1/350 Scale Poseidon Class Type 209/1200 Submarine
| Reviewed
February 2025
by Felix Bustelo |
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| HISTORY | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The Type 209
is a German designed and built diesel-electric attack submarine made exclusively
for export. The submarines were built by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (often
abbreviated HDW) in Kiel, Germany. As postwar United States Guppy conversions
and British submarines that were exported to various navies around the
world were aging, there was a need for replacements that would fit smaller
budgets and provide ease of operation. The Type 209 was developed to be
easily run, while reasonably price and economically operated. These important
features without sacrificing size and performance made the Type 209 attractive
to smaller navies around the globe. There are five class variants with
a total of 68 boats built between 1971 and 2021 and exported to 15 countries.
A few modified subclasses based on the Type 209 design were also constructed
for specific navies.
The Type 209 is a single hulled boat which allows the commanding officer to see the entire submarine from the bow to stern while standing at the periscope. The subs are powered by four MTU diesels and four AEG generators. The AEG electric motor is attached directly to a five- or seven-bladed propeller. Four 120-cell batteries are located forward and aft of the command center in the lower deck. Type 209 submarines are armed with eight bow 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes and 14 torpedoes. Some of the variants used by certain navies are also armed with Sub-Harpoon missiles or carry can mines in place of torpedoes. Greece was an early adopted of the initial Type 209/1100, with four commissioned by the Hellenic Navy between 1971 and 1972. They are known as the Glavkos class and two are still in commission and one preserved as a museum boat. In 1979, the Hellenic Navy purchased and commissioned four Type 209/1200 boats, referred to as the Poseidon class, with 3 currently in commission. The Type 209/1200 boats are slightly larger than the 1100 variant as shown in the table below. Argentina, Colombia, Peru, South Korea and Turkey have also purchased 1200 variant boats.
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| Hellenic Ship Model Poseidon Class Type 209/1200 Submarine | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The
Hellenic Ship Model kit is comprised of a 3D printed hull and smaller parts,
a base with pedestals, one decal sheet and a paper flag sheet. The contents
come in a sturdy flip-top box, with the hull cushioned inside bubble wrap
and the 3D printed parts and decals inside a zip-lock bags. Assembly instructions
are provided in the box as well as a small piece of sandpaper.
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| HULL | ||||||||||||||||||||
| The 3D printed full hull is very nicely done and sits on a printing raft with numerous thin attachment points at the end of the supports holding it to the raft. The hull incorporates the sail and the aft rudders and stabilizers. The forward diving planes are in the retracted position and there is no option provided to model them extended. The mooring bitts are integral to the hull at the bow and just aft of the sail. There is an opening in the deck that I believe to be the torpedo loading hatch. The hatch door is provided as a separate part described below. The torpedo tubes doors and other access hatches are faintly etched into the hull. There are a few limber holes printed along the base of the sail and the raised section of the hull on which the sail rests. However, photos of the Type 209/1200, including the banner image, show that there are additional limber holes along the hull forward of the sail which are not present on the kit hull. In 1/350 scale, the hull would be approximately 6.3 inches and the kit hull measures about 6.25 inches so it is spot on for scale. The print lines are just about invisible and whatever are there should easily disappear under a coat of paint. Some additional printing supports that are present aft of the sail that are to be removed. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| SMALL 3D PRINTED PARTS | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Two
print rafts with smaller parts are provided with the kit. All of the rafts
have thin attachment points that should make removing the parts fairly
easy but care must be taken with the more delicate items. The larger raft
has what appear to be stanchions for the safety line used while in port,
which I would deem as optional. The other parts include mooring chocks
and additional bitts and the torpedo loading hatch in both an open and
closed position. The bitts look like the ones already on the hull so they
may be spares in case of breakage, though it isn’t entirely clear. The
remaining parts are the scopes, snorkel, communication masts and radar
for the sail. The other print raft has a 5-bladed and 7-bladed propeller.
As mentioned above, a nice base with two pedestals that are also 3D printed are provided to display the full hull model if you so wish. A surprise in the box was a set of 3D printed crew figures in various poses. These are sold separately, so I don’t know if they are typically included with the kit or a bonus with my sample. As you can see in the photos, the figures are well done and I guess wearing Hellenic Naval uniforms. Quite frankly, in this size it is difficult to tell at least with my eyes. |
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| EXTRAS | ||||||||||||||||||||
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A small piece
of fine grit sandpaper in included in the box. one which feels finer. This
is an interesting addition to a kit and while I don’t believe the print
lines are so pronounced of any of the parts that some sanding is needed,
it is still a thoughtful gesture and something common with Hellenic Ship
Model kits.
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| DECALS | ||||||||||||||||||||
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One
decal sheet and a sheet of paper flags are provided. The decal sheet provides
sail numbers and names for the four Type 209/1200 boats in service with
the Hellenic Navy (Poseidon
S116, Amfitriti
S117, Okeanos
S118 and Pontos
S119) as well as Greek flags and Hellenic Naval ensigns. Also provided
are metric draft markings. Yellow Greek alphabet ship names with hull numbers
are also on the sheet and I assume that they are meant to be used as a
nameplate on the base included with the kit. The paper sheet also has Greek
and Hellenic Naval flags as well as set of signal flags and a NATO ensign.
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| INSTRUCTIONS | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The
assembly instructions come of a single double-sided sheet and while adequate
for a relatively simple model kit there is some room for improvement. The
first page contains specifications and the names and numbers for the boats
in Greek with a little bit of English among the specs. At the top of the
page is a color photo of one of subs. The flip side has an image of the
submarine showing the location of the smaller parts with part number references.
The part numbers are fine but there are no corresponding part numbers on
the print rafts, but given the small number of parts, they can be figured
out. The instructions as show that they 5-bladed propeller is to be used.
Photos on line of these submarines show bracing connecting the rudder and
stabilizers aft which are not referenced at all nor included as parts with
the kit.
Painting instructions are simple for the submarine as it is overall black, but some guidance for painting the camouflage on the scopes, snorkel, etc. would have been useful. Decal placement is limited to the location of the sail number and ship name with nothing on the placement of the draft markings which would be along the front and on either side of the upper rudder based on photos. |
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| CONCLUSIONS | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Overall,
this is a good kit and while I did point out some issues with the kit,
these are not insurmountable and should not deter someone from purchasing
this model. The hull is well done as are most of the smaller parts. With
research and some aftermarket decals and possibly alternate parts, you
would very likely be able to build a Type 209/1200 submarine serving in
one of the other navies that have them in service.
This kit is only available directly from Hellenic Ship Models, and this subject is also available in 1:144, 1:200 and 1:700 scales. My thanks to Kostas Kokkinos for providing the review sample. |
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