Opinions on a Gaswagen kit?

[rocketmantan]

Originally Posted by Thomas Meek

I am afraid I don't quite understand the problem. A quick internet image search for the term "gaswagen" yields lots of pictures of railroad cars used for carrying compressed gas, both historical and modern.
What is the connection to the Wansee Conference?

"Gaswagen" is German for "gas car". Just like in English, the term can mean many things, one of which being railroad cars that carry...well, natural gas. However, the Gaswagen I'm describing here are the mobile gas chambers employed by the Einsatzgruppen during the Second World War.
More info can be found here: Gas Vans

[Uyraell]

Thomas my friend, the google search is in this case far too non-specific.

The "Gas Wagen" Brian is speaking of, and to which I referred, was a specifically built class of medium weight road truck, generally in the three ton class. Motorbus chassis were also employed for the same purpose.

In either case, the bodywork was sealed airtight in the passenger section, and the exhaust gasses passed into the passenger section via the exhaust pipe, which thus did not exit its' contents to the outdoor atmosphere in the usual manner.
This meant that the exhaust gasses asphyxiated those persons sealed within the passenger compartment, and thus killed them.

As a low-volume method, it was at least simple. But had nothing else to recommend it, having in mind the cost of building or converting each vehicle, maintaining and fueling each vehicle, and the usual wear and tear on each chassis. It was in fact, a strategic waste of each chassis so employed.

I make no comment upon the cruelty and lack of humanity in such a method of extinguishing lives: it is self-evident.

The vehicles themselves were windowless apart from the driver's cabin.
The bodywork was essentially featureless, unless the observer took time to notice the hermetic sealing of the door to the passenger compartment.
In terms of livery, there were two "styles" observed.
The early models were sometimes painted to look like furniture vans, right down to look-alike logos of known furniture moving companies.
The later models were often left unpainted alloy bodies.

I hope the little bit of descriptive information here clarifies why a google-search didn't turn up much info, Thomas my friend.

Kind and Respectful Regards Thomas my friend, Uyraell.

[Zathros]

Why not do the same thing, but from a completely different position. Did you ever see the wood powered cars from WWII? They came in all shapes and sizes, and most people have no idea they existed.

[Thomas Meek]

Thank you for the clarification. I knew about the wood powered cars, which are neat, (Thanks, Zathros, for the pictures.) but not about the mobile gas chambers, which are horrible. (Thanks rocketmantan and uryaell for the description and link).
I don't think I want to build a model of one of them, but of course anybody is free to design or build what they wish. I, for one, won't ever forget.

Why anybody might want to build such a model might be the subject of an interesting sociological/psychological study, which I probably would not read.

The railroad cars that were used to transport illuminating gas back when the cylinders were rivited would make very nice paper models and I would love to build one of them.

[Zathros]

Originally Posted by Thomas Meek

Thank you for the clarification. I knew about the wood powered cars, which are neat, (Thanks, Zathros, for the pictures.) but not about the mobile gas chambers, which are horrible. (Thanks rocketmantan and uryaell for the description and link).
I don't think I want to build a model of one of them, but of course anybody is free to design or build what they wish. I, for one, won't ever forget.

Why anybody might want to build such a model might be the subject of an interesting sociological/psychological study, which I probably would not read.

The railroad cars that were used to transport illuminating gas back when the cylinders were rivited would make very nice paper models and I would love to build one of them.

I think the wood powered cars are very interesting. With gasoline getting more expensive, they are looking like a viable alternative!

I had a VolksWagen Beetle that had a Gasoline fired Heater in the front ( where the trunk was). That almost qualified as a gas chamber on wheels. There were times I crawled out of that car.

[rocketmantan]

@Zathros: I've heard about those wood-powered cars! It's pretty hilarious, when you think about the desperation that must've been behind it.

@Thomas: There would be many reasons why people would want to build a model of a Gaswagen. Even for those with a good conscience, there's an entire spectrum of reasons as to why they're interested in the Holocaust. Personally, I'm interested in Nazi history in general, the sociological underpinnings behind it, all the way to its technology intrigues me. I chose this subject for many reasons. a) it's very unique, b) it's definitely one of the darker subjects in Nazi history, c) it borders on the controversial, to do a subject like this. I would like to clarify one more time, however, that I by no means intend to celebrate, trivialize, or turn the Holocaust into some form of entertainment.

Anyways, I've already started the buildthread for the model, which you can find here: The Gaswagen (Gas Van)

[ju52man]

Modelik recently made a Opel Blitz Holzgas, a gas-powered truck from ww2

[ringmaster]

This is a portable execution chamber, sometimes disguised as an ambulance. Carbon Monoxide gas from the engine was routed to the rear compartment.

[Art Deco]

I wonder how the reasons for objecting to a "gaswagen" might apply more broadly to other models we see in this forum?

After all, many of the models featured here are replicas of machines that were designed for slaughtering humans.

Personally, I don't see a whole lot of moral difference between a mobile gassing chamber and a machine designed to drop tons of TNT on families cowering in their basements below.

War machines may employ exciting technologies and evoke feelings of adventure, history, bravery and valor, yet ... I can't help but wonder if our societies wouldn't be better off if we approached models, toys and other reminders of war machines with a bit less glamorization and bit more reflection.

[strk]

Originally Posted by Art Deco

of adventure, history, bravery and valor

Unfortunately, all these words have nothing to do with gas-wagen...

But... personally, I would build this model. To remind, and to warn.

There's only one thing missing in this model: a plate with Maxim Gorky (Russian and Soviet author) citation:

Man-kind! How proud that sounds!