0f you google the Maus you can find plenty of period pictures of both versions - including one on a railcar apparently heading off to Russia with Turret in place

Heading off to Russia? You mean AFTER the war? It must have been in big pieces or the Frankenstein that "Cantstopbuyingkits" refers to. Either way a monumental waste of time and resources. They'd have been better off with the equivalent weight in Panthers!

Trumpeter just announced one also, with enterior.

Thanks Maki. Takom could have made it different by putting in the alternate turret design. Cheers, Tat

There were two turret designs. The first turret is the one with curved front. It was actually mounted on one of the Maus prototype. The second design had a flat front panel with a pig's head mantlets, value resembling the henschel tiger ii turret. It was the turret proposed for the E-100. I've never seen any documentation for the second turret being intended for the Maus. However, as the Maus and E-100 appear to have the same turret ring, and the curve front Maus turret was at one time intended for the E-100, I suppose it is possible that the Flat front e-100 turret was at one time intended for the Maus also.

some picture and oter info of the beast... LINK

It would be nice to have an option for both gun turrets, although I already have the resin second turret and it is very nice!

I believe the Maus II turret design was initially for the Maus, as, to put it simply, the Maus and Tiger-Maus, the E-100 "ancestor", were both supposed to use a turret designed by Krupp, or actually, the one who'd win the contract, in the end the Maus. A successive rehash of the Tiger-Maus design by Adlerwerke, shortening the hull a bit and other minor changes, using the proposed modified Maus turret, the II one, with much lighter side armor, created the E-100. So, in summary, the E-100 was only supposed to use a Maus II looking turret, but less armoured, the Maus initially was produced with the curved front turret, but had a new design made specifically for it, the flat front Maus II turret, and the Tiger-Maus only was considered with the curved one. Though keep in mind I'm going by memory, there might be some mistakes.

Very nice to see these two kits and Trumpeters with full interior. I guess the Dragon one I have will never get built now. I also have resin Maus II turm so I will have some options. One thing that has always mystified me is how they would mount and dismount from the vehicle had it ever gone into service. I know the prototype has a ladder on the side so would this have been standard issue along with axe, shovel etc Dave