German Port of Tripoli & the Seehund (1 Viewer)

[WesternOutlaw]

Hi all, Happy Easter!

This past week I'm been fooling around with the idea of making a Mediterranean Submarine Base / Port with some Afrikakorps figures. I've seen various European dioramas featuring K&C's Seehund but never incorporated into a N. Africa scene. I broke out some pieces that I've had for many years to create a small sample of how it might look and took these shots. I don't think they look too bad (imagining a jetty and the Seehund surfacing from the water).


Port of Tripoli - Under Construction (1) by WesternOutlaw, on Flickr


Port of Tripoli - Under Construction (2) by WesternOutlaw, on Flickr

Historical Accuracy
For those of you historians, the German North African campaign started in 1941 and ended May 1943. The Seehund was designed in 1944 as a late-war midget submarine; not seeing any Mediterranean waters. However, there were German U-Boats in the Mediterranean. Perhaps the Seehund could serve as an early prototype/secret weapon for a N. African scene?

What do you guys think?

 

[Poppo]

Interesting question. The "seehund" and the other german pocket submarines didn' t have in action any valuable result. They were just "copies" of the famous italian pocket submarines named SCL ( siluro a lenta corsa) or " maiali", meaning is " torpedo slow race" or " pigs". These SCL made a great war action against the brits, attacking the british harbour of Alexandria in Egypt on 18-19 december 41.

In the enterprise of Alexandria six operators of the Royal Italian Navy,on board of three colloquially referred to as" pigs" and technically torpedoes slow race, penetrated in the port of Alexandria and sank with warheads the two British battleships HMS Queen Elizabeth (33,550 t) and HMS Valiant (27,500 t), also damaging the tanker Sagona (7,750 t) and the destroyer HMS Jervis (1,690 t).

 

[WesternOutlaw]

Interesting question...

I had read a little about the Italian sub and attack on the Port of Alexandria, Poppo; but appreciate the info. Nice model you have there! At the same time, the Seehund just has that cool U-Boat look about it and I would like seeing it surface in an Afrikakorps scene (reminding me a little of the U-Boat scene in Indiana Jones).

One more shot of the test scene:

Port of Tripoli - Under Construction (3) by WesternOutlaw, on Flickr
Awaiting a Kriegsmarine vessel...

 

[Desertkiwi]

Wonderful jetty & collection of accessories you have there WO. Did you make the jetty yourself? Either way I really like your theme. All you need now is a small group of LRDG & SAS boys to show up and spoil the party.{eek3}^&grin

 

[WesternOutlaw]

Wonderful jetty & collection of accessories you have there WO. Did you make the jetty yourself?

Thanks DW. It's actually a Christmas village accessory (2 sets - larger square dock and the two smaller sections) that I've probably had for 10+ years. I like your idea to have some SAS/LRDG for a little Rat Patrol-like raid. I really like the new British Commando sets as well.

Honestly, I'm not sure if I should convert to Kriegsmarines, Wehrmacht, or stay with N. Africa.

 

[Guy]

WO, Sorry that I have to disappoint you but the Seehund never operated in the Mediterranean.The Seehund, like many other designs of mini-U boats came on the drawing table in May 1943. 18 different types of mini U-boats were developed in record time.The "Hai" "Schwertwal" and the "Seeteufel" never got any further than the drawing tables. 6 types were put into production: The Neger, The Marder, the Molch, the Biber, the Hecht and the Seehund. Of the Seehund 285 were built. 7 weeks after receiving the order to design a mini sub, Designer Kurt Ahrend delivered the drawings of the U-Boat XXVII or Seehund.The first Seehunds arrived in Ijmuiden ( Netherlands) on the 29th and the 30th of December 1944. First mission with Seehunds was carried out on January 1st 1945. It was a total disaster. Of the 18 boats sailing out only 2 came back. Major Seehund bases were located in Holland from were they continued to operate in the Atlantic and the North sea until the liberation of Holland was completed.
Hope this info is of some use to you
guy

 

[WesternOutlaw]

WO, Sorry that I have to disappoint you but the Seehund never operated in the Mediterranean.

Hey Guy,
Appreciate the info but I had mentioned that the Seehund did not come into operation until 1944; after the N. African campaign (see Historic Accuracy in my first post). At the same time, I appreciate the info. It's interesting to read more about these little subs and their operation during WWII. No disappointment - had to do some reading while I was making the dio.

Oh, one more shot with some water:


Port of Tripoli - Under Construction (4) by WesternOutlaw, on Flickr

 

[villagehorse]

Like all the scenes, anything is possible to combine and if not, i use artistic license:wink2:, Robin.

 

[WesternOutlaw]

Like all the scenes, anything is possible to combine and if not, i use artistic license

Great way to look at it Robin.

 

[Guy]

Sorry WO I did not read the text underneath the picture.
Nice display anyway.
some more info about the German mini subs
Neger : 1st action against the allied beach head at Anzio- later against allied vessels off the Normandy coast
Marder: 1st action against allied vessels off Normandy
Molch : 1st action against the allied operation "Dragoon" in the Mediterranean in sept 1944
Biber: 1st action in the Scheldt estuary ( Antwerp) on the 23th December 1944
Hecht: 53 built but never saw action
guy

 

[WesternOutlaw]

Sorry WO I did not read the text underneath the picture. Nice display anyway.

No problem Guy. Thanks for the comments and additional info.

 

[Larry Allen]

Great thread WO ... I am glad to see that you are having FUN and not bound to some concept of (MUST HAVE) historical accuracy.

Heck .... I wonder if I can put a Seehund in my American Revolution diorama? :rolleyes2:
Now wouldn't that spark a few questions and comments.

Great photos!

Oh ya'.. really love that dock!

---LaRRy

 

[WesternOutlaw]

Great thread WO ... I am glad to see that you are having FUN and not bound to some concept of (MUST HAVE) historical accuracy.

Thanks for that Larry - appreciate your comment. I do enjoy "having fun" with my K&C. Got a few pieces I'm waiting on but the challenge in collecting is looking for those long-since retired items (whole separate discussion). I must admit; however, that I don't know about the American Revolution idea but whatever floats your boat (or sub in this case). Certainly brought a smile as I read the thought. :smile2: If you add, please share (thinking about some Steampunk or altered history concept).
Thanks again!

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Great thread WO ... I am glad to see that you are having FUN and not bound to some concept of (MUST HAVE) historical accuracy.

Heck .... I wonder if I can put a Seehund in my American Revolution diorama? :rolleyes2:
Now wouldn't that spark a few questions and comments.

Great photos!

Oh ya'.. really love that dock!

---LaRRy

There was a Seehund in the Revolutionary War. It was called the Turtle.

Terry

 

[Desertkiwi]

Thanks DW. It's actually a Christmas village accessory (2 sets - larger square dock and the two smaller sections) that I've probably had for 10+ years. I like your idea to have some SAS/LRDG for a little Rat Patrol-like raid. I really like the new British Commando sets as well.

Honestly, I'm not sure if I should convert to Kriegsmarines, Wehrmacht, or stay with N. Africa.

There's nothing wrong with collecting a few figures from all of the above WO. With a little creativity it's amazing how you can build some really interesting dio's with only a few figures & maybe one vehicle. Duke & Guy do it all the time, just to name a few.

But in the meantime don't give up the desert stuff mate, it's too good and the K&C team are always adding to it. {sm4}