Sorry I haven’t posted any updated pics. I am on a new work schedule: 6:00pm - 6:00am (3 days on / 2 days off) Trying to get used to sleeping in the light [:|] and staying up all night [:XX]
I did finish off my base and sprayed dull coat. I still want to add some Woodland Scenic product to it. I am off for the next 2 days so, I will get something posted. Will be doing work on the Panther.
Don’t ask me how but, I never noticed I was somehow missing the tracks for the Panther G. Have no idea where they went. I ordered another Tamiya kit with a separate track links kit and have since received them. Will be using the tracks from kit. When I build the other Panther, I will use the separates.
not to worry. i just found ANOTHER shelf queen high side Trumpeter gondola/flatcar. that makes 1 heavy flatcar, 3 high side gondolas 3 low side gondolas (both of which i can leave the sides off and use for flatcars for light vehicle). very cool.
Duke, a while back I did some research on the Dora trying to find as many real war photos as possible. Obviously there aren’t that many out there but one thing I wanted to find out, is what locomotives were used to pull/push it. What I found was a lot of dioramas with interpretations but only two photos of camo cars new her that looked like workers cars and not one locomotive. I’m sure you’ve seen this photo but other than supplies or personnel I don’t really see any other use for them.
My “guess” is that it had to be steam locomotives. It was taken down and reassembled, but even though it must’ve taken some real power to handle that mass. And then theres the track, I’m not sure it had any bearing on the loco’s just another “guess” on my part but I think it was for reinforcement for that huge gun.
Duke if you have any other info I’d love to hear it, I’m still not out of the Dora thought yet…
Thanks for the great replies guys. Wayne, I would love to get a model of those diesels you mention, but like the armored engine seen above; there’s no kits of those in 1/72 scale. The armored engines did get used to haul Dora around and in a pinch, helped to get her aimed if/when the diesels broke or went down for maintenance.
Terry, when Dora was broken down for travel, her train was nearly a mile long. this was typically pulled by several of the armored locomotives to whatever location she was being stationed at. The rest of her support train (consisting of the cars you see in the first pic) extended the length to five miles long. Her crew consisted of 88 men on board with another 200+ in support roles such as cooks, laundry, maintenance, AA protection, supply, etc. She was commanded by a Major General equivalent. As Wayne mentioned, she was aimed using specially designed diesel engines that would leave no plume; could move her an inch at a time if necessary; and were extremely powerful to handle all 13,000+ tons of her. Unfortunately, there are no models of those diesels in 1/72 scale. It is possible that for some reason, the locos used to aim her were some kind of military secret at the time so no pics were taken of them with the Dora because of that.I’ll try to dig up more of my info that I got while researching her.
Wow what an undertaking, didn’t they ever think that a gun the size of Manhattan wouldn’t be seen from the air?
Thanks Duke, right after this build I’m at a crossroad whether to go ahead with a 4’ RR Dio in 1/72 or a Dora, still thinking. I have almost all the parts for it except my landscape, but either way I’ll run a WIP on this build.
Duke I’m wondering if those extra rails were not only used for recoil support, but maybe to help it along for aiming. Something like a gearing effect? I found that the this beast broke ties by the dozens after these shots. They’re undertaking is almost unbelievable.
no just a lot of not built in boxes. actually the gondolas with a nice base are only one foot long and narrow. the heavy flatcar needs an 18 inch base. i am going to have so many different shades of german gray when i get done but fun practice. checked and my buffers for Dragon and Trumpeter are the same height so that is good. if we get another black lab mix sized dog i lose 3 shelves due to the tail.
the narrow kits, rail cars, and towed guns in travel mode sit on bases in front of books on my book shelves
Yes, Terry, it was quite an undertaking. It typically took two to three weeks to assemble Dora to get her ready for firing. They did know she’d be seen from the air, and they took steps to try and mitigate that possibility. She was always surrounded by at least 40 AA guns, mostly quads, and they always carried copious amounts of camo netting that were strung up around her. Sometimes, they even lit smoke pots to obscure her from the air if they expected enemy air activity. She was usually deployed in areas where they had air superiority, or there was a low expectation of enemy aircraft too.
The extra rails that were carried and that she was deployed on were curved about 1 to 3 degrees, so even though she seemed to sit on a straight track, she didn’t. Her movement back and forth on those curved tracks served to traverse the gun. This is why they needed special locos to move her such tiny measurements: one inch could mean a five-mile distance between shell impacts on the receiving end of this gun. The recoil support came in the form of special brakes that kept her from moving backwards, as well as massive pads under the main chassis that impacted the rails to absorb the recoil, as well as allow friction to help keep her from moving backwards. You’ll also notice that she had some bare metal on her barrel; it was part of the triple recoil system she used to stay in place. That recoil is what broke ties so much which is why part of that five-mile-long support train carried extras. Usually, when they arrived at an area, they would send out crews to go find wood to make more, especially if they were expected to stay in an area for a long time (Think Sevestapol) The ties were made extra large too to help mitigate the amount of breakage.
Let me know when you start a WIP on this and please include a link too. I’d love to follow along and watch.
based on new photos i “rusted up” the bumpers, especially the sliding shaft as well as the couplers. Vallejo oily steel followed by some metallic rust, german red brown and toned down with blackgray.i will glue the sides on today as i have others i can use for light armor flatcars. one may have a 20 (4) FLAK in travel mode on it as that was a standard car for the gun train.
I’m struggling for bench time but I did get the interior completed and ready to install the cab. My Schienenwolf is completed and I’ve started on the base by preparing ties, rails and cleats.
I’ve been feeling a tad off the past few days too. i think i am going to paint deck on the heavy flat car like wood. lightly overspray with paint and see if i need to remove more paint. also working on K-5. there is a post of another finished K-5 in armor in it’s own thread. going to study that one a bit as well as Karl’s PZ-IV painting .
Yea Wayne I seen that one and I’d also put a wood finish on it. BYW I like the way my wood has been coming out lately, just some different products and techniques, starting to look very realistic after years of hit and miss. I used to hate large wood areas….
the trucks are ready to overspray and camo. the trucks are sitting on a foot long section of track.
if you have build artillery or anti-tank guns you familiar with building breeches for the guns. to give you an idea of the size here are a couple of pics of the breech.
spent the afternoon sanding every cylinder on the K-5 except the barrel. all the seams look good. took a break to work on shelf queen HEAVY FLAT CAR. got the decals on but NO ONE WILL EVER SEE the other side. fragile old decals broke like crazy so managed to get most of one side one. also the overspray didn’t work well. i will flat coat the decals and do some heavy weathering on this. lessons learned. not sure if Vallejo is the best paint for overspray misting but probably just need more practice.
A little progress on the cab and interior. I tried to give the inner walls a more varnished look as opposed to the very used floor, but I have to tone it down a bit. A few more steps and I can start final assembly.
[/URL[URL=http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/kingtiger11/media/German%20Dora%20Photos/RailwayGuns9_zpsd653f3c2.jpg.html]
[/URL[URL=http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/kingtiger11/media/Trumpeter%20WR360/DSC01593_zpsvz0umkk8.jpg.html]
[/URL[URL=http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/kingtiger11/media/Trumpeter%20WR360/DSC01598_zpsbmhjbyxp.jpg.html]
