UGS Manta – German WWII Project

The UGS Manta (Untersee-Gleitflächen-Schnellboot, or “Undersea Gliding Fast Boat”) was an experimental late-war German concept blending the roles of midget submarine, hydrofoil and amphibious assault craft.

Its trimaran-like structure featured three streamlined pods: a central crew and control section, flanked by fuel, battery, and ballast pods. Propulsion was to combine high-output diesel systems with chemical turbines, aiming for extraordinary speeds—around 50 knots on the surface and 30 knots underwater.

A unique feature was its ability to hydroplane over the water using retractable landing-gear-like wheels, allowing rapid shore approaches from open sea. It could carry a varied payload, from torpedoes and mines to experimental rockets, enabling both naval strikes and coastal raids.

The project remained on paper, with only mockups and preliminary engineering models completed before the war ended. Today, it stands as one of the most radical unrealized naval designs of the era.

Discover the fascinating story behind this radical WWII prototype by watching this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo702z9USlo

3D printing settings First of all, I would like to point out that the interior has been created purely for context, using the Seehund midget submarine as a reference. This was done so that, at larger scales, the model would display an interior visible through the small access openings.

The model is intended primarily for 1:48 scale and larger, but it will also work well at 1:72. Its construction is modular: the main body is split lengthwise into left and right halves, and each half is further divided into three sections. The sponsons are likewise split into three sections, matching the corresponding divisions of the main body.

All interior parts and the snorkel can be assembled onto the right half of the main body, then enclosed by attaching the left half.

While it is technically possible to print the model at 1:72 scale with all interior details included, it may require significant care and effort, as the fine details at this scale are delicate and prone to breakage. For this reason, I recommend omitting the interior parts when printing at 1:72 or lower, as visibility through the two glass dome hatches is quite limited.