1:35 CSS H.L. Hunley

CSS H. L. Hunley in 1:35 scale - Mikromir

An injection-molded plastic kit in 1:35 scale, the Mikromir part number 35-013 from the Ukrainian maker. According to the manufacturer the package holds both solid and clear plastic parts and a photo-etched fret; the clear parts allow the glazed hatches and part of the interior to be shown. Reviewers rate the model as one of the more faithful renderings of this subject. Check the extent of the package on the box.

The real subject

The H. L. Hunley was a Confederate submarine driven by hand: an eight-man crew turned a crank on the propeller shaft in a tube so narrow that one could not straighten up in it. The armament consisted of a so-called spar torpedo: a copper barrel with roughly sixty kilograms of black powder on a five-meter pole at the bow. The charge was driven into the side of the target and fired from a distance. In February 1864 the Hunley sank the Union sloop USS Housatonic off Charleston - the first time in history that a submarine sank a warship. She did not return herself and the whole crew died; more recent research shows that she was probably killed by the pressure of her own explosion.

Building and painting tips

The parting seams have to be filled and sanded smooth, or they will show under every color. Mask the clear parts before spraying and glue them on last with cement for clear parts. The iron hull of 1864 was corroded and fouled, so layering pays off: a primer coat, a dark base, rusty tones and fine soiling. Fit the spar with the charge last, as it is long and breaks easily.

Who the model is for

• For modelers interested in the history of the American Civil War
• For collectors of submarines who want the very first successful one in their line
• For builders who want to play with a rusty surface and weathering

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.