Panzerzug BP-44

The model BP-44 was an improved version of the BP-42 armoured trains from 1942. The main difference between the two types is the inclusion of a flat car with a Panzer IV turret at the front and rear of the train instead of the unarmed pusher car.

Each train had two Panhard P204 scout cars, one in front of the train and one behind the train.

Less then 10 BP-44 trains were finished before the end of the war. They were mostly used on the eastern front.

The model

This model was made from the Armageddon injected molded kit. The standard kit consists of one halve of the train including the engine. The second halve has to be purchased separately.

Armageddon is a company from France and is from the same producer as the Mach2 aircraft models. Much has been written and said about the quality of the Mach2 and Armageddon kits on the internet. Indeed the kit requires a lot of work to make it into an acceptable model. On the other hand I think we should be grateful to Armageddon for giving us the opportunity to build this subject for a reasonable price instead of having to by a very expensive resin kit.

I modified the gauge of all the cars of the train so I could display it on a HO scale track. The track in the kit was to bad to be usable. Also the two 38t tanks were substituted by two kits from Attack. The 20mm Flak canon were taken from two Hasegawa kits.

Despite all this I am glad that Armageddon decided to model this subject and had I a lot of fun building it. Thank you Armageddon!

The Panhard P204 was built from an Extratech resin kit, the Sd 231 if from Roden and the old steam locomotive is an old Revell kit. The figures were taken from various sets by Airfix and Preiser.