ORP „Orzel“ – the Polish submarine

The prototype of the submarine was designed with the participation of Polish Navy specialists, using some structural solutions from the Dutch submarine Hr. Ms. O.16. The length of the submarine reached 84 meters, the water capacity under water - 1473 tons. The construction diving depth was 80 meters, in practice the submarine could dive up to 100 meters without any consequences. Structural features and a conventional set of engines (diesels + electric motors) allowed the submarine to develop a speed of 19.44 knots on the surface and 8.9 knots under water. The submarine’s main armament consisted of 20 torpedoes, fired from 12 torpedo tubes. The “Orzel” hull was welded, and hydraulic actuation of all control surfaces was used as an innovation. The submarine’s construction was partially financed by the Maritime and Colonial League and the Submarine Lodz Fund from donations, collected from Polish workers. On February 2, 1939 the submarine was officially entered into service in the Polish Navy. As part of the Submarine Division, "Orzel" took part in the initial stage of coastal defense, then was interned in the capital of Estonia, but escaped from there. Without maps, the crew patrolled the Baltic until October 7. Later it broke through the Sound to Great Britain. Operating from British bases, while on patrol in the North Sea on April 8 she sank the transport “Rio de Janeiro”, which was carrying German army units in Operation “Weserubung” - the information, transmitted by “Orzel”, was one of the first signals of the German invasion of Norway. Due to reasons still unknown, ORP "Orzel" was lost along with its crew at the turn of May-June 1940 during a patrol in the North Sea. The remains of the submarine have not yet been found.

A complex, large, well detailed and designed model for intermediate to advanced modellers. There are two superstructure versions with 1939 and 1940 markings, some spare parts.