Be careful here: The acetate sheet is flat, but the front and back “glass” must be curved properly for installation.
The torpedoes are built up from four main parts. A separate tail assembly allows for different versions, with variation in the steering controls. Propellers and warhead spinners finish the torpedo construction.
I painted my submarine with Tamiya acrylic and spray colors. Decals are given for six different craft and include plain numbers as well as several shark mouths. The decals performed well with the help of a little setting solution.
Italeri’s kit provides a four-piece stand you can label with a decal. But perhaps the nicest finishing touch is the inclusion of two 54mm German naval figures, each comprising five pieces (counting the hat). Posing the model with a figure reveals just how tiny this little U-boat was.
My primary reference was Ubootwaffe, Marine-Kleinkampfverbünde 1939-1945, by Waldemar Trojca (Model Hobby, ISBN 978-83-919215-8-6). Compared with the book’s photos and diagrams, the completed model looks convincing.
I banged out my Biber in a quick 16 hours, several of which were spent painting one of the two figures. An average builder who has some experience working with photoetched metal will enjoy this different and interesting 1/35 scale project. And if you like World War II German naval subjects, you will like this kit.