Iron Shipwrights
1/350 Scale USS Marlin SST-2
| Reviewed
May 2024
by Felix Bustelo |
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| HISTORY | |||||||||||||
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USS
Marlin (SST-2) was a T-1 class training submarine in commission from 1953
to 1973. She was originally named USS T-2 and was laid down on May 1, 1952
by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton,
Connecticut. She was launched on October 14, 1953, and commissioned as
USS T-2 on November 20, 1953. Measuring only 131 feet 3 inches long, she
was one of the smallest operational submarines ever built for the U.S.
Navy.
In January of 1954, T-2 moved to her home port at Naval Station Key West at Key West, Florida. She was renamed USS Marlin of May 15, 1956. Marlin’s performed various duties in her career. In addition to being a training ship, she served as a target for surface and air anti-submarine units. Marlin also participated in various fleet operations. Marlin and her sister ship Mackerel (SST-1) were decommissioned on January 31, 1973 in a dual ceremony at Naval Station Key West and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register that day. On August 15, 1973, the U.S. Navy donated Marlin for use as a museum ship and she is currently on display at Freedom Park in Omaha, Nebraska. |
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| Iron Shipwrights USS Marlin SST-2 | |||||||||||||
| The USS Marlin kit is the latest in a series of modern and World War II submarine kits released in the past several months by Iron Shipwrights. Like the other kits in this line, Marlin is comprised of a cast resin hull from a 3D printed master pattern. All of the other parts are 3D printed. The contents come in a sturdy flip-top box, with the resin hull wrapped in bubble wrap and the 3D printed parts inside a zip-lock sleeve. Everything is cushioned in Styrofoam packing nuggets. The assembly instructions are folded on top of the box contents. | |||||||||||||
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| HULL | |||||||||||||
| The cast resin full hull is very nicely done and is packed free of a casting block. The hull is well detailed with limber holes, hatches, recesses for the anchor and openings for the diving planes, rudders and sail. The casting is very clean and crisp with only a little bit of cleanup along the keel where a casting plug once was located and a bit of extra resin on the very end of hull bottom. The hull measures exactly 4.5 inches long, which is spot on in terms of scale. | |||||||||||||
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| 3D Printed Parts | |||||||||||||
| The 3D parts come of a printing raft and includes the sail, forward diving planes, anchor, aft rudder and stabilizer combo, propeller, radar and various scopes and snorkel. The parts have thin attachment points and some of the parts have extras provided in case of breakage. The parts appear to be well detailed. Based on my experience building some other Iron Shipwrights submarine kits, the 3D printed parts are a tad brittle and care must be exercised removing the smaller parts, such as the propeller, from the raft. | |||||||||||||
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| Decals and Photoetch | |||||||||||||
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No
decals or photo etch are provided with this kit. The latter really isn’t
necessary and markings for the sail and hull must be sourced from another
decal sheet.
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| INSTRUCTIONS | |||||||||||||
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The
assembly instructions come on 4 single-sided stapled pages. The first page
has the Iron Shipwrights logo on top, with a small photo of USS Marlin
and the usual text about obtaining replacement parts and general instructions
and advisories. Page 2 has images of the 3D printed parts with corresponding
part numbers and some general guidance working with 3D printed parts. Pages
3 and the top of Page 4 have assembly diagrams which are very clear and
simple due to the low part count. The bottom image on Page 4 has on overall
image of the completed model. No painting instructions are provided, so
some research on the part of the modeler will be needed.
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| Conclusions | |||||||||||||
| I find this to be a rather simple
but complete kit that should build into a detailed model USS Marlin or,
if you prefer, USS Mackerel since they appear to be identical. This is
a rather esoteric subject and probably geared to the submarine fanatics
out there (and you know who you are). This kit would be a good kit for
someone looking to work with 3D printed parts for the first time. With
a price of $40.95, this kit is a relatively inexpensive project to dip
your toe into 3D printed parts or even your first resin and 3D printed
part kit combination. This kit is available directly from
Iron
Shipwrights or one of the retailers that sell their products.
My thanks for Iron Shipwrights for providing the review sample. |
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