Orlik K-Wagen Tank 1:25 scale

[Tim Crowe]

My next build is going to be the German World War 1 tank, the K-wagen. This 120 ton monster never got beyond two prototypes, subsequently scrapped after the war.

I can only find two original photographs of these tanks, taken at some stage during their construction. There are however, a few more drawings and rough plans.

The general layout seems to be constant across all sources. Apart from a drivers viewing port and machine gun, which appears in some. I can find no hard evidence of these. But, they would seem to be reasonable modifications under operational use.

The same goes for any colour scheme used. I though towards then end of the war German tanks tended to be overall grey. I will retain the colourful camouflage that Orlik have decided upon.




Although a large kit it is fairly simple, with only rudimentary detail visible. I do plan to add rivets and paint this model once complete.

Any help with reference material or suggestions will be gratefully received

Tim

[Royaloakmin]

Go, Tim go! There is nothing on Landships II??

[CharlieC]

There is a short article on the K-Wagen - Landships II. There's not a lot to say about this monster tank - even if it had been built all it would have been was a slow moving artillery target.

German built tanks seem to have been delivered painted "Feldgrau" ex-factory any additional camouflage was painted on at depots. There is a suggestion that the camouflage on A7Vs was Belgian railway paint colours
captured in 1914. The Germans operated many more Mark IV Beutepanzers than their own tanks - most of these were painted with a Feldgrau base coat with various camouflage schemes.

Regards,

Charlie

[B-Manic]

Try this google image search Tim ...
K-wagen - Google Search

[John Wagenseil]

The factory photo shows the location of the driver and machine gunner's ports on the front plate of the partially assembled Kwagen.

Two Kwagens at the Riebe factory were near or had been finished at the end of WW1 and there were at least 3 more in the early stages of construction. The Allied Disarmament Commission had them all destroyed.

The picture seems to indicate that there was also a central port on the rear armor plate. This is not shown on the pictures of the builders models, nor suggested on the plans which show the locations of crew stations and guns.

However, without a rear port there would have been a huge blind spot behind the KWagen. A rear port would have allowed the Kwagen crew to toss a grenade or point a flamethrower or machine gun at any annoying Tomies trying to hide in the tank's bind spot.

The drawing of the Kwagen on wikipedia shows the front machine gun, but not the drivers port. File:K-Wagen.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Lookiing at the picture of the factory K wagen, there was not a lot of space between the drive gears in the back of the tank, so if the opening on the rear plate was a weapons port , it would have been difficult to get to.

[John Wagenseil]

I found a photo of the 1/72 resin model of the KWagen. Note the barb wire on the top plate. The model builder realized that the top of the KWagen was really vulnerable and would have been hard to defend.

The other picture is of the builders model which shows the two ports on the front plate. The location of the ports here is slightly different than the port location seen on the plate lying on the factory floor in the 1918 photo.

The third picture is of the builders model and shows the drivers port and front machine gun with circles around them.

[Tim Crowe]

Thanks for the info guys. A drivers viewing port and machine gun, seem like a reasonable addition. A rear port would also be sensible.

This tank was designed by the same guy who did the A7V, so will copy off this tank.

Started to lay out the formers last night. Had bought 2 sheets of A1 size of 2mm self adhesive mounting board. Turned out I need two more!

Tim

[duditz72]

Oooo.... this should be good looking forward to watching the build. A WWI tanks is definetly on my list of things to build.

[Royaloakmin]

Tim, how is the mounting board to cut?

[Tim Crowe]

Originally Posted by Royaloakmin

Tim, how is the mounting board to cut?

Very carefully with a big knife. Thankfully 95% of the cuts are staight lines. I use this stuff already for bases of arctictural models.

Have looked at using electric fretsaws - would like to try one first.

Purchased two more A1 size boards yesterday - should have enough now.

Tim