This willl be my first build thread here and wanted to know if I'm in the right place? I'v got the Trumpeter 1/35 Leopold. Eventually I'd like it to be the center of a diorama. Here is the kit I'm refering to

So -- is this the place and format for posting?

Thanks Dave

Welcome to the forum Dave. And yes, you are in the right spot. I will definitely be following your build.

Cool! I will also be following along on your build.

I spent a few hours on her the past couple of days and so far I've got the lower car assemblies almost done.




It's interesting that almost half the parts are used and once the cars sit on the rails you probably won't see any of the detail. The photo etch from Eduard came today and I was kinda nervous thinking of what I missed by doing the syspension but come to find out I missed nothing. Aside from some brake shoe brackets all the etch goes on top. Hope to get back at it tomorrow.

Please enjoy Dave

Rear truck assembly is done for now.


the dark is photo etch from Eduard. The Eduard has a LOT of photo etch in it but I'll be leaving some of the tiny stuff off for a few reasons one being the kit's detail is fantastic to begin with and second, my eyes and hands arn't as good as they used to be and lastly I'll use them on the Dora when I start that.


Notice the brown boltheads. I got some from a model train supplies site on line. They are super.

From the front and rear, note the copper wire brush catchers undet the leading axels.


All for now.

Please enjoy Dave

I was able to get the front truck done today.







I should get to the gun assembly tomorrow unless the winds stop and things calm down outside.

Please enjoy Dave

hey,
nice clean build, and an interesting subject too! keep on sharing

Had some time to build this weekend. Have the breech together




and mounted on the frame.




This will have to be painted in pieces and put together after as there will be a lot of area under the barrel that will be tough to get at. I must admit I didn't realize how big this kit would be. But it's been fun and a very nice fitting kit. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Please enjoy Dave

Dave,
I'm currently building trumpeter leopold as well, I install the step holder (sorry my english) the wrong way. I think you did the same thing I did.



It should be like this otherwise the length of the step wouldn't match the holder.



Currently my leopold is still behind yours. I'll definitely follow your build.

Cheers,
-Wawan-

It amazes me how much detail is in the trucks alone. I like how the PE is enhancing the look of it, very nice work so far!

Wawan, I missed that one but thanks for pointing it out. Since I've already shortened up the stays and the steps and added bolts to them I'll leave it the way it is "but" I'll add wooden grab bars to the cars. Thanks again.
I got the upper and lower frame rail supports on and would recommend to anyone building this to shorten the aluminum rods that attach the pivot arms, breech and locking rack together by about 1/8 inch. The fit is REAL TIGHT between the pivot thingy (non-military term) and the frame rails so movement of the gun is tricky.


I've been using Eduard photo etch on this and really like it. The detail is a lot better that the photo supplied with the kit as you can see on this trunion

and there is a LOT more of it.

Please enjoy Dave

I had some time for the model room today so I managed to get the platforms finished up and started adding photo etch on the siderails. I love that Eduard photo but there is a bunch of it! I set the carriage on the cars and placed the cannon in the breech temporarily just to get an idea of the size and it's big. The model in front of the Leopold if a 1/24 Ford Pro Stock.



More this weekend I hope.

Nice work your doing here Dave. I notice it has the Trumpeter fault still! All those damn ejector marks to fill in, still their kits are getting better.

This is coming along very nicely. I would love to build one of these if I had room. Maybe I'll try 1/72 someday?

It's a clean built Dave.
Please go on

Thanks for all the comments guys. Had some quality time in the model room today. As I've said before I love that Eduard photo etch. Here is the difference between box and Eduard


I pretty much have the rail gun finished up, except for paint. I need to do a bit of research before finishing up. They show a cover over this piece

but it looks out of place because it could never be closed, it would hit the controls and the wheel handle sticks outside of the frame. Google time.
Any way here's the latest






Please enjoy Dave

Morning all, I need some help!!

I plan on making a rather large dio of this gun and find VERY conflicting information about the Leopold. It seems that it wasn't self propelled and the rear engine was for operating the cannon only. Ok but just what locomotive did they use to move it, in the field WR360 C12 or WC360 C14 or?? and whats the difference and ???

"while in the field, not for transport, and was there a rail car between the loco and the leopold that held ammunition so the crane on the rear of the leopold could reload the cannon while fighting"? Any information would be helpful.

Thanks Dave

Morning Dave, clean build so far, looking good.

I have the same locomotive problem as you, seems the Leo was shunted by both the C12 & C14 and on cross country by the BR's with addtional carrier cars. From what I understand you can get by with the C12 IF your centered around France and Germany - outside of these locals you need the C14. There's a difference between them, however it's your build and the C12 will do the job. You will need AA guns, support softskins, and at least 30-50 men.
I have a whole "Leo & Dora" stash with around 30 kits for each dio.
Great build, hope this helps.
I'm sure other members can give you more exact info, if needed.

Bryan

Forgot this -

try to find Jan Coen Wijnstok's Leopold book
I paid 25$ for it, well worth it - great info

Thanks for the tip Bryan, an armour junkie in our club has the book and your right, it's great. I'll model it in Germany or close so I ordered the C12, besides the only C14 I can find is resin and I'm not going there again after the ISW's USS Langley. This is where I'm at now. Hope to get more done before spring sets in and I lock up the model room for the summer.


I set the road bed on 3/4 plywood risers so I can add more contour to the ground around it. The bed is the only dissapointment I've had with the kit. It will take some creative work to make ti look real.

Is that T section of track the set up they gave you in the kit ? The photos in the book I have ( Squadron # 15 Ger. RR Guns ) show the gun used on a slight curve of track or a purpose built turn table with the gun bolted to the centre bridge with wheel sets on each end for traverse ( think model RR turn table with the gun where the loco would go, ) None of the photos in the book show this T set up for any sized RR gun.
It would be hard to jack up this 218 metric tonne baby to get it under cover in case of air raid with this set up . The TT parts were carried in a second train with a construction crane and extra ammo , etc.

Jim,
I was confused also when I first saw the kit but from what I was told, and that could be wrong, they used all three. The most common was they set up on an existing curved track and aimed like they did the Dora. The second was a unit like the one in the kit (the one you see here) which if you look closely you can see a plate with a convex piece in the center where a button jack, rather large button jack, would be fixed and they would raise the center of the lead car, rotate it and set it down, this needed only a relatively short section of track extending in each direction. This was much faster and less time intensive than the roundhouse which the complete rail gun fit on, AGAIN "or so I was told". I searched and didn't find any pictures of it sitting on the t-section of track either but thought it made sense and making the roundhouse from scratch did not thrill me so, this is it.

I guess it could be a possability . The Germans did do some weird stuff with their large RR guns . The 20.3 cm gun could be put onto two 24 wheel trailers ( after removing the RR wheel sets ) for transport by road . The K12 [E] 21 cm gun carriage could be raised a metre above the RR wheel sets for a higher angle of fire ( longer recoil ). And of course the planned Leopold gun on 2 Tiger chassis . Now there's a paper panzer I'ld like to see.
Edit : Found a picture of the T track on PMMS review of Trump . kit . Its linked to one of the books Terry used in his review . True its a K12 not a K5E but it shows this system was used. jim

Bryan, Jim and anybody else out there in artillery land, got another head scratcher?? I had some time today since it's about 10 degrees outside so I put the exhaust on the rear cab, detailed it and set it on the car.




My questions are: If the tracks on the bed of the rear unit and the trolly itself are really like this then did they have to straighten out the gun to load after each shot? In order to turn the gun to fire (except straight) the lip of the rear unit had to be folded down which means the trolly can't roll from the tail, where the crane could pick up a shell to the breach.
Also if the ladders on the front stick out as far as they do on the model, when the front car turns the support roller for the bed will rip the ladder off.


Anyone know if Trumpeter modeled these parts wrong and if so what is correct? Any pictures??
Thanks Dave

Hey Dave,

Great looking build! Those ladders are hinged at the top to be moved out of the way when traversing. You'll notice a small horizontal bit on the main hull just above the bottom rung, that's the latch that secures the bottom of the ladder.

-Craig