Scale Model Kit Review Blog (SMKR): Andrea Miniatures U-Boot-Kommandant, 1941 (1/48)

Eisernes Kreuz

U-Boot-Kommandant, 1941 (1/48)

VIDEO REVIEW

From

Andrea Miniatures

Andrea Depot USA

Eisernes Kreuz Series

U-Boat Kommandant, 1941

Kit number EK48-F009

1/48^th Scale

Miniature painted by Carlos Royo

7 Piece metal kit

Kapitänleutnant Herbert Kuppisch (10 December 1909 – 27 August 1943) was a German naval officer during World War II and commander of U-58, U-94, U-516, and U-847. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Lets highlight a few of his patrols.

Kuppisch commissioned the larger U 94 (Type VII C) on August 10th, 1940. He is depicted from this time in this very detailed figure from Andrea Miniatures.

The Type VIIC U-Boat in 1/48^th scale is available from Trumpeter which features a full interior and a completely clear hull side to show all the interior details with crew.

The first two months were a trainings period from the crew and the U 94 became an operational front boat on November 20th, 1940.

His 11th patrol started on March 29th, 1941, lasted 21 days and had a successful ending. He sailed from the port of Lorient towards the area south of Iceland. Two days later he saw the Norwegian tanker Lincoln Ellsworth and attacked it. The ship was stopped by one torpedo and when it lay dead in the water, Kuppisch surfaced and sank the ship with his 88mm deck gun.

Lincoln Ellsworth Tanker

Andrea Painted Figures
WWII U-Boat Deck Gun Crew 1/72

Kuppisch 12th and most successful patrol started on April 29th, 1941 and lasted 37 days. He sailed from the port of Lorient towards the area south east of Greenland in the North Atlantic. On May 7th he intercepted the OB-318 convoy (OB is coding for Liverpool Outward North America). This convoy was on route from Liverpool to the U.S.A. and consisted of 38 ships. Shortly after 23:00 Kuppisch fired a salvo of four torpedos towards this convoy and sank with this salvo 2 cargo ships. He sank the Norwegian cargo ship Eastern Star and larger British cargo ship Ixion.

Ixion

Empire Star (Sister to Eastern Star)

On May 14th, 1941 Kuppisch was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross for this success.

Kuppisch 13th and last patrol with the U 94 started on July 12th, 1941. He sailed from the port of St. Nazaire towards the area west of Gibraltar on July 12th. After being at sea for 36 days, he returned in St. Nazaire on August 16th. After his return Kuppisch left the U 94.

From a private photo collection

On July 1st, he took over the command of the U 847. (Type IXD 2)

Herbert Kuppisch 15th and last patrol started on July 29th, 1943 and lasted 30 days.

Kuppisch pictured on the far right

He sailed from the port of Bergen on July 29th on a resupply mission in the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic Ocean. In the period between August 12th and August 23rd, he resupplied seven other U-boats with fuel and sailed afterwards to the Indian Ocean. During his voyage towards the Indian Ocean the U 847 was spotted by 2 American airplanes who had taken off from the escort aircraft carrier USS Card. The American Wildcat and Avenger plane launched a successful airstrike on the U 847 with “Fido” torpedo's.

USS Card

The U 847 was hit and sank immediately with Kuppisch and his entire crew (62) still onboard.

Kapitänleutnant Herbert Kuppisch was in total 338 days at sea and sank 16 ships measuring 82.108 BRT (Gross Registered Tons).

Lets looks at the built and painted figure by Carlos Royo