Hello! This is the 1/35 Artesnia latina model kit. I modified the boat into a German Flak boat using Dragon kits. I weathered the boat and put it on a base which took 4 months. Thanks for looking! Comments welcome!

Nice looking model.
(More photo's in Mike's gallery)

Thank you! I seem to be having trouble posting!

Excellent Mike. Totally fresh model. Haven´t seen this done before. It really looks the part!

Hey Mike, that is really great what you came up with. love it. A few questions if you don't mind. !- Is this plastic or wood, 2- where did you purchase it and 3- what was the cost. I'd really like to pick up one, maybe two if it's within financial range. the paint job is totaly fantastic. Do you know the history of this type of ship. I'm thinking of a south pacific island harbor scene here. Thanks, bob

Thanks all!
@Dave, thanks for the help, not very computer saavy!
@Frank, thanks, I enjoy seeing your work also!
@Bob, thanks! I forgot to put up a lot info, so here it goes. I actually got the idea from someone on this site but I have not seen an update on the dio in a while. It is an old school plank on frame kit of the Marina in 1/35th. It is all wood and is actually R/C. The kit was bought off of model expo a few years ago for about $100. From what I have seen of European fishing boats they are really worn. So the plank on frame makes it easy since it is wood. I think they sell the Marina II now in the same scale. I would try ebay or some of the boat forums fro Artesenia latina kits. Also billings boats makes some good kits also. It was a bit challenging doing a conversion of an R/C boat, but the scale is spot on. I do not know the history of this boat. However after doing many searches for gun trawlers I found bits and pieces of what the Germans, and others did. They would make cheap conversions of these boats with light armour and guns. They were very effective in the war. I guess in the begining they actually had heavier armour and guns, but were prone to capsizing due to the weight. As the war went on, they put lighter armour and guns to make it work better. I found some pics of larger boats, and made my best educated guesses on this one. It seems they usually did not repaint the boat for money issues, and a bit of sneakiness. Hope this helps you!

Great job, Mike! It's one of the most original works I've seen here. Thanks for sharing.

Cool build, Mike. A very original idea.

Thanks for sharing

@ Bob Davis,

this is a Kriegsfischkutter KFK, a fish trawler used mainly for patrol and security tasks, From 1942 on It was planned to build 1072 units on different shipyard throughout occupied Europe.
Try a googlesearch for KRIEGSFISCHKUTTER

HTH
Hans-Hermann

Very nice work, good conversion and display - colors looks a bit sharp, propably due to the flash ? - if you have the oppertunity to retake the pictures in daylight it would be nice to see.

Cheers/Jan

Yo mike,

Nice subject and very nice conversion of the boat...good weathering I see. Love such projects like yours ...now put this one in realistic water ;-)

Do you have some pics of the build?

Greetz nico

Mike, thanks for the info. It will make the idea I have work .
Hans, thanks for the link, will check it out today.

Mike,
I love this build. One of the most original build ideas I've seen here, and very well done-- the figure poses and heavy weathering are very believable.
Thanks for posting!
-Sean.

Hi Mike,

Original idea, it’s a cool and fresh idea. My only inquiry: why would the soldiers be on a boat that is in a dry dock, and not at sea? Great weathering and nice move with the static grass as seaweed! It is static grass, isn’t it?

Regards,

Nice job Mike !

Another option for a KFK project would be using Graupner's "Elke" 1/36 Fishing cutter kit :



http://www.modellmarine.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=632&Itemid=4338

Another one : http://www.rceifel.de/forum/showthread.php?t=408&page=3

Frenchy

All,
Thank you very much!! The lakes are are iced over at the moment so I cannot put her in the water at the moment! However Spring will be soonish! I decided to put the ship on a dry dock training scene while getting fixed. Thanks for the info on the boats I will be looking that up and the Graupner boat. Off to the next project!

spot on really nice modle and a great subject. nice one

I came across the site Frenchy references in a search yesterday - after becoming fascinated with the Kriegsfischkutter, but also another version that is superbly detailed. This photo is somewhat imaginative, as I believe their top speed was around 14 knots, and I saw one reference that by the end of the war a submerged sub could run faster than they did.



I particularly like the rolled canvas on the railings, which was unfurled in rough seas to help keep the deck dry(er).



Apparently there were many different configurations, and I don't know why one of the major manufacturers hasn't come out with this in 1:72 and/or 1:35. I have found a supposedly 1:87 version marketed by ArtMaster, but I have no idea who actually produces it, as they have German distribution rights for many smaller companies (CMK, Hauler fi example), but list the products without giving credit. When I saw their photo-etch Fries crane, I thought there can't be enough of a market for two manufacturers to produce this, so it must be the Hauler version. I've also recognized the CMK harbor crane, and their instruction sheet actually lists ArtMaster as the German distributor. I've also noticed that they will list 1:72 products as 1:87 - which is apparently their primary market.

Here is mine (not finished )i lost interest ,so i sold it to another modeler.