1:72 German Kriegslokomotive Br 52

The German BR 52 wartime locomotive (1:72, Hobby Boss)

An injection-molded plastic kit of a model of the German class 52 steam locomotive (Baureihe 52) in 1:72 scale from the manufacturer Hobby Boss. It is a static collector's model of a locomotive with rich external detail on the running gear, the boiler and the cab. The package contains a track segment, a decal sheet with several marking options and assembly instructions.

The real subject

Class 52 was the so-called Kriegslokomotive (the wartime locomotive, Kriegslok for short) - a freight steam locomotive that the Deutsche Reichsbahn deployed during the Second World War to supply the front and the rear areas. It came about as a wartime simplification of the pre-war class 50: the designers reduced the number of parts and the consumption of expensive and scarce materials so that it could be built quickly and in quantity. Class 52 became the most numerous type of wartime locomotive and ran across occupied Europe; many of the machines served long after the war.

Building and painting tips

First assemble and paint the running gear with the wheelsets and the valve gear, and only then close the casings up. Paint the boiler and the cylinders before the small pipework and fittings are fitted. The base is black with a hint of dark gray so that the surfaces do not disappear; a dry brush will draw the rivets and edges out and a dark wash will deepen the detail. Complete the period finish with rust on the running gear, coal dust on the tender and a veil of limescale on the boiler. Bring the wheels and the valve gear to life with metallic shades.

Who the model is for

• For collectors of historical railroad equipment in 1:72 scale.
• For modelers interested in the equipment of the Second World War.
• For builders of dioramas with a station or a wartime transport.

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.