# Biber: One dangerous midget!



## Faust (Dec 1, 2012)

I do like weird and wonderful (or not so wonderful, as it turns out!) subjects, and I do have a growing interest in submarines. Thus, it’s no surprise that when I saw the Biber from Italeri I was quite excited!

The Biber was one of those weapons that seemed so good on paper, but really didn’t work out in real life. It’s a lot like the naval version of an Me-163 Komet, but without the explosions. I’ve never seen a submarine kit in 1/35, either, so I knew the Biber had to be a REAL midget! It is!

The Biber wasn’t very successful; I think they only sank one transport for the loss of many of their own. It was a neat idea, though, that had it been better thought out, could have made a bit more of an impact. 

Check out my Out of Box review for this dangerous little bathtub toy!

https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/italeri-135-biber-midget-sub-oob/


----------



## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

Yeah, I've got a thing for subs too. I've got 2 ICM's and an older resin Verlinden one too all in 1/72. But I've got all the torpedo boats in 1/35 and I need to get his one. I've got the Type XXIII in 1/72 and 1/35, which is one of my favorite subs. This kit would look good next to it.

Thanks to your review, I see one in my near future. So says the crystal ball....

_*Now go and build it so we can have a build review also!*_

Thanks for showing it off! :thumbsup:

As far as the instructions go, you should see some of Trumpeter's early armor kits!! *The armor plate on tree top sideways will hender up **side of tread on this side*. I just made this up, but yeah, they _are _that bad!!!

Carl-

P.S. Has it any of Italeri's famous sink marks?


----------



## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

The Germans used some kind of midget sub (Biber or Neger) against the Bridge at Remagen (with no luck). They also tried to destroy the bridge with jet bombers.


----------



## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

Anybody remember the name of the Japanese Midget Subs that tried to infiltrate Pearl Harbor before the big attack?


----------



## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

The little Japanese subs were Type A's 

There are a few kits of them too

http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Molds-Target-Class-Midget-Submarine/dp/B000PH9568

http://www.lfmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=147


----------



## Faust (Dec 1, 2012)

I didn't know about Type As! Those are cool!

The moulding actually looks really good; no obvious sink marks anywhere. The plastic is really soft, though.

I'll get to her soon, don't worry!


----------



## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Italeri's newish 1/35 Naval subjects are generally sound kits. They have put out quite a few in the last few years, sort of under the radar.


----------



## walsing (Aug 22, 2010)

Interesting sub kit.


----------



## Faust (Dec 1, 2012)

It's interesting, but it's also quite troublesome.

I'm building it, and I'm actually not that impressed. It's more like an Airfix than an Italeri. 

I did expect more for the money, but it should look good when done!


----------



## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

As far as instructions go, companies should always do a two-step translation, especially the Japanese, but Italians, Germans and Russians, too. This also goes for translating English instructions into other languages, too. First they should do the first draft of the translation, which is almost always what we wind up with as the final instructions. Once that is done, someone who is actually fluent in the final language, in this case English, should do an edit with a fine-toothed comb. The only forgivable remaining translation issues should be ones of regional dialect (i.e British English versus American English).


----------



## Faust (Dec 1, 2012)

I absolutely agree!

I don't know why they don't do this. I mean, it shouldn't be hard to find a technical writer or struggling novellist to do this as a side job, I wouldn't think. 

It's always when a good kit has a bad translation stuck to it; it makes the whole thing seem Mickey Mouse and unprofessional, and it adds a taint to the buying experience, if nothing else.


----------

