Building a 1/35 Schnellboot

Which 1/35 Schnellboot kit?

Italeri is the main maker of 1/35 Schnellboot (S-boat, or “E-boat” to the Allies) kits, and has released more than one version. Its S-100 kit (#5603) came first. A later S-38 kit (#5620) is an updated version of the same tooling, with new parts, photo-etch and different markings. According to The Modelling News’s in-box review, the S-38 boxing contains:

• About 450 plastic parts on 9 sprues, plus around 50 unused parts
• About 130 photo-etched parts on one fret
• 33 screws, nuts and bolts for joining the hull and deck
• Two lengths of thread for rigging
• A sheet of clear parts for the windows
• Decals for three boats: S-105, S-51 and S-46
• A display stand and a 56-page instruction booklet

The finished model is about 99.9 cm long. Check that number against your shelf before you buy.

S-38 vs S-100: the armored bridge difference

The most visible difference is the bridge. The later S-100 type had an armored, dome-shaped bridge known as the Kalotte (“skull cap”). The S-38 type has an open, more angular wheelhouse. Armament also varied between boats and dates, and both kits allow for different weapon fits. Choose your version by the boat and period you want, then check photos of that boat. Individual boats often differed in small ways.

Before you start: space, tools and references

A model this size changes how you work:

• Workspace: You need a clear area well over a metre long to work on the hull, plus somewhere safe to put it between sessions.
• Tools: Beyond the basics, a small screwdriver for the kit hardware, long clamps or rubber bands for hull seams, and a PE bending tool all help.
• References: The only surviving S-boat, S-130, has been under restoration in Germany. Wartime photos are the main source for most boats. Unit emblems, like the ace of hearts on S-105, are often well documented.

Hull assembly: screws, glue and alignment

The two hull halves are each nearly a metre long. Internal brackets hold the shape, and the rear deck screws down onto those brackets. Using screws as well as glue keeps such long parts aligned.

Build tips:

1. Remove sprue gates carefully. The review notes some heavy gates in delicate areas, including one near the torpedo tube openings. Cut well away from the part, then trim and sand down to the surface.
2. Dry-fit everything. Fit the brackets and screw the halves together without glue to check the keel line and sheer.
3. Glue in stages. Many builders use both the screws and liquid cement, working along the seam a section at a time so the joint doesn’t drift.
4. Fill and sand the keel seam before adding the propeller shafts, struts and rudders.
5. Check the underwater detail. The hull has openings for engine exhausts and cooling water intakes below the waterline. Keep them crisp when sanding.

Decks and wood texture

The kit’s wooden decks and walkway gratings are molded smooth, without grain. Whether that matters depends on your boat. If your references show painted decks, smooth is fine. If they show worn or bare wood, you can:

• Lightly drag a razor saw or coarse sanding stick along the deck to suggest grain
• Use thin washes and oil paints to bring out the texture
• Look for an aftermarket wooden deck or texture set made for this kit

There are some shallow ejector pin marks inside the forward gun position. They’ll be hard to see once the gun and crew are in place, but fill them if you’ll leave the position open.

Wheelhouse, photo-etch and clear parts

The included photo-etch covers fine parts that plastic can’t reproduce at scale thickness, including wheelhouse panels, vent grilles and small fittings. Eduard has also made a separate set for more detail.

• Assemble the wheelhouse in sections. Fit the clear window parts and their PE frames before closing up, and handle the edges carefully.
• Use thin CA sparingly around clear parts. Use a clear-part-safe glue or PVA where you can to avoid fogging.
• Paint the interior before closing the wheelhouse if any of it will be visible through the windows or door.

For general PE technique, see our guide on using photo-etched parts on plastic ship models.

Armament and torpedoes

The S-boats carried two forward torpedo tubes built into the forecastle, with reload torpedoes stowed aft. The kit includes G7a torpedoes. Gun armament changed across the war, from 20mm cannon to heavier weapons such as the 40mm Bofors aft on some boats, so decide your boat’s fit before assembling the deck. Some guns have separate open-ended barrels, which are worth using.

Leave guns and other fragile parts off until late in the build to avoid breakages while handling the hull.

Painting a Schnellboot

Paint schemes changed with date, theater and flotilla. Many boats appear in photos in light grey upper works, with a darker antifouling color below the waterline, but camouflage patterns and variations were common. The kit instructions call out colors with FS numbers and Italeri paint references, which is a reasonable starting point. Compare them against photos of your chosen boat.

Practical tips:

• Use an airbrush or spray can for the hull. Brushing a metre of hull evenly is very hard.
• Mask the waterline carefully, and support the hull on its stand while you spray.
• Weather lightly. These were fast, hard-worked boats, but heavy rust and grime at 1/35 can look overdone. Exhaust staining near the stern and wear around hatches are good places to focus.

Rigging, crew and finishing details

The kit supplies two thread thicknesses for rigging and lines. Replacing them with finer thread or stretched sprue can improve the look. Italeri has also produced crew figures for its large torpedo boats, which help show scale. Add railings, antennas and flags last.

Displaying a metre-long boat

• Plan the case early. A case for a 1 m model is large and can be expensive. Measure the finished height with the masts, as well as the length.
• Use the kit stand or make a wooden base with brass pedestals.
• Think about access. The model is heavy and awkward. Put it somewhere it won’t need to be moved often.

Can you motorize it?

Builders have converted large Italeri torpedo boats to radio control. This involves fitting motors, shafts and working rudders, waterproofing the hull, and managing the weight. It’s a substantial project that needs planning before you join the hull halves. Our guide to converting a plastic model boat to RC covers the main steps. Forums for RC scale boats are the best place to research it.

For a smaller German subject, Revell has released S-boats in 1/72. Our plastic ship kit scale guide compares the options, and if you like the S-boat’s Allied opponents, see our PT boat model kits guide.