45 parts in grey coloured plastic on four
sprues, photo-etched fret, instructions plus reference booklet
Price:
around £13.99 available from hobby
retailers worldwide
Review Type:
First Look
Advantages:
Interesting subject; well detailed; low
parts count for a quick build; includes model stand, two figures and
reference book
Disadvantages:
Recommendation:
Highly Recommended
FirstLook
The Siluro a Lenta Corsa (Slow
Moving Torpedo), nicknamed Maiale (Pig), was an Italian innovation
that resulted in the sinking of 16 ships during the Second World
War, including the British Battleships Valiant and Queen Elizabeth.
The SLC was a standard torpedo
lengthened and modified to accommodate a two-man crew. The theory
was for this improvised midget submarine to maneuver through nets
and other harbour barriers, reaching the underside of the keel of
the intended victim at which point the warhead was attached to a
cable, the charge was set and the crew escaped. As unlikely as this
strategy sounds, the concept was highly successful.
It seems almost as unlikely that we
would see a model of this Slow Moving Torpedo, but here it is.
Italeri's 1/35 scale S.L.C. "Maiale" comprises
39 parts in grey coloured plastic, plus a sheet of clear acetate and
a photo etched fret. Two figures are made up from an additional six
grey plastic parts.
Click the
thumbnails below to view larger images:
Detail is crisp and plentiful, and
moulding quality is very good.
Decals are supplied for the
instruments on the submarine, with the clear sheet used as a cover
and also for the small window in the front shield.
A photo-etched fret supplies parts
including the screw, and the delicately detailed screw guard.
A simple stand is provided to
ensure that the model can be displayed upright.
The two standing figures display
some real personality. Both are wearing their diving suits, with one
having the face mask in place.
Construction should be very straightforward.
The instructions are well laid out,
and it is nice to see full colour painting guides.
The inclusion of a 36 page
reference booklet is a real bonus. This is packed with the history
of development and operations, rare wartime photos, colour artwork
and many walkaround images of surviving examples.
The package is rounded out with a
cardboard fold-out colour artwork.
Italeri's 1/35 scale S.L.C. "Maiale"
is a unique, well detailed and interesting model with few enough
parts to ensure a fast build. The stand and figures suggest diorama
possibilities, while the inclusion of the 36 page book really makes
this a one-stop reference and model stop.