What can I say but this model was fun to build. Not much to it but a nice result in the end.
From Wikipedia"
The German Type 212 class, also Italian Todaro class, is a highly advanced design of non-nuclear submarine (U-boat) developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG (HDW) and Fincantieri S.p.a. for the German and Italian Navy. It features diesel propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion (AIP) system using Siemens proton exchange membrane (PEM) hydrogen fuel cells.
The submarine can operate at high speed on diesel power or switch to
the AIP system for silent slow cruising, staying submerged for up to
three weeks without surfacing and with no exhaust heat. The system is
also said to be vibration-free, extremely quiet and virtually
undetectable.
Type 212 is the first of the only two fuel cell propulsion system
equipped submarines ready for series production by 2007, the other being
the Project 677 Lada class submarine designed by Russian Rubin Design Bureau.
At the beginning of the 1990s the German Navy was seeking a replacement for the Type 206 submarines. Initial study started on a Type 209 improved design, with AIP capability, called Type 212.
The final programme started in 1994 as the two navies of Germany and
Italy began working together to design a new conventional submarine,
respectively to operate in the shallow and confined waters of the Baltic sea and in the deeper waters of the Mediterranean sea.
The two different requirements were mixed into a common one and,
because of significant updates to the design, the designation was
changed to Type 212A since then.
In 1996 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) gave the start to the
cooperation. Its main aim was the construction of identical boats and
the start of a collaboration in logistic and life-cycle support for the
two navies.
The German government placed an initial order of four Type 212A submarines in 1998. The German Submarine Consortium built them at the shipyards of HDW and Thyssen Nordseewerke GmbH (TNSW) of Emden.
Different sections of the submarines were constructed at both sites at
the same time and then half of them were shipped to the respective
other yard so that both HDW and Thyssen Nordseewerke assembled two
complete submarines each.
In the same year the Italian government placed an order of two U212A submarines built by Fincantieri for the Marina Militare (Italian Navy) at Muggiano shipyard, designated as the Todaro class.
The German Navy ordered two additional, improved submarines in 2006, to
be delivered from 2012 on. They will be 1.2 meters longer to give
additional space for a new reconnaissance mast.
On 21 April 2008 the Italian Navy ordered a second batch of submarine
in the same configuration of the original ones. Some upgrading should
involve materials and components of commercial derivation, as well as
the software package of the CMS. The intention is to keep the same
configuration of the first series and reduce maintenance costs.
The export-oriented Type 214 submarine succeeds the Type 209 submarine and shares certain features with the Type 212A, such as the AIP fuel cell propulsion.
Partly owing to the "X" arrangement of the stern planes, the Type 212
is capable of operating in as little as 17 metres of water, allowing
it to come much closer to shore than most contemporary submarines. This
gives it an advantage in covert operations, as SCUBA-equipped commandos operating from the boat can surface close to the beach and execute their mission more quickly and with less effort.
A notable design feature is the prismatic hull cross-section and smoothly faired transitions from the hull to the sail, improving the boat's stealth
characteristics. The ship and internal fixtures are constructed of
nonmagnetic materials, significantly reducing the chances of it being
detected by magnetometers or setting off magnetic naval mines.
The low emission profile allowed the submarines in exercises to intrude
even into well protected opposing forces such as carrier formations
with their screen.
Although hydrogen–oxygen propulsion had been considered for submarines
as early as World War I, the concept was not very successful until
recently due to fire and explosion concerns. In the Type 212 this has been countered by storing the fuel and oxidizer in tanks outside the crew space, between the pressure hull and outer light hull.
The gases are piped through the pressure hull to the fuel cells as
needed to generate electricity, but at any given time there is only a
very small amount of gas present in the crew space.
Currently, the Type 212A is capable of launching the fiber optic-guided DM2A4 Seehecht ("Seahake") heavyweight torpedoes, the WASS A184 Mod.3 torpedoes, the WASS BlackShark
torpedoes and short-range missiles from its six torpedo tubes, which
use a water ram expulsion system. Future capability may include
tube-launched cruise missiles.
The short-range missile IDAS (based on the IRIS-T
missile), primarily intended for use against air threats as well as
small or medium-sized sea- or near land targets, is currently being
developed by Diehl BGT Defence
to be fired from Type 212's torpedo tubes. IDAS is fiber-optic guided
and has a range of approx. 20 km. Four missiles fit in one torpedo
tube, stored in a magazine. First deliveries of IDAS for the German Navy are scheduled from 2014 on.
A 30 mm auto-cannon called Muräne (moray) to support diver operations
or to give warning shots is being considered too. The cannon, probably a
version of the RMK30 built by Rheinmetall,
will be stored in a retractable mast and can be fired without the boat
emerging. The mast will also be designed to contain three Aladin UAVs for reconnaissance missions. This mast is likely to be mounted on the 2nd batch of Type 212 submarines for the German Navy.
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