German Armoured Train BP44

[danaos]

Hi,

Joined a little while ago for inspiration on how to start building a Panzerzug BP44 train, and finally got around to starting. The final project will end up being a build in plasticard for my son's OO gauge model railway (although I'm scaling to 1:87), but along the way I'll be building each part of the train from card in order to check that the meshes work and that the scale is right. I'm building the train as a 3D model in Google Sketchup, and using the Flattery plugin to open up the models into flat meshes to print and build. For reference I've been using the Waldemar Trojca Panzerzug BP42/BP44 book which I bought recently, it's full of fantastic engineering drawings of the train and it's railcars in 1:35 scale, making it reasonably easy to build the basic 3D shells.

I'm also deviating slightly from reality and adding a couple of extra railcars to the final model - a Panzerjager-Triebwagen 51, and a Leopold railway gun. For these I have the GPM 1:25 scale model books to work from, redrawing the parts in Sketchup so that I can scale it easily and also to simplify the model.

Enough writing, I've got some pics to show the progress so far


Initial model for the Panzerlok 57 armoured locomotive and tender:


Panzerlok 57 and both tenders, with simple camo pattern for testing:


Mesh output from Flattery plugin scaled in Photoshop, ready to print.


Photo of first test build of loco and tender, sat on plastic Hornby frames for sizing - the tender frame is from an old triple axle bogied flat bed carriage, and will be used in the final plastic model.


Basic model for the Panzerjager-Triebwagen 51


I'll be posting updates in my own blog at http://www.ageofstrife.com/blog/Spack/ , but I'll try to remember to keep coming back here to post updates as I build the card test models

[Miles Linnabery]

Dear Danos:
During WWII some of the Model Railroad Cars where made of cardboard and seemed to hold to handling. I have wondered about using thin Superglue to flood a card model to stiffen it for handling, or using a paint of epoxy to seal and stiffen. As you seem to going to do a double build first in card then plastic card you might try and see if this technique will work in HO scale.
Good luck, looks like a good start,
MILES

[danaos]

Thanks for the comment. Might be an option, I hadn't considered soaking the card in glue. Might make for an easier build for most of the superstructure, although for gun barrels I might stick with fine plastic tubing as I already have various diameters kicking around in my "bits box" along with the plasticard sheets (which I use for scratchbuilding and converting Warhammer 40k models). As these are going to be used on a working OO railway I'll still be using plastic wheel frames and metal wheels, but certainly the rest of the models might still be workable in card.

I'll have a chat to my father - I remember as a child he used to make firework casings from card tubing that he soaked in a resin epoxy and they were extremely hard wearing and stiff, making for excellent "bangers" as they could hold a lot of pressure before bursting.

Would certainly speed up building - the card prototypes would end up becoming the undetailed shells and then all they'd need would be thin card hatches adding. Not looking forward to the riveting though - going to take a while dabbing PVA with a toothpick


Just realised I put the wrong picture up of the Panzerjager-Triebwagen - should have been this one:



the one I posted earlier was harder to see due to the camo patterning and sitting behind the Panzerlok 57.

[hawkman67]

I am really liking what you have going so far. I have all of the armored train models from Best's and I like that your shells are different looking than theirs. Your tender would look great with the locos.
Jeff

[danaos]

Thanks for the comment. The loco and tender shells are adapted from the Trojca BP42/BP44 book and represent a Panzerlok BR 57 (Prussian G10) with full armour as used in some of the BP42/BP44 trains, but from my very limited knowledge of German WW2 armoured trains they did use a number of other locomotives - the Trojca book also includes orthographic drawings of the Panzerlok BR 93 which is a much boxier looking train.

[hawkman67]

Danaos,
if you go to this site you can find models of those and some russian, and German cars as well. www.bestpapermodels.com They have a great selection of 1/87 scale kits, including dios.
I am in the process of modifying some of the cars into others of the armored trains myself. Keep up the great work look forward to seeing more.
Also would it be possible to get a copy of your loco and tender shells to add to my trains? it would be easy for me add the running gear to them.
Regards, Jeff

[danaos]

Already seen some of them, but they have a BR 52 loco rather than the BR 57 that I wanted to model. They also have none of the BP42/BP44 railcars that I'd need for the rest of the train, and while the Panzerjager-Triebwagon 51 model might have been useful it was pretty simple to put that together myself in Sketchup. All the other train models they have are Soviet or Polish trains, or a few generic wagons that again weren't used on the BP42/BP44.

Trumpeter have a 1/35 kit of the BR 57 so you can compare my shells with pics of that model, for instance here: http://www.panzertruppen.org/tienda/resena/modelos/tsm219/index.html


I also enjoy the challenge in modelling these in 3D myself - I'm a techie (been a computer user since 1982, and my career in IT), a geek, and a bit of an engineer (I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering and spent a year working for an aerospace company on projects such as Eurofighter, F22, and Airbus, but ended up elsewhere after Uni).

I've just realised that the roof of the rear of the loco is a little too long, I must have mistyped the measurement in when calculating the 1/87 scale length. I'll get that fixed, and double check the other measurements before making the shells available.

The shells I've printed out are incomplete, for instance the loco doesn't include the triangular armour that covers the gap between the cab and the boiler housing, or the armour covering the buffers, but I these can be created from the Sketchup model easily enough. The models themselves are also incomplete as there's a lot of detail missing - I was going to add the hatches, ladders, etc to the final card/plastic model once I'd found a suitable chassis to mount them on and tested that the shells allow enough movement between the loco and tender for 2nd radius curves.

What format would you like them in? I have the Sketchup models that you can unfold yourself using the Flattery plugin, or I can export a new SVG file from Sketchup with the additional panels, or convert the SVG to PNG/JPG/TIFF/etc. Let me know which you'd prefer and I'll upload them to my site and send you the URL.


I'm also adding at least one tank carrying wagon - I've built a 1/87 Jagdpanther and have a 1/87 Tiger ready to put together, as well as plans for a 1/87 PzIV, scaled from 1/100 and 1/144 free card models. If they'll fit I'll use the PzIVs instead of Pz38t tanks in the well wagons, I've been playing World of Tanks for just over a year now and these 3 vehicles are my favourites from the game so thought I'd find a way to include them.

[hawkman67]

Danaos,
You are certainly a busy man with these! BUt the end result will certainly be more than worth the effort. Yes the train selection on the Best site is not a lot. They do have a model of the BR-93 Armored loco and some freight cars to go with it. And also a set of German war wagons that has an armored car with it and a flat car with a flak Vierling, and some cargo.
They did have a semi-complete armored train that was out before they pulled it in favor of the new one that only has the loco and tender out so far. I do have the early train with the armored flat car with the Pnzr.4 turret on it.
I work in Photo-Shop a lot and can easily add any of the needed details such as railings, ladders, running gear, etc.. If you could post the shells up as PDF's that would be great and the easiest for me to work with. I have some armored flat cars that carry ballast, and supplies that are to run up front of the loco in case of mines, that are almost finished. I certainly look forward to the well cars as I have some 38T's. PM me for more info on the Armored train kits that I have so far.
Jeff

[danaos]

I've sent a couple of PMs, one earlier when I saw your reply and another one 1 minute ago including links, did you get them? After pressing send the forum just showed me my inbox, no indication of having sent the PMs and nothing showing in my sentbox.

[hawkman67]

Danaos,
I got both PM's and thanks for the links, they are going to be very helpful! I replyed to both of your PM's with more info for you,
Regards, Jeff