Minenraumer

Yup it is pretty much unbuildable.

Haven't built it yet, but I have it and have done research on it. I wouldn't say it is unbuildable...just unbuildable without doing some modification to the kit. To me, it will just be a good challange!

The biggest problem with the kit that I discovered is that the wheel assemblies will not attach properly to the hull without adding bushings to move them out from the sides. I haven't done complete research yet and what I did find was nearly a year ago. Anyway, hope this helps.

Enjoy your modeling...

[EDIT] Oh yeah, and I believe someone said that the wheels come in two halves that don't fit together properly and need modification as well.

There is a built up one in a hobby store in my town. I think it won 1st place in a contest. It looks unbelievably good, so it may be worth the effort.

The Minenraumer really is one of the most bizarre-looking AFVs of WW2,
but I've never read anything about it in books, and cannot find anything
in my reference books. Did it ever see service, or was it another late-war
prototype like the Maus and E.100?
I really wouldn't want to drive one of those - presumably they just drove straight
through a minefield to detonate the mines, and hoped their heavily-armoured wheels
and body would stay in one piece! It's a rather tall and narrow vehicle, so you'd think
it might be vulnerable to being tipped over by explosions, unless it has a very low centre
of gravity?

http://smallshopeu.com/Model%20Gallery%20frnt%20Page.htm

Top right of the page...

[img=left] http://smallshopeu.com/Minenraumer/Image-62BF7414901911D8.jpg [/img=left]
Alasdair

I can't comment on this particular kit, but I did build the old Armor Associates resin kit back in the mid-90's. It was pretty decent. I did replace the turret with one from the Italeri PzI. But that was about all the modifications I did to it.

The subject matter is definitely interesting. I'd try to build it just because it is so "out there".

Anyone have any real life information, such as the size of that contraption?

Thanks for the input guys. I now know what kind of surgery I'd be getting into. References on this pig are scarce, even Chamberlain and Doyle missed it in Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two, Schiffer's Unusual Panzers doesn't mention it and the old Aero Publishers Sonderpanzer, German Special Purpose Vehicles, by Spielberger and Feist, omitted it too!

Here is the actual vehicle as it sits today at Kubinka:




It certainly doesn't look like this beast saw any action. If it was actually used, one would expect scars from the mine detonations on the wheels and belly plate. They appear to be smooth as a baby's behind. (OK, maybe there are a few scratches) The paint chips on the outsides of the wheels appear unrelated to combat, as the paint job is the Russian's work and the mine's blast would have been directed outward, away from the center of the wheels. Maybe the Russians tested it out? Odd that RPM Models would state it's use at Kursk if it did not actually serve there.
Drop in a turbine engine and let's see what this thing could do at a Monster Truck rally!

thats a cool machine there.

I don't have any info on this one, but have a question, was the wheel base the same as other german vehicles? Otherwise it would have been useless militarily.

It looks cool though, and would be a Boss model.

There is only one book you guys need if you're gonna build this mother. It's called "Model Detail Photo Monograph No.13" and it's by Rossagraph. The distributer in the US and Canada is Airconnection, Box 21227, R.P.O. Meadowvale, Mississauga, ON. Tel: 905 785 0016. Their email is: sale@airconnection.on.ca (I'm reading this off my copy).
The book is only 32 pages long but it has a full report of the test done by the Soviet Tank and Self-Propelled Gun Testing Division dated 31 July 1947; period photos of the vehicle during the test;scale drawings of the vehicle giving details of armor thickness and welding joint type; pictures of the disassembled wheels, hubs, bearings, reduction gears and steering system; and 44 pics of the exterior and interior of the vehicle at Kubinka. Tigerman, it's 6.5 meters long, 3.17 wide and 2.8 high. It weighed 38.254 tons and had a Maybach V12 HL-120 engine...wanna know the cylinder diameter?! Got this book at the Shizuoka Hobby show for about 10 bucks. A genuine bargain!

Sounds like a cool book Brazen, I'll have to add it to my collection.

Hey guys here is a great model built of this thing.
http://www5b.biglobe.ne.jp/~TANK-GUY/Gallery02/TE-Minenraumer.html

It sure is an interesting machine. The models of it shown are great!

QUOTE: Originally posted by Ali1kj [img=left] http://smallshopeu.com/Minenraumer/Image-62BF7414901911D8.jpg [/img=left]

It has the appearance of a lady's high heel shoe that has stepped on a large Drake's Yodel.