1:72 Set Of Control Biaxial Platforms (Short 6,6m And Extended 9,2m) For Armored Trains (With Rail And Air Defense Elements)

Control platforms of armored trains, 1:72 scale

In this kit the UM brand has turned to the two-axle control platforms of the kind that were coupled to armored train consists. According to the name both length versions are in the set, that is, the shorter and the extended one, and with them elements of the permanent way and equipment connected with air defense. The 1:72 scale makes it possible to join railroad equipment with infantry and with vehicles of the same size.

The real subject

The platforms were coupled ahead of the locomotive as the first link of the consist. They protected the train from damage to the track and from charges: if the track had been tampered with, the platform was sacrificed instead of the powered part of the train. At the same time they served to carry materiel for a quick repair of the track, and light weapons intended for defense against aircraft not infrequently stood on them. Armored trains were thereby able to move even in areas where the state of the track could not be relied on.

Building and painting tips

Being straight is essential with a railroad subject, so build on a genuinely flat surface and keep checking that the axles sit down. The track elements deserve to be painted on their own, and only then joined to the platform. Steel surfaces come out well when darker shades are layered with a hint of corrosion in the corners and by the rivets. Add the stowage and the securing elements to suit the scene you choose; it is they that give a consist its story.

Who the kit is intended for

• for anyone interested in armored trains and railroad troops
• for builders of longer dioramas with a track
• for modelers who enjoy combining vehicles with terrain
• for collectors of less usual subjects in 1:72

The set is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Do not look for paints or glue in the package.