I have an idea that I'd like to try. A dio of the sabotage of French railcars holding Tiger Tanks, prior to Normandy. I am looking for:
Reference on period flat/box cars.
The tiedown/attachment of Tiger tanks.
What model Tigers/units were held in reserve.
Where to get reasonably accurate 1:35 rail parts ( I figure that I'll have to make the railcars themselves).
The guard practice of the rail lines/depots, etc.

Anyone?

there are a lot of different questios there. Dragon make a number of railcars but I'm not sure if they atre still in production. Shop around and you may find them.
Atelier Infinite make railway stuff in 1/35. Hobbylink Japan stock them.
I would post another question in the axis discussion group in the armour forum for info on tiger tanks.
Hope this helps

Dragon do do several 'rail' related products, you should be able to find them ok. (Earlier I saw a carraige with AA gun, as well as a flat-bed carriage - which should be perfect for your Tigers to go on.)
Trumpeter also do a nice stretch of train-track as well.
Sounds like a good idea!

What make are your French resistance figures?

Harry

PS - As Pat said, if you post some of these questions in the Armour Forum they should get answered!

Thanks for the info. Atelier Infinite seems to be the best case, and they might be releasing the flatcars in February. As for the french resistance figures - I have no idea. I was going to look about. I'd like to have one actually pouring sand in the wheelbox, and maybe one watching - as a lookout. On the other side of the flatcar, I would like to have a soldier walking his post, perhaps just rounding a corner of a bldg - surprising the lookout. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds good - keep us posted!
Maybe a German guard with a dog? (Dragon do a set.)
Hope you find a Resistance set!

Harry

MK35 makes numerous civilian figures that can be converted for the purpose and a number of French Resistance fighters. the site is:

http://perso.orange.fr/mk35.editions/html/figures_eng.html

In the scroll down select civilians and scroll down to the 30s

Matt

Aha! I knew my memory wouldnt let me down. How about:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ESCI-5009-Partisans-resistance-group-1-35-MIB-80s_W0QQitemZ260075343684QQihZ016QQcategoryZ2642QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thanks for all of the input. I think I'll pass on the dog, it's a great idea, but my resistance fighter would be caught then. I want them to get away...

In mid 1944, there were two Tiger battalions in northwest France to counter an Allied invasion: the SS 101st and the Army 503rd. Mixed bag of mid and mostly late Tiger I tanks. 503rd's first company converted to King Tigers, and the third company was transitioning to them when the front collapsed (lost them enroute to the front--two broken down tanks were salvaged during the retreat). Panzer Lehr Division also had a handful of Tigers and King Tigers in their Funklenk company (radio tanks to control B IV demolition vehicles).
Tigers were carried on the the heavy flat cars with three-axle bogies (Dragon offered only the lighter versions with the two-axle variety). Your tanks will need the narrow transportation tracks (AFV Club is about to release a workable set), and also remove the outermost set of wheels if you depict the mid-production Tiger I with the rubber-tired wheels. The battle tracks were usually folded over themselves and carried under the tanks' bellies, or rolled sideways and carried on the end of the railcar.
Esci offered a partisan set if you can track it down.
That said, I cannot recall any mention of a Tiger battalion losing any entrained tanks to partisans in France, so your dio is in the "what if" genre.

I just got an Azimut Productions/Ironside "German Box Car om "Breslau'" from e-bay, and noticed there were two other kits from the same seller, one was a light flatcar and the other a heavy flatcar... could this be what you're after? I'm not sure of the extent of their whole range but the kit looks good so far. BTW it's huge! I thought 1;35th rail stuf would be much smaller but this boxcar is going to totally dominate the dio I had planned...

good luck

You lucky guy, I've been hunting for one of those for ages.

Howdy fellas,

Interesting thread, I am always drawn to military RR subject matter. But even more so, I am intrigued to hear this wee bit of info..."...Tigers were carried on the the heavy flat cars with three-axle bogies (Dragon offered only the lighter versions with the two-axle variety)...."
My dear GeraldOwens, I don't suppose you could expand on that in more detail could you? Or, {dare I ask}, provide a photo of this 3-bogied (sp?) rail car?
Additionally, would this be a 3-wheeled version of the standard German G-10 based Railcar?

regards,

Tread.

Thanks all.

I just read your posts, and THANK YOU for all of the info.

I am looking to have the partisan removing the wheel bearing oil, and adding carborundum powder to the wheel bearings of the flatcars. There is an account of 70-75% of railcars being sabotaged this way before the D-Day invasion. "the roller bearings running dry with carborundum powder was not the best form of lubrication" it "didn't take long for the bearings to seize up and the flatcar to derail". I am looking to make this the point of the diorama, not actually sabotaging the tanks themselves. The info re: loading of the tanks is a great help, and any other info you might have would be a GREAT help! Am I correct in understanding that they removed the tracks and placed them under the tanks? I have read that the tanks/flatcars were scattered througout the french countryside, and camo'd.

I have a Dragon King Tiger with a Porsche turret. Supposedly for Normandy '44. I do not know all that much about the correct tanks/divisions etc. Is this correct for the time? Is the turret correct?

The instructions say: s.Pz.Abt. 503, Normandy 1944

As I have read in the account, the 2nd Panzer Division had loaded the tanks on "...cars were enormous, with six big wheels on either end. The steel bed of the car dipped low to the tracks." The account referrs to Tigers, but my model is a King Tiger. Do I need another model? If so, what should I look for? What markings?If not, waht would be the correct markings for my tank?

Thanks alot!

Glenn

hi all, i have the same problems... in Axis WW II i have also a thread on that subject. Putting a tiger on the 4 axed is no option! As someone said, they exist (the 6 axed ones) but are rare.

here 's a pic: http://www.alanhamby.com/Gallery/Tiger_22l.jpg

what i also read is that there always was a normal wagon (flat or box) betwen 2 plattformwagen with a 56ton tiger. (although i saw a photo with all tiger after each other) It had something to do with the weight when braking...

For those who can read german: panzer-archiv.de is a treasure...

a built of a 6 axed i found on a japanese site (for those who can read the funny signs) with lots of pics: http://blog.empas.com/germantroops/read.html?a=11218448

http://blog.empas.com/germantroops (i think page 11,12,13 are mostly about building the 6 ax)

also you can see the unloading of panthers (which could go on a 4 axed?) just look at the weight and u know it (4 ax -->50ton, 6 ax-->80ton)

As for me, i have now 1 BR, 1 closed boxcar (by baluard in resin and metal), 1 Dragon Gondola, 2 Dragon Ssy Plattformwagen (4 ax) and 1 Dragon Flatcar (with mg crew). That would make my train for now already 2,20 m!! Still looking for 6 axed ones (i want 2!) But i ll stop at 3m.
Still not sure if it will be a dio...

O and i know a seller who still has ironside breslau (about 32euro)and also the ironside flatcar (2ax) and
BAL35004 Low-Sided Wagon

BAL35006 Low Goods Wagon

its www.alanhamby.com gallery 6 where u can see tiger on Ssym , 9th pic

Gordon here's a working link for your 3 wheel bogie:
3 wheel
scroll down :-)

I have found that same Japanese co. for the railcar. I guess it's not out yet. I'll wait.
Thanks. The pix of the railcars are excellent! Does anyone have any idea where to get reference of rail specifics during WW2 ? Color of cars? etc?

Howdy fellas,

Sorry I missed the replies here, but I haven't checked back after the first few times....my fault.

to Grumpy: My thx dear Sir for providing that very nice link. It does indeed show the 3-wheeled bogey set-up {which I didn't even know about}. Wish the picture was a bit better, but beggars can't be chosers, and I am grateful for your taking the time to post it.
But, after reading the caption, I am pleased to find something else I didn't know about........that Tiger tanks 1; had narrower "transport" tracks that were completely different tracks then their normal 'combat' tracks. And 2; that the Tigers were transported not only wearing these narrower tracks, but, that they also were transported sans their outer road wheels!..........sorry, might be old news to some of you German steel 'guru's', but I just never knew that.....

Thx again Dave

Tread.

Oh, almost forgot......is the 3-wheeled bogey railcar still of the G-10 series?

these railacars where used untill the 80's!!!! and yes u can get them no w in 1 35!!! no waiting!!!

Redgonie...where would i find such a beastie?..again in 1/35.
Thanks!

Try this post:
Rail Car

pfff very hard to find some material on railway in WWII and transports.

Here's an interesting film from youtube i found under...music. No Tigers tough but panthers and ferdinands i think.

Best to put out sound!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCbObLWYJ4A

Hi

I don't know if this is of interest but this site lists a railcar. It shows it with a Tiger on, about half way down the page.

Good luck

Alan

http://www.armour-models.co.uk/model_kit_tws.html