1/72 Type VII U-boat Set

kit number WEMPE7203

Reviewed By Dave Morrissette, #33653

For those of you that have never heard of White Ensign Models, you’ve been missing a great manufacturer of both kits and detail parts for ships.  Check out their website at http://www.whiteensignmodels.com.  The subject of this review is their photo etch set for the Revell 1/72 type VII U-boat, and it is a beauty including more than 200 pieces of very nicely done, very thin brass on two sheets.

In the set, you get modifications/replacements for almost every part of the ship.  This includes all the vent and fuel valve locations for the saddle tanks as well as parts for the cable cutter and all the deck hatches.  Many of the deck hatches are included as separate items to allow all sorts of diorama possibilities showing the hatches open.  There are also replacement ladder runs and railings as well as modifications to the periscopes, main and AA guns.  There are also nicely detailed torpedo tube hatches.

One place the WEM set really shines is by including all sorts of radar sets.  As the British and US air cover grew, the U-boats were outfitted with new and ever changing radar systems to allow as much warning as possible of an impending air attack.  Included in this set are very detailed FuMo29, 30 and 61 variants as well as a NAXOS antenna and Biscay cross.  It will take the modeler a little research to get particular boat right but the quality of the PE parts for these bets to be used and is a great addition to the ship modeler’s arsenal.

This is a wonderful, very complete set and I can recommend it highly to those that want to really detail and dress up their U-boats.

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