In Box Review of Trumpeter 1/35th Scale
German Baureihe 52 mit Steifrahmentender
Kit no. 00210
By Ray Mehlberger
This kit was purchased by Michael Benolkin, Editor of Cybermodeler web site, from VLS Models for a marked-down price of $111.97 from the original price of $159.95 + $5.00 shipping. Mike had them send the kit directly to me. I was on the staff at Cybermodeler at the time when the kit was shipped to me in March of 2006. I want to thank Mike again for this kit.
By Ray Mehlberger
This kit was purchased by Michael Benolkin, Editor of Cybermodeler web site, from VLS Models for a marked-down price of $111.97 from the original price of $159.95 + $5.00 shipping. Mike had them send the kit directly to me. I was on the staff at Cybermodeler at the time when the kit was shipped to me in March of 2006. I want to thank Mike again for this kit.
HISTORY:
The Deutsche Reichsbahn's Class 52 is a German steam locomotive built in large numbers during the Second World War. It was the most produced type of the so-called Kriegslokomotiven or Kriegsloks (war locomotives).
About a dozen classes of locomotive were referred to as Kriegslokomotiven, however the three main classes were the Class 52, 50 and 42.
As the war in Europpe progressed, planners knew that they had to move supplies around the continent in an expanding radius from Berlin. Since the autobahn as we know it today didn't exist, roads were limited, and airlift was still in its infancy, the bulk of the logistics movement fell to the railroad. German engineers ensured that the rail lines from Russia to Italy were kept in order to move the supply trains.
One thing became apparent as the German lines pushed outward, more locomotives will be needed - the assets of the German railway and the confiscated assets of other state railways were already reaching their limits. A heavy frieght locomotive was needed that could carry sufficient water and fuel to move supplies across the vastness of the eastern front.
The BR 52's 2-10-0 design was selected to maximize traction. This new engine must be easier to build and maintain than the BR 50 with a significantly reduced parts count and a service life of 5-8 years. The parts count was indeed reduced by 20 percent over the BR 50, while the service life (of those that survived the war) turned into decades to serve across post-war Europe.
By the time the war ended, over 6,100 of these engines had been built. Many survived the war and continued as frieght engines well into the 1980's. Several BR 52 engines had special condenser tenders (which extracted moisture out of the air to extend the water supply) operating around East Germany in the early 1980's. Even today, several countries around Europe have restored a few BR 52's with several more undergoing restoration.
Many locomotives passed into Russian ownership after the Second World War. In the U.S.S.R. the class were designated TE (TЭ). Other operators of the type included Poland and Romania, Bulgaria, Norway and Turkey. In Yugoslavia locomotives of the type were classified JŽ 33.
HISTORY:
The Deutsche Reichsbahn's Class 52 is a German steam locomotive built in large numbers during the Second World War. It was the most produced type of the so-called Kriegslokomotiven or Kriegsloks (war locomotives).
About a dozen classes of locomotive were referred to as Kriegslokomotiven, however the three main classes were the Class 52, 50 and 42.
As the war in Europpe progressed, planners knew that they had to move supplies around the continent in an expanding radius from Berlin. Since the autobahn as we know it today didn't exist, roads were limited, and airlift was still in its infancy, the bulk of the logistics movement fell to the railroad. German engineers ensured that the rail lines from Russia to Italy were kept in order to move the supply trains.
One thing became apparent as the German lines pushed outward, more locomotives will be needed - the assets of the German railway and the confiscated assets of other state railways were already reaching their limits. A heavy frieght locomotive was needed that could carry sufficient water and fuel to move supplies across the vastness of the eastern front.
The BR 52's 2-10-0 design was selected to maximize traction. This new engine must be easier to build and maintain than the BR 50 with a significantly reduced parts count and a service life of 5-8 years. The parts count was indeed reduced by 20 percent over the BR 50, while the service life (of those that survived the war) turned into decades to serve across post-war Europe.
By the time the war ended, over 6,100 of these engines had been built. Many survived the war and continued as frieght engines well into the 1980's. Several BR 52 engines had special condenser tenders (which extracted moisture out of the air to extend the water supply) operating around East Germany in the early 1980's. Even today, several countries around Europe have restored a few BR 52's with several more undergoing restoration.
Many locomotives passed into Russian ownership after the Second World War. In the U.S.S.R. the class were designated TE (TЭ). Other operators of the type included Poland and Romania, Bulgaria, Norway and Turkey. In Yugoslavia locomotives of the type were classified JŽ 33.
THE KIT:
Trumpeter is a model company based in Macau, China. They make many different subjects of models in the popular scales.
This kit came in a huge 22" x 17" shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. Although the box is made of heavy duty cardboard my kit got badly squashed and the cover ripped in shipment. However, the parts inside are okay...thank goodness.
The box art shows a Baureihe 52 in overall black with gray wheels and armor plates hung over the sides of the nose of the boiler. In the background is railroad bridge with a railgun sitting on it.
CMK brand has previously released two versions of the BR 52 in 1/35th scale. These were advanced models cast from resin and PE. One featured the Wannentender (similar to a Vanderbilt tender) while the other had the "Wiener Steifrahmentender" type (rigid box structure) tender. Until now these were the only options for the purpose-built German WWII class 52 engine.
Trumpeter has taken a compley subject and turned it into a engineering work of art. This release is the box-type coal tender feeding the engine. It is not known if they have either the Vanderbilt or the even more intriguing water condenser tender version in their future release plans.
The cab is nicely detailed, but suffers the same problem as the CMK kits. One you assemble and enclose the cab, you can't see any of the detail as the rear of the cab is closed off except for the access portal for the coal from the tender. This helped the crews stay warm in the winter, but there was no good way to stay cool in the summer.
At the time this kit was released there was also a PE set produced by an after-market company of details for the inside of the cab. A real waste of time unless you left the roof off the cab to be able to view it.
Trumpeter is a model company based in Macau, China. They make many different subjects of models in the popular scales.
This kit came in a huge 22" x 17" shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. Although the box is made of heavy duty cardboard my kit got badly squashed and the cover ripped in shipment. However, the parts inside are okay...thank goodness.
The box art shows a Baureihe 52 in overall black with gray wheels and armor plates hung over the sides of the nose of the boiler. In the background is railroad bridge with a railgun sitting on it.
CMK brand has previously released two versions of the BR 52 in 1/35th scale. These were advanced models cast from resin and PE. One featured the Wannentender (similar to a Vanderbilt tender) while the other had the "Wiener Steifrahmentender" type (rigid box structure) tender. Until now these were the only options for the purpose-built German WWII class 52 engine.
Trumpeter has taken a compley subject and turned it into a engineering work of art. This release is the box-type coal tender feeding the engine. It is not known if they have either the Vanderbilt or the even more intriguing water condenser tender version in their future release plans.
The cab is nicely detailed, but suffers the same problem as the CMK kits. One you assemble and enclose the cab, you can't see any of the detail as the rear of the cab is closed off except for the access portal for the coal from the tender. This helped the crews stay warm in the winter, but there was no good way to stay cool in the summer.
At the time this kit was released there was also a PE set produced by an after-market company of details for the inside of the cab. A real waste of time unless you left the roof off the cab to be able to view it.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 25 light-gray trees, a clear tree, a tree of vinyl tubes, a PE fret and the decal sheet in 11 sealed clear cello bags, the instructions and a sheet of marking schemes.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 36 pages in 8 1/2" x 11" page format. It is printed on slick-coated paper.
Page 1 begins with READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, decal application instructions and international assembly symbol explanations in English and Chinese.
Page 2 & 3 are the parts trees illustrations.
Page 4 through 36 give a total of what I counted as being 115 assembly steps, although they are not counted in the instructions.
There is a 17" x 11" sheet of painting and marking schemes.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 25 light-gray trees, a clear tree, a tree of vinyl tubes, a PE fret and the decal sheet in 11 sealed clear cello bags, the instructions and a sheet of marking schemes.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 36 pages in 8 1/2" x 11" page format. It is printed on slick-coated paper.
Page 1 begins with READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, decal application instructions and international assembly symbol explanations in English and Chinese.
Page 2 & 3 are the parts trees illustrations.
Page 4 through 36 give a total of what I counted as being 115 assembly steps, although they are not counted in the instructions.
There is a 17" x 11" sheet of painting and marking schemes.
It has a 2-view of an all black one, with a white eagle and swastika on the side of the cab, over some small text (too little to read) followed by serial no. 52 2495. The white serial no. is repeated on the nose of the locomotive.
A side view shows another Baureihe 52 as a profile. It is in a wave pattern of earth-yellow and medium-gray. It has the eagle and swastika on the sides of the cab, over the small text and serial no. 52 8139, again repeated in white on the nose.
This scheme is shown also on one side panel of the box also.
A side view shows another Baureihe 52 as a profile. It is in a wave pattern of earth-yellow and medium-gray. It has the eagle and swastika on the sides of the cab, over the small text and serial no. 52 8139, again repeated in white on the nose.
This scheme is shown also on one side panel of the box also.
There are walk-around type color photos on the other side panel of the box of the model made up.
The swastika in these illustrations has been blacked out. It is also missing on the decal sheet. This censorship is due to the fact that Trumpeter sells this kit in Europe where the swastika is outlawed.
The swastika in these illustrations has been blacked out. It is also missing on the decal sheet. This censorship is due to the fact that Trumpeter sells this kit in Europe where the swastika is outlawed.
I have completed assembly steps on pages 1 to 10. That is mostly the chassis and railroad bed parts.
There are 2 extra boxes inside the tray. The square one holds railroad ties and rails. The long one holds the PE fret, decal sheet and a clear tree.
I usually in my reviews on here name the parts on the trees. However, with this kit, those parts are numerous and hard to name. So, I will do my best and ask readers to look at the parts trees photos to see what's there, please.
Light-gray letter A tree holds lower chassis parts. That I have assembled a lot of already. (45 parts)
There are 2 extra boxes inside the tray. The square one holds railroad ties and rails. The long one holds the PE fret, decal sheet and a clear tree.
I usually in my reviews on here name the parts on the trees. However, with this kit, those parts are numerous and hard to name. So, I will do my best and ask readers to look at the parts trees photos to see what's there, please.
Light-gray letter A tree holds lower chassis parts. That I have assembled a lot of already. (45 parts)
Light-gray letter B tree holds boiler parts etc. (9 parts)
Light-gray letter C tree holds cab parts etc. (46 parts)
Light-gray letter D tree contain boiler parts, steam dome etc. (51 parts)
Light-gray letter E tree contains the walk ways, side rods etc. (29 parts)
There are 2 identical light-gray letter F trees. They holds wheels etc. (58 parts per tree)
There are 2 identical light-gray letter G trees They hold another wheel etc. (80 parts per tree)
Light-gray letter H tree holds the coal tender parts (14 parts)
There is no letter I tree.
There is no letter I tree.
Light-gray letter J tree holds side walls etc. (13 parts)
Light-gray letter K tree holds floor parts etc. (11 parts)
There are 2 identical light-gray letter L trees. They hold cross ties and rails of the roadbed. I have assembled most of this already. (29 parts per tree)
There are 2 identical light-gray letter M trees. They hold more wheels, axles etc. (63 parts per tree)
Letter N tree is the vinyl sand pipes. These are tucked into a vacuformed card that holds them in position. Neat. (2 parts).
On the BR 52 there is a box atop the boiler that contained plain old sand. If the drive wheels lost traction on the rails due to ice (or oil or whatever), the engineer would release sand out of that box and the sand pipes would place that sand with precision immediately in front and behind each drive wheel. Molding these pipes in vinyl ensures that they are more tolerant to being handled (and not broken) than if they'd been molded from styrene.
On the BR 52 there is a box atop the boiler that contained plain old sand. If the drive wheels lost traction on the rails due to ice (or oil or whatever), the engineer would release sand out of that box and the sand pipes would place that sand with precision immediately in front and behind each drive wheel. Molding these pipes in vinyl ensures that they are more tolerant to being handled (and not broken) than if they'd been molded from styrene.
Lettering now jumps to the light-gray letter Q tree. It holds the smoke deflectors that mount on the sides of the nose of the engine, etc. (19 parts)
There is a second light-gray loose part labeled letter A. These are road bed parts ( 2 parts)
A second light-gray loose part labled letter B . Also road bed parts (4 parts)
A second light-gray loose part labeled letter C. Again more road bed parts (2 parts)
I have put this roadbed together from these parts.
A second light-gray loose part labled letter B . Also road bed parts (4 parts)
A second light-gray loose part labeled letter C. Again more road bed parts (2 parts)
I have put this roadbed together from these parts.
The clear tree holds windows for the cab and light lenses (15 parts)
The brass PE fret is next. (6 parts)
The decal sheet completes the contents of the kit. It includes a tissue to protect its face.
Most kits that include a tissue I find that the tissue is floating around loose and wind up stapling it to the decal sheet. In the case of this kit the decal and tissue are in a tight fitting cello bag.
So the face of the decal is being protected.
I purchased the Archer dry transfers for this kit. These include the missing swastika and will go on without the carrier film of the kit's decals showing after using them. Better results for sure.
Most kits that include a tissue I find that the tissue is floating around loose and wind up stapling it to the decal sheet. In the case of this kit the decal and tissue are in a tight fitting cello bag.
So the face of the decal is being protected.
I purchased the Archer dry transfers for this kit. These include the missing swastika and will go on without the carrier film of the kit's decals showing after using them. Better results for sure.
I also bought a bag of Woodland Scenes brand ballast to put under the tracks on the road bed and a bag of coal for the tender by Highball brand.
This is a breath-taking super-detailed model, that railroad fans and armor builders alike will love.
In 1/35th scale, this model will make up to be 35" long for just the engine and tender.
With the variety of camouflage schemes purposely (or sometimes hastily) applied to these engines in all of the theaters that they served, modelers could easily be tempted to build more than one. That is, "IF" they could afford the steep price.
Definately not for the novice and in no way is it a weekend project.
Highly recommended.
My kit will wind up pulling my kit of the Anzio Annie German railroad gun probably.
In 1/35th scale, this model will make up to be 35" long for just the engine and tender.
With the variety of camouflage schemes purposely (or sometimes hastily) applied to these engines in all of the theaters that they served, modelers could easily be tempted to build more than one. That is, "IF" they could afford the steep price.
Definately not for the novice and in no way is it a weekend project.
Highly recommended.
My kit will wind up pulling my kit of the Anzio Annie German railroad gun probably.