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making 3x FAMO to pull a tank (72nd revell)


mrcooljules

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HI.

built 3 FAMO, as i want a little vinigerette of them pulling a tank, i cant find any real fotos. maybe they used a long rod on each?

Also if they were pulling a tank back from the front that needed repairs, would they remove the tank tracks so it ran on the wheels or leave the tracks on?

thanks

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From what I remember, when I thought about doing this in 1/35 the Famo's and the tank were joined by tow bars. As for the tank, usually the tracks would be left on to prevent damage to the road wheel tyres. However, the tracks were shortened so that they did not go round the drive wheel, but just round the road wheels and idler.

Steve

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From what I remember, when I thought about doing this in 1/35 the Famo's and the tank were joined by tow bars. As for the tank, usually the tracks would be left on to prevent damage to the road wheel tyres. However, the tracks were shortened so that they did not go round the drive wheel, but just round the road wheels and idler.

Steve

ah, that makes sense about the tracks. ta

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cool pics ta. gives me a good idea of the lenth of the bar between them.

i have done all 3 slightly different, one has a large metal bumper, and half cover added at the rear (grey), one camo and open with full rea of bits n bobs, and a third, slightly differrent camo with a canvas cover with added foilage(although i dont think it looks right for some reason).

i guessed the turret would be reversed.

the middle FAMO has broken down itself, with drivechain problems and the removal of the main drive sprocket wheel. i have a FAMO book but doesnt show the detail i want,so will have to keep a look out in the future.

had these kits for years (no idea why, never was bothered about building them) but i did one, and liked it so much i did 2 more lol (still got one left hehe). i know how complex the trumpeter ones are, but would like a go in the near future, and with the tank trailer

i couldnt get the tracks to fit on each kit, was always a couple short, even when i checked fotos to get the spacing as it goes around the wheels, hence the broken down one has some track sections removed (uesd on the other 2).

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I've always thought that the Famo, with it's trailer, was a typical German over-engineered solution to a 'simple' problem.

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I've always thought that the Famo, with it's trailer, was a typical German over-engineered solution to a 'simple' problem.

why?

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Well, let's take a look at the trailer; the front and rear wheels are steerable from the rear cab. The trailer bed is lowered then the rear bogie detached in order to load a tank. Why not just have rear ramps like the Diamond T's Rogers Trailer? IMO over complicated and over-engineered.

As for the Famo itself, why use a complicated half track, when a simple ballasted tractor truck would do the same task?

Just my own opinions of course :)

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Well, let's take a look at the trailer; the front and rear wheels are steerable from the rear cab. The trailer bed is lowered then the rear bogie detached in order to load a tank. Why not just have rear ramps like the Diamond T's Rogers Trailer? IMO over complicated and over-engineered.

As for the Famo itself, why use a complicated half track, when a simple ballasted tractor truck would do the same task?

Just my own opinions of course :)

good points. i have some fotos of the rear trailer carrying a damn huge electrical generator, trying to squeeze through a factory gate, only just managed it.

can see your points, but then the germans seemed to over engineer most things, cost wise and reliability wise

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the germans seemed to over engineer most things, cost wise and reliability wise

Like the over-lapping-mud-magnet-complicated-to-change road wheels on the Panther and Tiger 1/2 tanks!

Anyway, I've derailed this thread enough!! Whatever we might say about how German WW2 vehicles were over engineered, they make damn good subjects for us model makers!!

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  • 6 months later...

The last Famo had 2 towbars attached to the shackles on the Panzer, the other Famos quite often used thier winch and hook on to the single shackle in the lower centre of the Famo (the one with the L pin, look at the pic of the Tiger 1 being towed, the 2nd Famo is attached to the 3rd by the rear facing winch cable and the same with the 1st...... All tracktor half tracks sdkfz 7 etc had these winches.... The towbars were only essential for the 3rd Famo that was pulling the tank, the other Famo's pulled each other, The tanks being recovered often were in dodgy situations and were pulled away with thier tracks as usual, However I have seen abandoned panzers without sprockets and shortened track.... It was only possible to use 2 famo on a Panther on good firm going, in soft going it sometimes took 2 Bergepanther......

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thats funny.... I had just bought revell's Famo with spade and was planning a dio like MCJ. I was trying to work out how three famos pulling in different directions would work with a PzIV or whether they'd work in tandem. Now all my questions are answered :)

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thats funny.... I had just bought revell's Famo with spade and was planning a dio like MCJ. I was trying to work out how three famos pulling in different directions would work with a PzIV or whether they'd work in tandem. Now all my questions are answered :)

Its possible that only 2 famos would be needed or depending on how bogged the Pz IV was, its also possible that 2 famo's would sit side by side,or staggered, with spades dug in and use thier winches in tandem on firm going once the pz was out of a ditch it was possible for just 1 Famo to tow the Pz IV, I know this because I was part of a re enactment group, and we did a public show where we counter attacked the US troops, evacuated the wounded panzer crew, including a guy with a leg missing (really !) and the Famo was brought on and used 2 tow bars to tow the imobile Pz IV Ausf J away....

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