by CLASSIC WARSHIP
reviewed by Guido Hopp
In December 2001 Revell released DKM S-100 Fast Attack Craft in scale 1/72. Revell’s long expected release offers the modeller a wide spectrum of possibilities to model one of the finest vessels afloat for the DKM during WWI. Even though Revell’s S-100 in general finely tuned, a couple of imperfections are included in the package. One of them are definitely the vessel’s props: a general lack of fit adds to their impossible shape. The blades are way too long to either fit the kit or the down-scaled original and their pitch is by far too steep. Especially on the S-100 famous for their propulsion system, which created the famous Lürssen-Effekt- would have earned a little more attention than that
The add-on set:
In a little plastic bag protected by cardboard comes the 3 piece set
of pewter cast propellers. (For Yanks, Vikings and Islanders: the coin
next to the dime is 1 Euro cent).
On first sight the props show a considerable – though reasonable – amount of flash, which is easily removed with the old Exel knife. The letter size page attached to them is providing information on the rotational system of S-100’s prop -configuration. Unfortunately their is no other information on it.
As said on captioned sheet, the set contains three props of which two are turning left and one’s turning right. The props are to be arrange on the model as shown in the construction. Up to this point CW has shown us nothing new.
The diameter of CW’s props is a little bigger than Revell’s; the cores are a good part shorter than Revell’s. shows that I had to shorten the cores to make the props fit in their place without touching the trim rudders, I removed about 2mm in length).
CW’s props have moderately pitched blades, which will fit the kit perfectly. So far the buyer will be quite content with this product. But now comes the setback: Unless this set has not been put together wrong accidentally, the centre prop is shaped wrongly: There is no fitting on the core provided to connect to the main rudders suspension. The propeller/main rudder suspension on the kit is proper as can be seen on the blueprint of the Lürssen dockyard. Without this suspension the propeller shaft would not be able to endure the vibration caused by the propeller.
To make the centre propeller fit, the prop core (10mm length) has to be shortened down to 5mm length by cutting or sanding. This procedure has to done very carefully, by removing either tip and bottom or tip only. Removing the tip only gets you very, very close to the blades, which might get into conflict with the rudder suspension, or may be damaged in due process. For this reason, removing bottom and tip parts seem to be advisable. CW’s instruction not does make any proposal on a proper procedure.
Conclusion:
So far CW’s replacement set is good to replace the ones that are supplied
by Revell. Still, neither kit nor CW’s add-on provides the perfect solution.
Cutting CW’s centre prop into a fitting shape, seems to be a workable,
but risky and inconvenient solution.
to enlarge
