Polish submarine ORP DZIK COBI 4864 - World War II 1:300

ORP DZIK Model | COBI 4864

The building kit of the famous Polish U-class submarine DZIK in standard Marynarka Wojenna (Polish Navy) colors features two rotating propellers and an adjustable rudder. An antenna wire for the Marconi Type 57 radio station runs from the bow to the stern across the bridge. The assembled model can be safely displayed on a stable stand with a description plate.

Did you know that:

The submarine was originally built in 1941 by the British shipyard Vickers-Armstrongs for the Polish Navy. Together with the submarine SOKÓŁ, it formed a duo known as the "Terrible Twins". The nickname perfectly captured their combat missions. Imagine an incredibly annoying mosquito constantly buzzing around you. It drives you crazy with its high-pitched buzzing and endless harassment until it pushes you to madness. You just can't get rid of it. This is exactly how the "Terrible Twins" affected their enemies in the Mediterranean. The tactics were later described by the captain of the damaged Italian cruiser Città di Palermo.

In January 1943, the crew managed to penetrate anti-submarine nets and entered the port of Navarino, where they damaged the Italian destroyer Aviere. The submarine managed to evade heavy shelling and all depth charges, and on its way to the open sea, it incidentally sank a transport steamer carrying materials for the German Wehrmacht. The commander of the Navarino base, Count Ruggero Ruggeri, was humiliated and later dismissed.

During World War II, the submarine DZIK sank or damaged 18 enemy vessels. Commander Bolesław Romanowski was awarded the Virtuti Militari order.

After the end of the war, the submarine was returned to the Royal Navy, where it served until October 1957, when it was definitively decommissioned and scrapped.

Technical Parameters:

• dimensions: length 60 m, width 4.9 m, draft 4.62 m
• displacement: 745 tons
• fuel tank capacity: 38 tons of diesel
• propulsion unit: 2x Paxman Ricardo diesel engines with a total output of 459 kW; for submerged movement: 2x GE electric motors with a total output of 660 kW
• maximum speed: 20.8 km/h on the surface and 19 km/h submerged
• maximum diving depth: 91 m (structural limit 110 m)
• armament: 1x 76 mm QF gun + 3x 7.7 mm Lewis machine guns and 4 bow 533 mm torpedo tubes (8-10 torpedoes)
• Marconi Type 57 radio station
• crew: 4 + 33 people

From the Memoirs of Submarine Commander Bolesław Romanowski:

“In September 1943, the German army evacuated from Corsica in chaos. The port of Bastia was literally clogged with German transport ships, landing crafts, and tugs, which were hastily loading soldiers, equipment, and tons of ammunition. Contrary to the tactics of the time, I decided not to wait for the ships to sail into the open sea. Instead, we headed directly toward the mouth of the enemy port itself at periscope depth. A quick look through the periscope showed that the German vessels were lined up in the harbor like ducks at a shooting range. I didn't hesitate for a second. We fired eight torpedoes in two waves. We immediately heard chain detonations followed by explosions of burning German ammunition. The Germans paid a heavy price for what they did to my country. That day we sank two ships, a tug, four barges, and three large landing crafts. Before the enemy could even understand what had just happened, our submarine safely left the port, from which columns of smoke were rising.” 

About the COBI Kit:

• the COBI 4864 building kit is made of 148 high-quality ABS parts
• number of figures: 0
• World War II collection, 1:300 scale
• pad printed - no stickers
• faithful and detailed design
• made in the EU
• compatible with other brands of building blocks