Towing the "88"

[Threetoughtrucks]

Now that our "88"s are in the mail (mine is as of today..)........

Anybody given any thought to a tow vehicle for our "88"s. One of the 1/6 guys made this beautiful scratch built and monstrous half-track (check out the size compared to a 1/6 Tiger).
With 21C having troubles, I don't see 21C ever making one of these in 1/18. Any other ideas?



TTT

[aferguson]

best idea at the moment is to convert an Indiana jones truck to an sdkfz 11, using an xd 251 for the running gear. While not intended to tow the 88, many, many sdkfz 11's did in north africa.

That huge famo was normally used for towing much larger items than the 88 and since there weren't many of them around it would have been very unusual to see a big Famo towing the 88, and definitely not in north africa.

[Dauntless]

What was the German truck of choice to pull it? Or did they have to use a tank mostly?

[Threetoughtrucks]

Aferg:

Isn't this the big Famo?


TTT

[exether_mega]

The 88 was towed by the SDKFZ 7 prime mover. This halftrack was previously made to tow it

http://www.afrikakorps.org/_photos/SdKf ... Flak88.jpg

http://www.afrikakorps.org/_photos/88/S ... 8Combo.jpg

http://77.87.105.98/0/39/65/84/july-2007/7-copie-1.jpg

http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/k/halbk ... ydeww2.jpg

http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/k/42jan ... ydeww2.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SdKfz_7

We need such prime mover to go with the 88 !

phil

[aferguson]

the picture won't enlarge (i find image shack pretty much sucks) but that looks to be a sdkfz 7, the main purpose built tow vehicle for the 88. The FAMO looks very similar but is much, much larger. Just like the sdkfz 11 looks similar but is about 10% smaller than the sdkfz 7.

That's definitely not a FAMO in the picture though.

Tanks were never used to tow the 88, but as i said, the smaller sdkfz 11's (which were based on the same chassis as the sdkfz 251) were often used to tow the 88's, especially in north africa, where everything was in short supply.

[smittyrob64]

Thats right, sdkfz7's were used to pull 88's. Sdkfz 9's were used as recovery vehicles for tanks. Orders stated that 3 were to be used to tow one tiger. Here you can see the size differences.

[immeww2]

I'm happy that the 88 gun is now a reality, but we do need a vehicle to tow it. Sort of like a big rig with it's trailer minus the cab.

[pickelhaube]

Do I smell another custom brewing ?

[General Blasto]

AS I posted before, you CAN build a Famo type half track.
I have a thread on it in the customs forum. It will look like this



And here it tows a Pk40



I'm still working on it, but it shows that it can be done.
To build one, you need:

(1) Indy cargo truck
(1) Hanomag - uses the bottom section with the tracks
(2) Indy staff cars

You'll also need a bunch of styrene and a few other small parts.

General Blasto

[tosborne3]

AS I posted before, you CAN build a Famo type half track.
I have a thread on it in the customs forum. It will look like this



And here it tows a Pk40



I'm still working on it, but it shows that it can be done.
To build one, you need:

(1) Indy cargo truck
(1) Hanomag - uses the bottom section with the tracks
(2) Indy staff cars

You'll also need a bunch of styrene and a few other small parts.

General Blasto

You should make a few, and sell them to us!!!!, Or just an extra and sell it to me.

[General Blasto]

I wish I had the time and materials to make them
I'm going to try to make a second one to haul the 88s I ordered.
It is kinda a pain to get those tracks off of the hamomag without breaking the mounts for the track assembly. And the doors on the sides and back are battery boxes from off of a G scale U25B and I had a tough time getting the ones I used from the train guys. The loco manufacturer was not very helpful to locate me the parts BUT, I'm always happy to do the step by step process to show how to build one to those who want to give it a try Perhaps if the price was right, maybe I could build one up for sale.

Anyway, I'll post pic.s of the halftrack with the 88 when my 88s arrive Guess I'd better go out and find some more Indy cars and trucks.

Da General

[tmanthegreat]

Awesome job with that SDK 7 I can't wait to see the final product! As for me, I may just eventually repaint a standard SDK 251 in DAK tan and use it as a towing vehicle. Sure, it is totally inaccurate, but it would be more plausible than one of my Indiana Jones trucks