Battleground Toys 1:18 - Schwimmwagen - Updated photos

[grunt1]

Upcoming item

- Wheels roll
- Removable canvas top included
- Oar and Shovel are included and removable
- Propeller rotates up and down (not shown in photo)

[Razor17019]

WOW!
Awesome job!
How much do you think you will charge for this?
Razor

[[CAT]CplSlade]

As a VW fan I'm a bit of a nitpicker so based on what I see in the pic I would pass. Right off the bat I'm concerned with the oar placement, the crossbar behind the front seats and the wheels. I know the oar is backwards and the other two just don't seem right to me.

But like I say, based on the one pic.

[normandy]

Wow.... I was wondering when this was going to show up Grunt.
I like it! Give us some intel when you can.

[grunt1]

lol. Yes about the oar. I suppose the fellows might have been in a hurry due to a Russian wave attack and put it in backwards. The oar and shovel are removable, so that mistake was operator error on my part and you can place it any where or way you want, including the driver rowing with it.

As for the wheels, I know the tread is spot on as that was a challenge to get right. Perhaps it's the depth of the rim well? They aren't as deep as the photos and I could perhaps make them more recessed.


The seats are not in the vehicle and are off to the side (again being in a hurry to snap a photo). Maybe that was the issue with the canopy support? It's a super straightforward mechanism with one cross bar and two posts, one on each side.






This stuff is highly fixable so pick away!

[Jesse James]

Wow... just... Wow...

Nitpickers be damned... Wow... Seriously.

Ugh, I really want this.

[MG-42]

.......... yeah , this is a neat , very versatile little vehicle.


* I just may have to spring for one of these babies. Good job G1



- MG

[maritime96]

That is AWESOME!!!! A small vehicle that has been needed for a long time.

[[CAT]CplSlade]

Well, like I said, I could only tell so much from the one pic but sure the oar can be reversed. I can't make out the detail where the blade normally goes so I couldn't tell if there was a bracket.

Yes, it was the depth of the wheels themselves. The tires I wasn't too concerned about as there were a few variations used. There is definitely an even deeper rim that was used for the more widely used fat tire, but there was a thinner tire used in some situations. Even so, there is a bit more depth to VW rims. Yours look to have successively deeper rings stepping down towards the center, whereas in a VW rim there would be a smaller second peak just before the center so that the center appears to be surrounded by a moat if you catch my drift. You can see it in the last pic above.

In the pic the crossbar (or passenger grab rail) appears to be connected to the frame of the folding top at a much higher point, or is that only for the "top open" version to add sturdiness? I'm assuming there are two tops, open and closed, since you'd be nuts to make a working 1/18 folding top, right?

Also, are the air intakes next to each exhaust stack detailed in any way? If not, is the material there strong enough to be cut away for screens to be put in? An air-cooled vehicle HAS to have air intakes, you know. Exhaust should be a little beefier, too. It is a tube with a couple of smaller tubes running through it plus some baffle plates and partitions so it should be like a Ball Park frank as opposed to an Oscar Meyer wiener.

I don't mean to be a pain because I do admire the work you have put into this and the other items you've made, but I collect both WWII German vehicles AND Volkswagen memorabilia as well as own and drive a VW so whenever the two hobbies cross I take notice and I prefer realistic depictions (So you won't find the VW bus from Cars in my collection!). If I can get a Schwimm for my 1/18 dudes I want it as close as I can get - within reason of course.

I would definitely like to see more pics and angles, though, if possible.

Have you seen these guys' vehicles?:

http://www.primeportal.net/trucks/jan_p ... wimmwagen/

http://www.oldbug.com/schwim1.htm

130 detailed pics of this car:

http://vincesgallery.smugmug.com/galler ... 51&k=TDgKC

[Jnewboy]

Its one of my favorites!!

[pickelhaube]

Well I like it !!

And now I do not have to build it.

I like that even better.

Put me down for one.

[grunt1]

Thanks guys.

The oar brackets are both there. The crossbar support is part of the canopy support for strength as you noted. There isn't a rolled up canopy currently but its on my list.

Good to know there were multiple tire widths. That would explain the photos.

The engine vents on the upper rear quarter panels are not present. On the kettenkrad i left empty holes that could easily be covered with window screen. Thats how the finished kettenkrad was done the photos. That's challenging for those of you that want a snap fit model so I left it off on this one. What might be able to is to slightly recess the area. It could then be either painted over for a more toyish but simple look, you could place a piece of window screen in the recession for a bit more accurate look, and for modeler they could use the recession as a cut guide to make the hole and then put screen in. Thoughts?

I'm a bit tied up at the moment but can post more pictures and angles over the coming weeks.

As far as price, as I've said before the cost is entirely based on material volume. So it seems like it would be about the same volume as two nebelwerfers or so. We'll see.

[[CAT]CplSlade]

Thanks guys.

The oar brackets are both there. The crossbar support is part of the canopy support for strength as you noted. There isn't a rolled up canopy currently but its on my list.

The canopy isn't a big priority as the occasional car turns up without one due to damage, so maybe a big windstorm yanked it back and tore it all up? You simply haven't received a replacement from the quartermaster yet.

Good to know there were multiple tire widths. That would explain the photos.

Yeah, tires are sort of a non-issue in the real world as not too many of the survivors have OEM tires on them, and most owners have to use the closest available modern tires. However, Continental was popular then and still is now so most guys throw a set on any military VW and it works. I wonder if you could google info on the tread patterns they used at that time?

... What might be able to is to slightly recess the area. It could then be either painted over for a more toyish but simple look, you could place a piece of window screen in the recession for a bit more accurate look, and for modeler they could use the recession as a cut guide to make the hole and then put screen in.

So, then, the plastic is sufficient in that area that cutting out the hole will not overly weaken it? I have only slowly been regaining my modeling skills after many years and have been hampered by a finger break and subsequent loss of full mobility in said digit, but with a decent guide I think I could cut out the hole if I wanted to, but even a depressed spot deep enough to lay a thin screen or paint a screen on should work. I definitely don't trust my ability to cut panel lines and such yet - the middle finger of my work hand can't curl fully so I can't hold a scriber steady enough unless the surface is flat, but I can hold a dremel well enough in my other hand.

Another question:

How much detail will go into the interior? Will there be foot pedals and the wooden floorboards, or just seats, steering wheel and dash? Will we need to scratch-build it? From the other work you've done those parts should be no problem but I know you have to factor in materials and such so it will be worth the time and effort.

As far as price, as I've said before the cost is entirely based on material volume. So it seems like it would be about the same volume as two nebelwerfers or so. We'll see.

So for now you're estimating about $160? That would put it on par with a Minichamps Kübelwagen and what pickel was going to ask for his. I find it rather odd that no one has produced a Schwimm in this scale before? In fact, when I google 1/18 schwimmwagen the first bunch of hits are discussions about it in this forum.

[normandy]

Put me down for one.


Here are a few Schwimmwagen sites.......link.... http://www.warbird-photos.com/gpxd/view ... =4&t=28060

[grunt1]

The floorboards and side rails are there as well as a dashboard.    Other than that its pretty sparse.    Part of that is due to the likelihood that figures will be put in and I learned with the kettenkrad that in a pushing contest between a figure and a model that the figure always wins.   Thus the removable seat.    I may add pedals as optional or anchor them to the floor like the tools on the PTE vehicles, won't look as good, but they'll be there and won't easily break off when Rolf is in a hurry to cross the creek to see Heidi.  

As for the vents the recessed panel seems like the best option.  What I might do is recess it and etch a grid pattern on it.   It might turn out ok and you can always sand or cut and replace with actual screen if you like.  

Oh and the tire pattern I used is the same one in Normandy's photo.

[[CAT]CplSlade]

Great, thanks.

[grunt1]

Slade I took this first picture just for you as I'm sure the reversed oar was driving you crazy!

The rest are interior shots so you can see the details developing.

The changes in the queue already are:

- Slot the seat cushions
- Move the horizontal support bar from the canopy to the car chassis
- Add rifle clasps to the horizontal support bar
- Add engine vents
- Improve tires (not sure what I want to do here or not yet)
- Strengthen oar handle and add T at end
- Strengthen shovel handle and add knob at end
- Increase muffler diameter
- Add window to rear of canopy
- Add rolled up canopy option
- Potentially add foot pedals in some form
- Improve propeller raise/lower mechanism
- Add headlight blackout covers

[Jnewboy]

Looking great!!

[normandy]

Grunt, any idea when this Schwimmwagen will be ready for sale? It looks Great.

[grunt1]

In time for Christmas for sure if not sooner. There are other subjects in line ahead of it that are at a lower cost point. I want to get those done to help more people give the 3D printing technique a try.

[aae83]

OK, when I saw this rig I immediately thought of you, grunt1.

Looks kinda cool, but I hafta wonder how high the front end lifted off the ground when he fired that thing, and if he ended up flat on his... heinie.

[normandy]

Looks kinda cool, but I hafta wonder how high the front end lifted off the ground when he fired that thing, and if he ended up flat on his... heinie.

He's gonna flip that thing......better get some backup.........

[Rowsdower]

He's gonna flip that thing......better get some backup.........

Look how terrified the driver looks!

[grunt1]

lol...

What an interesting batch of vehicles! that guy does look terrified. "You want me to do what??"

Seems like that's a Flak 30 on the Schwimmer. I can see it either flip over or start to bounce around every time he fires a shot. Kinda like the German version of the SAS rat patrol jeeps perhaps!

[[CAT]CplSlade]

The photo is a fake.

The rear of a real Schwimm is curved, not flat, and also it seems to be sitting on the exhaust pipe which of course is not good. And since the engine is under all that there really isn't much room to squeeze in additional structural support. Also, the rear suspension is not bottoming out from the additional weight. Certainly no way to go boating in such a set-up - the Germans had many other more suitable vehicles (Horch) to hybridize.

This is about as real as the pic of the Hanomag with the multiple rocket launcher from a Sherman mounted in it.