What's crazy, impractical and bigger than a Maus...

[Leon]

A Ratte of course!  A few lucky folk at the Warfare saw this one in the flesh, and the amount of interest it generated from passers-by was incredible.  It's a huge model, around 24cm long I think, so somewhere near 120 ft in real life.  It will have to be cast in resin of course, and should be making an appearance early next year sometime.



And next to a T-55 as well:

[Steve J]

It certainly is a big beastie...

[Techno]

How far did they ever get on the construction of one of these ?
I never knew anything that size was even planned !
You live and learn !
Cheers - Phil

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

 

[Ithoriel]

Never got beyond the planning stage Phil.

Huge, slow and requiring vast resources to develop and build - all the things the Third Reich didn't need in a tank!

The Germans only just managed to build one-and-a-half* "Maus" tanks, which were monsters themselves but a fraction of the size of this beast.

When the Russians captured the wrecked remains of the two "Maus" they decided to fit the one completed turret to the other hull as this would give the most complete version of the vehicle. It took six "Famo" (GR179 Sdkfz 9 'Famo') just to move the turret! Dealing with the logistics of the "Ratte" would have been a nightmare and as soon as it was spotted the Allied airforces would have bombed it flat. Completely impractical.

As well as the 1000-tonne P-1000 "Ratte" there was the 140-tonne E-100 "Tiger-Maus" which was basically to be a King Tiger with a Maus turret. One partial prototype was as far as the E-100 got.

Presumably the German design teams went on to design the ludicrous vehicles beloved of Sci-Fi wargames like those developed by the EE :-)

[FierceKitty]

While all sorts of bizarre real troops never get into production.... 

[Ithoriel]

Goliath - number built (all versions) c.7500

203 mm howitzer M1931 (B-4) - number built 871

Ratte - number built 0

Jus' sayin'

[Fenton]

I hate to be critical. but it does seem to be a bit of a waste of time...I suppose 28mm gamers could use it for SciFi

[Rob]

I cannot understand why the Germans didnt spot the obvious problem of the need for 18' tall crew. 

[Fenton]

I cannot understand why the Germans didnt spot the obvious problem of the need for 18' tall crew. 

Maybe that was the next step in their flawed plan for the Aryan Race

[Fenton]

A friend of mine who does 28mm SciFi is asking how much it will be

[kustenjaeger]

Greetings

It was entertaining to see at Warfare but I suspect it may well be SF gamers in larger scales who might buy one. 

Regards

Edward

[NTM]

I toyed with the idea of using the 15mm one from Forged in Battle for Sci fi games

[Hertsblue]

I'm dreading the day when one of the kids at our club turns up with one and wants to join in. What can you say to him?

[Techno]

"We have a special rule at the club for those ?" 
Cheers - Phil.