Landships II

> Not entirely sure if it was called 'rectank' during WW1. I have seen it called 'war flat'.

The Warflats and RECtanks were different critters, each with new versions for WW2. The Warflats were initially called poll wagons - is this a synonym for pole in the U.K. - I can't find any definition other than the "surveying" technique ? Based on the as-built bolsters, their original purpose was likely carrying long bars of steel. The Warflats have a deeper solebar in the middle, and the Rectanks are distinguished by upswept deck ends. Besides handling heavier tanks, a major design goal of the Rectank was to allow the more efficient side-loading.



http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/rectank

Meridian Models has managed to confuse things by applying an entirely new meaning to "Rectank" - http://meridianmodels.co.uk/mpm24-4-wheel-tank-wagon-rectank.html

The railwagon link is essentially the same car as the Wespe. However, the Wespe kit appears to be an updated version (plan) specifically intended for carrying tanks; the drooping bits inboard of the buffers cover jacks, which were screwed down to the rails for stability when loading or off-loading. I'm guessing that the name changed (from poll wagon) when they were modified for tanks - bolsters removed, and jacks added.

As far as models, the Hobby Holiday is 7mm - although a very handsome looking kit, Matador is 1/72 and a Warflat - quite similar to the Wespe, and Gramodels does appear to have the Warflat in all three scales - bufferbeams separate (with options) for 4mm; the Rectank is a future product in all scales - as is the ramp wagon. Their "catalog" has such a poor and confusing design, that it's hard to tell what is available and what is vaporware - not to mention only having very tiny photos of a tiny minority of the products. Parkside Dundas does carry an early bolster-version of the Warflat (PC24 - without jacks), and listed under 4mm LNER. The RetroKit poll wagon does have the jacks (confusing the name issue), and appears to have greater detail than the Matador product - which is currently not available.

The Hornby Macaw is no longer in production, although does show up on eBay. However, it is of the original wagon, and lacks the complex reinforcement grid of the 'B' type - See: http://www.railalbum.co.uk/railway-wagons/military/ww1-gwr-macaw.htm

This looks like an ideal photo-etch project for some small manufacturer - but only if there will be a future supply of the "donor" wagon - whatever the quality may be. I can't imagine enough demand for this to warrant anyone designing a completely new product. These are the wagons that are most prevalent in the photos of the female Mk IV's being loaded at Plateau station for shipment to Cambrei, although the first wagon (previously seen) is a Warflat.




There has been some discussion of this topic on RMweb.