Imperial Hobby Productions 1/700 Kreuzer P Projekt 1938 Kit First Look

By Michael Taylor

First Look

The armored ships of the Deutschland class which first appeared in 1931 were Germanys first attempt at rebuilding it's navy under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. In the early years of WW-II the ships were used as commerce raiders and had some success. But in the years before the war, the Kreigsmarine was already thinking of expanding on the design concept for use in surface commerce raiding.

A design called Kreuzer "P" (Panzer) was drawn up. The basic armament of the Deutchland class was retained on a new, longer hull. A higher speed was envisioned with better protection. The class would have had twin funnels and , for the first time on a German capital ship, a transom stern. The ships would also have carried torpedoes and aircraft, the latter in a hanger under the aft funnel. Twelve of these ships were planned under the "Z" plan none were laid down. The Kreuzer "P" tactical requirement was revised later in favor of a 15-inch gunned battle cruiser (OPQ class), which also was never built.

Molded in light resin this kits hull is 13.25" long. The parts are cast on the usual resin over pours but attachment points are thin and should pose no problems. Light flashing is evident but again appears to be simple to remove with little cleanup needed. Metal anchor chain and turned brass 11" barrels are included. The wood planking on the decks is wonderfully reproduced. Details include support detail under overhanging decks and you can even see the flaps/ailerons on the Arado seaplane. No painting instructions are given as this ship is a "what if" so let your imagination go wild. Check back for a few photos of the completed ship in a future update.