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Tog 2 1/72
The TOG 2 was a British super heavy tank prototype that weighed in at 81 tons. The proposal and design for a super heavy tank was undertaken by the Special Vehicle Development Committee (popularly known as "The Old Gang"), a group of tank development pioneers from WWI. TOG 1 was found to be unsuitable, but TOG 2 got the green light, and testing continued beginning in March, 1941, and ending in 1943. Multiple turrets were tried, but the old gang ultimately settled upon the 17 pounder equipped A30 Challenger turret already in use. The tank had a complicated hybrid drive system: a 600 HP diesel engine spun an electrical generator, which in turn powered electric motors to drive the sprockets. The tank was too large, too slow, too complicated, and designed to be effective in a trench warfare scenario that never developed. The TOG 2 prototype is displayed at the Bovington tank museum in England, and is the largest vehicle in the collection.
The TOG 2 is currently enjoying indoor, air conditioned luxury at Bovington, but I imagine that at some point in its life it sat outdoors on concrete slabs at one museum or another, and that is what my display base depicts. The plaque on my base indicates 1941 to mark the start of testing of the hull, but the model is of the final version of the tank, so 1943 is equally accurate, if not more so. The 1/50 scale kit is designed by Griga64, and is based on the 3d renders from World of Tanks. I thought the level of detail was a bit "soft" for a 1/50 scale model, so I reduced mine to 1/72. I darkened the tracks, and tops of the turret and hull which seemed too light to me. Adjusting the brightness and contrast also brought out more detail. I made some modifications to the hull so the model would more closely represent the real thing (and the WoT renders). The build was trouble free. The model was well designed, and everything fit together perfectly. Pics were taken off my deck railing. Spring is almost here!
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Regards, Don I don't always build models, but when I do... I prefer paper. Keep your scissors sharp, my friends. Last edited by rockpaperscissor; 03-15-2020 at 10:23 AM. |
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#2
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Great work, Don!
And also, I really like the photos.
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Kacper |
#3
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Another great model, Don.
For some reason, I have always liked the appearance of the TOG. I have the WoT model and am noting your modifications. Don |
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81 tons...imagine this on the way to the battle.
Great model! |
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great model an build well done
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Bravo, Don. You did make the WoT render come alive. As usual, outstanding texturing job. Loved the layered features - track slats, assorted things on the top surfaces, the shallow (apparently chamfered) "windows" below the turret, and especially the hexagonal bolts on the turret sides which give that extra touch. Even the grass is in scale.
My only criticisms can probably be noticed only by zooming on the main gun - the opening seems small and off-center, and the barrel looks slightly too thick for the turret slot. BTW the TOG 2 really seems a relic from another era. Let me guess, no suspension? |
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Thanks for your comments, gents. Your observations about the gun are spot on, cfuruti. It is the weak point of the model. The TOG 1 had no suspension, but the improved TOG 2, did. "...relic from another era" is an apt description of this tank. It's hard to believe they were still tweaking and testing this throwback as late as 1943.
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Regards, Don I don't always build models, but when I do... I prefer paper. Keep your scissors sharp, my friends. |
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Interesting take on TOG 2.
There is a story that one of the "Old Gang" - Albert Stern - had argued bitterly with Winston Churchill in 1917 over resource allocation for tank production. Churchill was Munitions Minister at the time. When Churchill became Prime Minister in 1940 the TOG project was starved of resources. The petrol-electric drive isn't that unusual. It was first developed by Ferdinand Porsche (might recognise the name) in WW1 as the drive system for the Austro-Hungarian B-Zug artillery tractor which was used to move Skoda heavy siege guns around. The WW2 Jagdpanzer Ferdinand/Elephant and the pre-war French FCM Char 2C used petrol-electric drives. The advantage of petrol-electric drive is that max. torque is delivered by electric motors at low rpm so very heavy vehicles can be moved by relatively low powered engines without the need for a massive mechanical transmission. Almost all diesel railway locomotives use diesel-electric drive. Regards, Charlie |
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Wonderful work Don!
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