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Post by RLFoster on Dec 13, 2020 14:27:26 GMT -6
OFFICIALLY STARTED 1 JAN 2021
Hello Everyone,
For my next build, I've elected to push this project to the front of the queue and many of these larger, more complex projects will be happening sooner rather than later. Life is not getting any shorter and I want to get these things built.
First up with be the massive Dragon 54cm Morser, the Big ED Edward PE set for the kit, and the Trumpeter German artillery crew figures.
I'll probably take a few days to decompress, clean up the workbench, and do a little research before starting it, but I'm already looking forward to the build.
Until next time...
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Post by JCON on Dec 13, 2020 14:53:12 GMT -6
Wow you really mean it when you say larger!!!
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Post by dogfish7 (R.I.P.) on Dec 13, 2020 18:12:35 GMT -6
This aught to be good!
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Post by JED on Dec 14, 2020 8:24:45 GMT -6
Certainly looking forward to this one.
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Post by RLFoster on Dec 14, 2020 9:48:57 GMT -6
Thanks for looking in and the interest in this project. Before I get started, I thought I'd add a little background information for those who might want to know more about the subject vehicle(s) and any considerations when modeling them.
The Karl-Gerat self-propelled breech loaded mortars were the largest such vehicles of WWII. There were only seven produced with one of those being strictly a test vehicle for changes and improvements. The vehicles were known as Karl-Gerat No. I, Adam/Baldur; No. II, Eva/Wotan”; No. III, Thor; No. IV, Odin; No. V, Loki; No. VI, Ziu; and No. VII, no nickname (this was the test vehicle).
All seven were initially produced as a Karl-Gerat 040, a 60cm, short barreled mortar designed to attack fixed fortifications. Early use proved they were effective designs, but not as accurate as hoped. Therefore, six replacement guns were ordered that were 54cm, but with longer barrels. Vehicles with these barrels were classified as Karl-Gerat 041. By the end of the war three 54cm guns had been received and installed on mortars I, IV, and V.
From a modeling perspective, if you want to build a 040, it can depict any of the seven produced. However, if you want to build a 041, it must be either Adam (or Baldur), Odin, or Loki. There are some additionally considerations given that these vehicles had various combinations of engines, transmissions, rubber or steel road wheels, and even differences in the track and drive sprocket.
Another consideration for a modeler – and one you will see misrepresented frequently – is whether to depict the model in a firing position or self-propelled transportation position. Why is this important? Because of the way these weapons operated due to their shear size. These weapons were fired from perfectly flat, prepared ground and once positioned, the crews would raise the road wheels, lowering the bottom of the hull to ground level. This ensured the entire bottom of the hull could spread the gun's concussion over a large ground area when the mortar was fired. NOTE: One of the first test firings of Karl-Gerat VII with it's road wheels in their lowered, transportation position resulted in the catastrophic failure of most of the torsion bars.
Fortunately, there are kit options available to depict any Karl-Gerat correctly. In 1/35 scale, Trumpeter produces several models with both 040 and 041 barrel options as well as the ability to attach the road wheels in either the raised or lowered positions. In 1/72, Hobby Boss does this as well. Dragon's kits are not quite as versatile. Dragon makes a 60cm mortar kit with the lowered hull fixed in a firing position or this particular kit, the 54cm gun with the raised hull.
Therefore, this kit must be built with the gun lowered and not being loaded. However, it can still be depicted with crew on the vehicle, preparing it to either be lowered or driven to a new location. Additionally, I'll need to decide which of the three mortars to depict – I, IV, or V – when and where.
That will do it for now.
Until next time...
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Post by JCON on Dec 14, 2020 10:25:23 GMT -6
Great history thank you!!!
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Post by JED on Dec 14, 2020 13:50:33 GMT -6
Very informative
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Post by dogfish7 (R.I.P.) on Dec 14, 2020 14:09:02 GMT -6
Yes. Never heard anything about this beast. I sure wouldn't want to be on the receiving end!
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Post by RLFoster on Dec 14, 2020 14:20:35 GMT -6
Thanks Joe, Jed, and Bruce... HOWEVER, I HATE CONTRADICTIONS!!! So most of what I posted above comes from the Wiki page on the Karl-Gerat, but also corroborated by at least one other website. The Wiki page (and two others) indicate that ONLY guns I, IV, and V had been fitted with 54cm guns and NONE of the guns appeared in combat together! And then the Wiki page has this photo for the O41: Does anyone else see the problem here? This photo shows THREE Karl-Gerat 041 vehicles in a single grouping supposedly in Poland in late 1944, something the Wiki article says NEVER happened. Additionally, if you do some photo manipulation on the front most vehicle, you can CLEARLY make out that this is THOR or Karl-Gerat IV...NOT one of the three identified on ANY web pages as being converted to 54cm. So, what's going on? Either: 1) The photo is a complete fake. Not likely, but possible. 2) The photo is real and the Wiki article (as well as the other websites) just doesn't explain the grouping accurately. This is one of those rabbit holes that I LOVE going down. More to follow...
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Post by JCON on Dec 14, 2020 14:36:31 GMT -6
Oh boy!!!
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Post by RLFoster on Dec 14, 2020 14:39:57 GMT -6
That didn't take long...
One of the primary references for the Wiki article is the Chamberlain "Encyclopedia of German Tanks of WWII" (which I own). In checking that book, I quickly discovered why NO ONE SHOULD EVER TRUST WIKIPEDIA without a huge grain of salt.
The photo I posted above and said you could manipulate to show it is THOR, is actually USED in the Chamberlain book and STATES, unequivocally that the vehicle is THOR! Why the Wiki article doesn't say this is beyond comprehension.
THOR is Karl-Gerat III!!! Therefore, the statement that vehicles I, IV, and V were the only ones converted to 54cm is flat-out WRONG!
Time to dig a little deeper -- and maybe create a Wiki profile to raise some heck (I stated the stronger usage!).
Until next time...
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Post by RLFoster on Dec 14, 2020 15:01:08 GMT -6
The specific reference for the statement that only those three vehicles had 54cm guns installed comes from a Thomas Jentz book that predates the Chamberlain encyclopedia by three years. While Thomas Jentz was an excellent historian and researcher of WWII, he was not infallible and has been shown in the past to have made errors. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2012 and so is not able to provide his references for statements in his vast library of books.
So, as of right now, we know that the Jentz book quote is NOT correct and that at least one additional Karl-Gerat had a 54cm barrel installed -- THOR or vehicle III.
We also know, for a fact, that LOKI had a 54cm barrel because that is how it was configured when captured by the U.S. in 1945.
That's all I know at the moment. Time to climb out of the rabbit hole for today.
Until next time...
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Post by JCON on Dec 14, 2020 16:25:58 GMT -6
You sir are the master of research!!! Very cool info...
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Post by JCON on Dec 14, 2020 23:22:14 GMT -6
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Post by RLFoster on Dec 15, 2020 6:33:56 GMT -6
That's a great website, Joe!
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Post by JCON on Dec 15, 2020 9:54:28 GMT -6
Glad to be of help Robert!!!
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Post by dogfish7 (R.I.P.) on Dec 15, 2020 10:02:39 GMT -6
Who knew???
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Post by JED on Dec 15, 2020 12:17:43 GMT -6
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Post by JCON on Dec 15, 2020 12:22:02 GMT -6
Obviously, Robert and I know!!!
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Post by JED on Dec 15, 2020 12:49:44 GMT -6
Obviously, Robert and I know!!! "Of course 😂😂
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