Leopold - a challenge

[ebay mike]

Always wanted something really different to run on the HVR. Came across this while on holiday in France a few weeks ago. It will be enormous in g scale but I have  10 ft diameter curves which might just about do. Anyone else eve attempted one of these? Is there a commercially produced model available?

 

[Keith RhB]

I think there might be a 1:25 kit for one because there is one on display at our LHS that a guy built. It could be the German one that had two sets of tracks it was so big...I will find out next time I'm in there.

Keith

 

[Tim Brien]

Lima made these in 1/87 scale many years ago. They regularly turn up on eBay (usually as a set pack with camouflaged coaches). Perhaps the smaller Lima model may provide enough details. There was a much larger version which was basically stationary, on dual tracks. The laterally intersecting tracks were used to align the gun with its target. This larger gun was generally hidden in its own bunker and only exited to fire off a few rounds before retreating under cover.

 

[trammayo]

There is this (at a price) ....

http://www.alwayshobbies.com/plastic-models/military-/soar-art-dora-wwii-german-railway-gun?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New+Products+Just+Arrived&utm_content=New+Products+Just+Arrived+CID_07b152ab30ed4e469c53d38c36c41176&utm_source=Email&utm_term=Soar%20Art%20Dora%20German%20Super%20Heavy%20Railway%20Gun%20Model

 

[vsmith]

I always thought a good starting point would be a large version carbide gas bang cannon

 

[ntpntpntp]

I know of models or kits of the Leopold by Dragon or Trumpeter in 1:35, Hasegawa in 1:72, the previously mentioned Lima model in 1:87, Lemke in 1:160.

 

[funandtrains]

These were crazy things as the barrels only lasted a few shots and buy the end of the war the RAF were dropping bombs just as large or larger with a lot more accuracy.

 

[Zerogee]

These were crazy things as the barrels only lasted a few shots and buy the end of the war the RAF were dropping bombs just as large or larger with a lot more accuracy.

True, Steve, but to bomb something (in those days, anyway) you had to fly overhead in a manned aircraft, vulnerable to fighters, flak etc.... with a big gun you can spoil someone's day with a ton or so of high explosive from many, many miles away in relative safety....

What rendered the really big artillery obsolete is the stuff like rocket systems (MLRS etc), along with cruise missiles and other guided stand-off ordnance.

Dragging this back on-topic, the 1/35 scale kit could work as a Gauge 1 piece if you're not too rivet-counter-y.... I don't know what track gauge the kit actually works with, but you could probably bodge up the multi-axle bogies from one of the super-long LGB depressed-centre-cars - the ones that carried the transformer or 3-cable-reel loads, if you had the money and nerve to cut one up!

I've seen the real example of this gun (named as Leopold, though I'm sure I read somewhere that it is actually a mix of parts from various guns of the class?) at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, and all I can say is that it is BL**DY BIG!

Jon.

Jon.

 

[sparky230]

Dont forget there were rakes of armoured trains, with anti-aircraft guns

Believe it or not one existed on the RHDR

http://www.urstruly.co.uk/tb_rhdr/rhdr/history_art/armoured_train.jpg

 

[pugwash]

A couple of weeks ago there was a scratchbuilt railway mounted gun on german ebay, I think it was 'only' an 8.8cm flak gun but still pretty impressive in G scale. Dunno if it would do R1s though O0

 

[KeithT]

I built a Dragon Morser Karl (The Flying Mule) a short time ago. There are two versions one with the main gun and another with fore and aft rail trucks. It`s BIG even at 1/35scale. http://www.flyingmule.com/products/DM-61013

EDIT: The other 1/35 kit is by Trumpeter.

 

[schienenkönig]

Her a simular offer on German Ebay;

http://www.ebay.de/itm/LGB-PIKO-Schwere-Eisenbahnflak-8-8cm-Profi-Eigenbau-Militar-/201236439808?pt=DE_Modellbau_Modelleisenbahnen&hash=item2edaa06300

Follow this Ebayer and you see more self made military LGB transport waagons.

(Don't know him!=

 

[KandNWLR]

Her a simular offer on German Ebay;

http://www.ebay.de/itm/LGB-PIKO-Schwere-Eisenbahnflak-8-8cm-Profi-Eigenbau-Militar-/201236439808?pt=DE_Modellbau_Modelleisenbahnen&hash=item2edaa06300

Follow this Ebayer and you see more self made military LGB transport waagons.

(Don't know him!=

Following the link I found this

http://www.ebay.de/itm/LGB-PIKO-Eisenbahngeschutz-K5-Leopold-Profi-Eigenbau-Militar-/201236493954?pt=DE_Modellbau_Modelleisenbahnen&hash=item2edaa13682

 

[Rhinochugger]

I've had a secret craving for one of these for some time - in model form only, you understand 8)

Ever since I read the whimsy about the owners of the Carson & Colorado getting hold of one, and that a hiker thinks he found it in a cave, but hung up his boots for the last time before he could give anybody else the location................................ :-X



Gotta have one someday O0 O0 O0 O0

 

[Rhinochugger]

Given that nobody knows what the C&C gun looked like (if it did exist at all, at all, at all.............)

Then it can be pretty generic - the basic rules being that the bogies must have lots of wheels

And then it has to have a gun - oh really?

but it was that bit that was putting me off scratchbuilding. However ??? ??? ??? ???

I see on evil bay that there are some plastic kits of 1:35 howitzer short barrel guns (mortars presumably), so all I've got to do is stick a bit of tube in the end

And then get some cheap bogies - a couple each end should do it, unless anybody has got a spare pair of Aristo 6-wheeler commonwealth bogies O0 O0

 

[stockers]

this should do for starters!

 

[stockers]

[attachimg=3]

 

[Zerogee]

Yes Alan - that's what I suggested using in an earlier post, reckon the bogies and end trucks would look fine - just (hah!) needs the main frame cutting and lengthening, then the gun scratchbuilding onto it..... good luck to anybody who tries one!

Jon.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Absolument - the principle's right


but a tad expensive starting point ??? ???

 

[ebay mike]

Oh dear, I think the bug has bitten. Haven`t had a lot of time off over the C period but as there has benn so much carp on the TV I got to thinking. Done some googling and found website with line drawings and blueprints of several types. The original K5 would work out at just under four and a half feet in 1/24th scale so being realistic on what could run on the HVR I have calculated a 1/35th size offering could be accommodated lengthwise. Have drawn up some sketches of a trimmed down wagon with a 620mm long barrel atop. A sort of son of K5. Intention is for all fittings to be to 1/24th to keep more in line with the other stock - but the gun will just be a bit smaller. Been out in the garage and have amassed some odd bits and pieces. Am going to put together a gun barrel to see how it looks and then take it from there.