The Biber – A World War II Miniature Diorama

The German *Biber* was a one-man midget submarine developed in 1944 for attacks against Allied shipping.
Armed with two externally mounted torpedoes, this tiny vessel represented Germany’s desperate attempt to counter Allied naval superiority during the final years of World War II.

This 1:35-scale Verlinden Productions model was commissioned by a gentleman fascinated by German submarines.
My goal was to go beyond building the submarine itself and create a complete, convincing scene around it.

The diorama brings the setting to life through carefully crafted cobblestone paving, weathered stone dock walls, rust-stained fittings, aged wooden details, and realistically textured harbor water.
The addition of German personnel studying their maps, stacked supply crates, dockside equipment, and a period-style streetlamp gives the scene depth and a sense of activity.
The wooden display base and clear protective cover complete the presentation.

For me, the real challenge was transforming a scale model into a miniature historical setting, where the textures, weathering, accessories, and composition work together to tell a story.
Every detail contributes to the atmosphere, making the Biber more than a submarine model—it becomes a small scene from a turbulent chapter of naval history.

Two years ago, while participating in one of our clubs events, A club member, and a friend, had gifted me a classic DUMAS Chris Craft Cobra. It was a welcome gift. Yet plagued with problems , right after another. It was basically broken out of the box, and marginally not safe to drive. IT plowed water, rode low, and was a death trap, when going into reverse. It would and flood, eventually sank. And almost two years later it was fished out by another club member, and took three weeks to restore. It became my daily driver 6 months ago, and is officially one of my best running boats. It become known as the "Phoenix," because it basically came back from the dead, and was returned as a much better boat. It's got some kiddy' up, and is 4S ready. ON 3 S. I'm skirting 30 MPH, from a 2000 KV. motor.

The build history is unknown. We don't know who the original builder was. Only that it changed owners at least 4 times. ME being 3 and 4. It was basically , the boat came back to me , after I was the one who lost in the first place . NOW, it's resting on my table, fully restored. THE photos , were of the restore process, and the first day back in the water.

The last photo, was "She's back."

THE video was TEST drive one.

Well, after the lovely reception of my HMCS Snowberry - which has been in the wars after a collision, now repaired and upgraded - now with a smoker and lighting - I chanced upon another 1/72 Revell Corvette, so taking everything I had learned in making Snowberry, I thought I would apply myself and see what I could do for a sister ship - the part-built kit - an eBay find - came with a few options for the decals, one of which was HMS Campanula, so the task was set!

Campanula has some differences to Snowberry, a diferent radar tower, different bridge supports - 2 x beams instead of 3 - different layout to the carley floats, an extra flagstaff on the funnel and a diferent bandstand edging for the rear pompom, so some scratchbuilding to fashion the diferences, as well as replacing a few missing parts.

The pics show it as it arrived, then the scratchbuilt carley float supports, the whaleboat runout on the davits, the bandstand alteration, the upgraded front gun, flota nets, navi and interior lights and an overview of the progress...

I am hoping to have her finished this week, and the crew painted and affixed, ready for her maiden voyage at Bury Lido next Sunday, fingers crossed!

Anyhows, hope you like her!

Thursday club ran at night at the pool in Burlington. My Puffer lights took a while to install. And looked good. The only problem was that she leaked and needed bailing out several times. I checked the next day and found a big crack in the stern area, which will need repairing. P/S might have been caused by the FULL MOON.

Hey Gang!
While vacationing off the coast of South Carolina on Kiawah Island I wandered over to a marina on John's Island and saw this beauty. It's a 62' Viking Sport Yacht. Her hull is made of fiberglass, with a beam of 18' 11" (5.77m), a draft of 5' 2" (1.58m). Top speed...42 Knots! Yow! 4 Staterooms and 3 heads doesn't hurt either.
Honestly, I'm not so sure the owner has ever "wet-a-line" off of this $3,100,000 beauty, but I am positive that the bar is well stocked. Either way she is a beautiful beast!
😉

From my 2020 trip to the UK

This was the first sail of the Vosper at Spencer's pool. The club held a military regatta. I had a problem with the Vosper kept stopping. I checked it out at home and found that the motor coupling kept backing off.

This was the first sail of the Vosper at Spencer's pool.Club held a military regattaI had problem with the Vosper kept stopping Check it out at home found that the motor coupling kept backing off.

HMS Flirt, built by Palmers of Tyneside in 1897. It was a C class aka Star class three funnel 30 knot destroyer. Twin reciprocating steam engines.
The model is 1/72 scale, 3ft long. I have some figures to stick on yet as well as the torpedo davits and the ship's boats.
The model has twin electric motors and is controlled by a Flysky 10 channel radio. The motors can be run synchronized or independent, selected with one of the switches. The left knob rotates the forward gun and the other knob rotates the torpedo tubes.
The model is entirely scratch built. Fiberglass sheathing balsa for the hull. The funnels and cowl vent are 3d printed to my files. I now have a 3d printer which I'm sure will make many fitting for future models.

WW2 U.S. r/c Tug Boat running in the tiny pool setup

Good Morning Gang:
Thought you'd like this as it made me think of my (still to be be fully completed) freighter "Pacific Trader."
I found this large and very nice piece on the floor in a nice little antique store yesterday. We don't often see freighters depicted in such a fashion; it's an original too. It depicts the MS Finnforest.

So did a bit of research and found out that she was completed: in 1963 by the Emden, Rheinstahl Nordseewerke G.m.b.H. Shipyard

Weights and dimensions: 9 674 / 7 610 DWT, 6 500 BHP, 139.72 x 18.74 x 8.34 / 7.29 m.

Her tabular records are listed as...
1963.6.28: FINNFOREST, homeport Kotka. Enso-Gutzeit Oy, Kotka (Finnlines). Finland - USEC service. 1968.8.23: lengthening completed by Rheinstahl Nordseewerke: 11 510 / 8 190 DWT, 152.32 x 18.74 x 8.58 / 7.11. 1973: Chartered to Atlantic Gulf Service Ab Göteborg. 1976.12 Charted completed.
1978.9.6: BRADEVERETT, Everett-Orient Line Inc (Everett Steamship Corp S.A. Tokyo), Monrovia.
1988.5.24: demolished Kaohsiung, China

Had a nice run with the Schnellboot Wiesel at the June 21,2026 meet of the Suncoast Scale Model Boat Club. First time back in the water after 15+ years in my display case. I was hoping for a little more speed but the boat ran well and looked good cutting the water. But then, don't all of the Schnellboot look good? Only issue was me letting it drift into some weeds while setting up my camera on the tripod. Most of the video was recorded at about 30 meters away but the decent zoom on the camera brought the boat in close. I hope you enjoy the video.