Hi Everyone

In a fit of nostalgia I have found that the old Aifix E Boat is availble again and its on my local LHS. When I was a youngest I always liked the look of the kit it really caught my imagination back then and its been rekindled. I used to dwell on it in the old Airfic]x catalogues.

I know that nostalgia is a dangerous emotion that can overide common sense and logic at times.

I also know there is also the Revell S100 kit which looks really nice.

I would love to build both of them.

I was planning to build the Airfix one as waterline kit OOTB.

I have researched the kit as much as possible on the net but due to its age there is not much on line information about the actual kit.

I know its an older kit, the moulds are tired, it is lacking some detail and maybe a type of boat that never saw service. But boy like the S100 its looks mighty nice to my "land lubber" eyes.

Therefore is there anyone out there that could help who may have built it or heard much about it. There certainly does not appear to be much aftermarket stuff avaialble for it.

Love to hear some feedback and opinions.

In the event I do proceed to getting it and building it I would like to do an article on it for Armorama.

Regards

Sean

Hi Sean!

Welcome to the "Dark Side"

I understand you perfectly, and even more: I remember that I asked my father (back in 1979) to give it to me in the end of school that year, if I had good grades!
I got it and it was by far my most impressive model for years!
Now a lot of years passed, and I still have good memories about the E-Boat. I also have a "little" more skills and knowledge and my sugestion would be:
- Airfix E-Boat: built it OOB (waterline or full hull) just for the fun of it!
- Revell S-100 Schnellboot: Go the extra mile on this one, buy (if you can - no harm intended) WEM PE Set for her.

You can build both in the same time and for "relaxing time" from the S-100, "attack" the E-Boat.

Not that the Revell model is going to give you headaches, but the working with small parts PE always makes them (to me).

If you want to get some more info I might suggest two books:
Navires & Histoires - Schnellboot
and
Harald Fock's book on the Schnellboot (German language, but with lots of diagrams, plans and photos)

I will post tonight both ISBN's

Hope this helped

Skipper

PS: Yes, the article would be most welcome

I must be totally mistaken but I thought the Airfix E-boat and Revell Schnellboot were both the same kit? That's not the case?

I know I've got the Revell kit in my stash but I really do want to do her right so I won't be starting on her until I can gather the AM kits and references that she deserves.

A little , but the Spanish Modelling Mag, Euro-Modelismo, has been running a series of articles working with the Airfix R.A.F. launches and the temptation to do one of these is enormous...Just a thought...Jim

Yes Jim
I also got the "hitch" after reading and watching FSM latest Portfolio on Alfonso Berlana's 1/72 scale torpedo-boat trio (Revell S-100, Airfix Vosper and Revell Elco PT-Boat) - although I have built all of the 1/72 fast boats (1990-1994), the S-100 is still unwrapped in the stash waiting for "that" moment

Rodger,
The Airfix and Revell Schnellboots are completely different models. The Airfix is supposed to be a S-38 Model, but they managed to make a strange one
Even so, I just love that model and for the period it was one of the best - we are talking 1970!
The Revell S-100 is a Kalotebrücke version, with close forecastle and heavyer anti-aircraft weaponry!
A highly reccommended model

Skipper

PS: HMMM Do I see here a motif for another Warship Campaign? Jim???

In a fit of nostalgia I built the 1/72 Air Sea Rescue aunch by Airfix for the Medics Campaign. It was a fun build and I intend to do it again, but this time rigging for radio control. Then I will build the others in the same scale. It was an okay build, but flash and warped mouldings were the biggest problems.

Here's a couple of piccies.




The boat still needs a bit more weathering, but I am reluctant in case I over do it.

Right. I don't get it. I've done what I always do to post pics and today it doesn't work...

Very nice looking indeed...Jim

What the...... How did you do that? I copied and pasted the link from my gallery (including the [img] bit)as before, but no joy. #:-)

Sean,

I have the Airfix E-Boat on my bench, with the first couple coats of paint on it. It took me, NO KIDDING, four weeks to get the seam between the waterline upper hull and the lower hull filled sanded etc. so no seam showed. Putty, let dry for a day or two, sand. Repeat! The seam would just not go away.
The problem started with a warped lower and both right and left sides of the upper hull. Go ahead and build it waterline. I wish I had! Mine is still sitting there after 13 months. I had a little orange peel and got frustrated and regulated it to the "To maybe do in another century pile". HTH.

Chief

Winchweight, that's a very nice looking launch!

Although of course it's a travesty that we allow you Crabs to go to sea!

Out of interest 'Great Little Ships' do a range of detail sets that would suit her if you decide to do another build (20mm, Lewis guns, etc). However they may be a bit fragile if you intend to RC her

BTW I've been using lycra thread to rig my 1/72 corvette - it would be ideal if you plan to rig your launch. Let me know if you're interested and I'll dig out details of the company I got it from (can't remember off the top of my head...)

Hi I did rig it but used stretched sprue. A tedious and fiddly process. I would like to know where you get Lycra thread and do you have a link for "Great Little Boats"? Having had a similar problem with the hull I used PVA (White) glue in the joints. It sands smooth, is waterproof and pretty strong.

My Airfix Vosper has been sitting around for 10 years partially built. The seams are a disaster and I had to putty and extra glue a lot of the pieces together. One day I will finish it. I was lucky with the new Revell S boat as I picked it up for $10 at a half off Hobby Lobby sale. I also have the ancient PT 109 that I did do some scratch work on to improve it. My disappointment was the lack of aftermakret 50 cals at the time. NOw I understand someone has finally come out with a PE set for it. I haven't seen the article yet in the new FSM, but will probably get to the mag tonite or tommorrow as I am finishing my Military History mag right now.

Hi all !

Sean,

I've built both of these babies. First of all, the Airfix boat is a model of the pre-war models S-7 to S-12. They had seen frontline action until the Norway campaign (colored medium gray then) and after that they were still in second-line service in the Baltic Sea e.g. for mine-laying operations, patrols and escort duties. The kit is ok, considering its age. Pay good attention to the hull fitting and go for the waterline model (or you get into serious trouble). This model is also quite a good base for a conversion into an S-30 (to S-38) class boat (exactly same boat with enclosed torpedo tubes as the S-100), which saw action in the Mediterranean theatre.

The Revell kit (S-100 class) is a late-war boat (since late '43). There's enough written about its goodies & short-comings. Possible conversions are a late S-38b class and - with much more work - every class from S-26 on.

Good references are "Schnellboot in action" and "www.prinz-eugen.com"

Have fun

Frank

Hi Team

Thanks for all the great feedback its much appreciated.

I think its important to post a question like this so you can go into a kit with your eyes wide open as it were. It one of the benfits of a great site like this.

There is always someone out there who has built the kit.

All your feedback reinforces my opinion that the Warship forum crew are a great bunch.

I think I will wander down to my LHS later on this week after being paid and peruse the kit again to a view of the possibility of "investing".

Thanks again.

Regards

Sean