Merit 1/35 Scale HMS X-Craft Midget Submarine
Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 10:41 am
Here is the latest addition to my 1/35 scale naval floatilla - a British Royal Navy HMS X-Craft Submarine kit made by Merit 
My build replicates one of the X-Craft used during Operation Source in September 1943. This was an attempt by the British Royal Navy to neutralise the heavy German warships based in Norway, including the German battleship Tirpitz. Six X-Craft were used in the raid, each carrying two explosive charges strapped to either side of the sub. Only 2 X-Craft successfully laid charges; the rest were lost, scuttled or returned to base. Tirpitz was badly damaged and out of action until April 1944. Operation Source was the only operation to use multiple X-craft.
Outside of some small issues, the Merit kit was overall quite simple to construct. The cables were added by me and did not come with the kit. It is painted in Tamiya German Gray overall with some light rust weathering. The model has some working features including opening hatches and elevating snorkel tube. The rudders and dive planes were not designed to move and were actually tricky to assemble and get to look right. The Royal Navy Officer figure is a repainted 32x German Tank Commander figure.
My build replicates one of the X-Craft used during Operation Source in September 1943. This was an attempt by the British Royal Navy to neutralise the heavy German warships based in Norway, including the German battleship Tirpitz. Six X-Craft were used in the raid, each carrying two explosive charges strapped to either side of the sub. Only 2 X-Craft successfully laid charges; the rest were lost, scuttled or returned to base. Tirpitz was badly damaged and out of action until April 1944. Operation Source was the only operation to use multiple X-craft.
Outside of some small issues, the Merit kit was overall quite simple to construct. The cables were added by me and did not come with the kit. It is painted in Tamiya German Gray overall with some light rust weathering. The model has some working features including opening hatches and elevating snorkel tube. The rudders and dive planes were not designed to move and were actually tricky to assemble and get to look right. The Royal Navy Officer figure is a repainted 32x German Tank Commander figure.
