T-22 – the German "Elbing" type torpedo ship

Not long before the start of World War II - in the summer of 1939 - a very important change occurred in the German torpedo ships building program. By then, the small 850-ton displacement torpedo ships of the 1925/1937 type T1-T22, whose artillery armament (1x105 mm) turned out to be too weak, were replaced by much larger ships at the shipyards. In accordance with the requirements of the Deutche Kriegsmarine (DKM) Main Board, the new ships were to have much more versatile capabilities. In accordance with these requirements, the constructors’ bureaus projected large flat-deck torpedo ships, which in German nomenclature were called Flottentorpedoboot Typ 1939 - fleet torpedo ship - and the Allies usually classified them as small destroyers or Schichau-Destroyers. It is worth noting, that all torpedo ships of the new type were built at the Friedrich Schichau shipyard in Elbing. This shipyard had a lot of experience in building ships of this type. The Tlottentorpedoboot of the 1939 type, which is often referred to as the type name "Elbing", is the name, most often used in maritime literature today, and is derived from the German name for Elbing. Building of the new torpedo ships began only in 1941, the first ships entered service at the beginning of the following year. Most often, the "Elbings" were used to escort convoys in the English Channel, to escort U-Boats, sailing to the Atlantic and to meet them returning from there, to protect against blockade-breaking ships, to protect Atlantic convoys, to carry out mine-laying operations, to patrol and guard tasks, as well as to protect the large ships of the Second Battle Group from torpedoes, to destroy Soviet aircraft, to shell land positions and to evacuate civilians. Several operations of the T-22: 1942.10.31 - 11.03 escort of the steamer "Wismar" in the Bay of Biscay, 1943.08.02 - rescue of 36 U-106 crew members in the Bay of Biscay. 1943.08.29 – escort of the Japanese submarine I-8, which brought a cargo of rubber, to the port of Lorient. 1943.10.03 – escort of a convoy from Brest to Cherbourg. 1943.10.22 – escort of the returning blockade runner "Muensterland" and the sinking of the British cruiser "Charybdis" and the damage to the destroyer "Limboume". 1943.12.23 – 26 – Operation "Bernau" – escort of the blockade runner "Osorno". 1943.12.27 – 29 – Operation "Trave" – unsuccessful escort of the blockade runner "Alsterufer". January 1944 – assigned to the 6th Torpedo Carrier Flotilla. 18.08.1944 – sank in Narva Bay after hitting two mines.

A very complex, well-designed and maximally detailed model only for medium-experienced and experienced modelers. The model has reproduced everything, that can be reproduced in models of this scale (only the exterior), beautiful camouflage of irregular spots and atypical colors. There are quite a few color reserves, the textual instruction is large, detailed, informative in Polish, only the font size is such, that some will need a magnifying glass. The graphical instruction is large, informative, easy to read and very clear.