1/456 710-249 Aurora German Sea Raider Atlantis - The Rattlesnake Of The Ocean
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: Exc+
First issue hardbox is dated 1959 and has the "Famous Fighters" in the oval 'Northern Lights' logo. This is the only kit made of the infamous German WWII converted merchant raider which was the subject of several books and a major movie called 'Under Ten Flags.' The long WWII voyage was legendary, and the ship is well represented in this full-hull model. Covers can be removed to reveal hidden guns, torpedo tubes and the Ar-196 float plane. Never started. Inventoried 100% complete with all parts, decals and instructions present. The box is graded 'excellent+' which is rare. It has very nice color and gloss, four solid corners, no repairs, fading, staining or tears, no tape or tape marks and no price tags or tag marks. Flaws include light general wear, edge wear (as shown at the top) and corner wear. NOTE: this kit must be shipped insured. From modeler Stephen Payne: I recommend that the builder or collector of this kit add the following books to their collection-The German Raider Atlantis by Captain Bernhard Rogge & Wolfgang Frank & Sea Raider Atlantis, Story of a German Surface Raider by Ulrich Mohr & A.V. Sellwood. The first book is by the ATLANTIS commander, Kapitan zur See Bernhard Rogge. He oversaw the transformation and outfitting in Bremen and captained the ship during her 602 day operational voyager which sank or captured 22 ships totaling 144,384 t (142,104 long tons). Rogge also was one of the few German officers of flag rank who was not arrested by the Allies after the war due to the way he had exercised his command of Atlantis. Captain J. Armstrong White, captain of the British CITY OF BAGHDAD, which Atlantis sank in July 1941, stated, "His treatment of prisoners left respect, instead of hatred."The second book is by the ATLANTIS First Officer, Ulrich Moher. Both books read much the same as the events related are the same, but it is interesting to see these events from the two perspectives. Captain White (see above) wrote the foreword to Atlantis, the Story of a German Surface Raider, written by U. Mohr & A. V. Sellwood.The German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis (HSK 2), known to the Kriegsmarine as Schiff 16 (SHIP 16) and to the Royal Navy as Raider-C, was a converted merchant vessel to German Hilfskreuzer (auxiliary cruiser) used for commerce raiding. Commerce raiders did not seek to engage warships, but rather attack enemy merchant shipping; the measures of success are tonnage destroyed (or captured) and time spent "at large" holding up enemy resources. Atlantis had the longest raiding career of any German commerce raider in either world war.
This item has been sold.
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