Finally, after having to recharge ALL of my camera batteries.......... I've finally gotten some photos of my newest car, the German rail gun "Leopold". I'd like to get better close ups, but I have fits with macro photos!! Anyway.........Review of car seen in different thread. The overall car, with barrel raised. Loading end of car, with crane, and diesel generator exhaust stacks. Lettering and barrel. End of car, under barrel opening. Also another view of the trucks and lettering.
A few more photos. A so-so shot of crane on loading end of car. Laid on its side, showing some of the surface detail. Again, a very nice car. However, the one major problem with it, is it does NOT roll worth a darn!!! Stub axle wheels that are held in by a snap on plate. Wish I could figure out HOW to drill out axle ends for Atlas steel wheels, or equivalent. Also need to decide if I want to try installing MT couplers. Since the real one does NOT have couplers......... May be resigned to Shelf Queen status. Unless I could find ball bearings small enough to fit the current axles, the modify the mounts to hold the bearings?? And so far, it looks as if it'll handle an 11" radius curve. And not look to out of place!
Looks to be the one made by Hobbytrain. For the coupler, if I remember correctly these take a British coupler called Dapol Easi-Fits due to the NEM coupler pocket. I'm not 100% on that, but from the picture it looks like that's what your railway gun has. Hope that helps and good luck!
Hobby Train is correct. Now, I need to see if I can find someone who can translate some of the paperwork that was included. Have nothing in English.
Does your flat bed scanner have OCR software? If so, scan it, then run the results through an on-line translator such as Google Language Tools. Results most likely will not be near 100%, but you should be able to follow along what is being stated.
Any plans to make it "functional". By that I mean simulate the recoil when it's being fired; bonus points if you add light, sound, and smoke effects. I mean, you never know when you'll need to defend your layout from an HO scale tank rush.
Yeah. Gotta watch out for those HO guys, they can be sneaky. Oops. I convict myself, being a rubber gauger, into HOn30.... :sweat:
Might be kind of hard to load it in a tunnel though!! They were able toi fire 15 rounds an hour. Not sure if I can do the same!!
I've put Dapol knuckle couplers on mine, they fit right into the NEM coupler pocket. The real gun does have couplers BTW, they were fitted with the standard European buffers and screw couplings. Mine also rolls like a house brick and spends a lot of time parked on a siding at a military museum on a T-TRAK module built by my sister-in-law.
Is that 15 rounds per hour with a fast clock? The real thing is currently at the Army Ordinance Museum at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland but set to be moved to the new Ordinance museum at Ft. Lee by Richmond, VA. It was put together from parts of the two guns that shelled the Anzio beachhead. Congrats on getting one. I've always thought those looked really cool. Andy Tetsu Uma
It's now in Ft Lee, as is the rest of the Aberdeen collection. See also: http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=526 Definitely a display piece, because of the rolling issues. Still, I thought it was a neat piece of equipment.
Hadn't realized they had already got the whole collection moved to Ft. Lee. Getting on base is going to make visiting the museum a pain.
At least it's easier for you!! I've got a 2,000 mile drive first!! Or a 3 hour flight I can't afford either!! Especially now, since I have major problems with my truck again! Lost reverse about Noon today!! About a $2K transmission rebuild, so I've heard. So far anyway....... Still, I'd love to find a way out to see the original car.
Where can I find these Dapol couplers? Might have to install them, if I can find them. Then, with 2-3 locomotives, maybe try running this monster at the next train show in the Denver area, in March. Think that's the next TCA show at The Mart, 58th Ave and I-25. Thanks.
This is the Dapol website for the couplers. http://dapol.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=177_62_154_197 I got mine from a British online dealer, if you click on 'stockists' on the menu on the left then go to North West they are the 5th one down the list.
You could take the train . . . . Ouch! on the trans rebuild. My house just puked the furnace so I'm with you on not having funds for the fun stuff. Rent a car, maybe? Gas would almost certainly be cheaper than a truck if my trips this fall between VA and Chicago in my dad's F150 are any indication and you don't put mileage on your vehicle. From what I've been able to discover, the museum doesn't have the K5 on display yet so there's still time. BTW, I've got about four Dragon models K5 kits in 1:144 if you need one.
