Landships II

Centurion · Legend

fahrpanzer - exploded view

Vilkata · Brigadier

Haha!!

That took me by surprise, thank you for that Centurion! That direct hit must have made the crew have a very bad day.

---Vil.

huhncc · Major

That pic looks as if the fahrpanzer is in a stationary position. Were they dug in like that as well as being mobile?

Centurion · Legend

When installed in the great forts built pre 1914 they would be able to run up and down on their tracks (which would be installed in a trench or protected by a concrete or stone parapet) I think when on the Western front etc they would tend to be in static positions and effectively rapidly installable pill boxes. In WW2 the Germans had a very similar device used mainly in Italy on the Gustav line but also, I think, on the Atlantic Wall and these were static when emplaced.

Claus · Lieutenant

Hi all
What you call 'Fahrpanzers' were used in limited numbers by the Danish army as well. For transportation horse carriage-wheels were fitted and horses pulled the contraption to it's destination. The Danish examples were used to beef-up defences along the defensive forts around Copenhagen. Positions were built before hand, but there was no provision for transportation along narrow gauge railway in Danish fortifications. Wether the Danish Fahrpanzers had railway wheels is not entirely clear to me. One Fahrpanzer is preserved at the Danish Armoury Museum in Copenhagen. Next time I'm passing by I will take a carefull look. Read more about the fortifications around Copenhagen here: http://www.vestvolden.dk/Nyheder_news/English_summary/englishsummary.htm

only in Danish, but with great photos:

http://www.avedoere-selskabet.dk/byland/mili/vestvolden.htm

http://www.spangsberg.esenet.dk/Vestvolden.html

http://www.kbhamt.dk/pdf_pub/Befaestningspjece.pdf

The German Fahrpanzers in WWI used at the Western front would most certainly only be transported on their own small rail wheels for very short distances. To transport a Fahrpanzer for any considerably distance it would most likely be loaded on a normal 600 mm. narrow gauge wagon. Only when reaching the operating limit of the light railways it would be unloaded and put on the very light rails that were used for the trench tramways - they were sometimes made from wood! Once emplaced in a trench the Farpanzer would probably not be moved around - and the rails (track panels) probably lifted to be used elsewhere.

I have read that trench tramways were even laid out into no-mans land to transport gas cylinders in preparation for gas attacks by the British. Usually this was done under cover of darkness, as was most of the supply runs to forward positions (rarely front line positions, though).

I have collected photos and drawings from this great site, as I hope one day to build a Fahrpanzer in 1:35 for my collection of military narrow gauge equipment.

I hope my information will come in usefull for some of you.

Regards

Claus

Centurion · Legend

Claus wrote:

The German Fahrpanzers in WWI used at the Western front would most certainly only be transported on their own small rail wheels for very short distances. To transport a Fahrpanzer for any considerably distance it would most likely be loaded on a normal 600 mm. narrow gauge wagon. Only when reaching the operating limit of the light railways it would be unloaded and put on the very light rails that were used for the trench tramways - they were sometimes made from wood! Once emplaced in a trench the Farpanzer would probably not be moved around - and the rails (track panels) probably lifted to be used elsewhere.

As shown somewhere else in this forum the Fahrpanzer had its own horse drawn carriage for transport from site to site

Claus · Lieutenant

More images of the Fahrpanzer
Notice that all three images show German Fahrpanzers captured by French forces.

The pictures are downloaded from a website dedicated to WWI, but I cannot remember which one. Hope not to have offended anyone copyright-wise.

Regards

Claus

Claus · Lieutenant

Even more from my archive on the Fahrpanzer.
The image is downloaded from an auction site. The photo shows a Fahrpanzer during transport on 600 mm. track panels with light rails. This mode of transport would be most feasible in narrow trenches on the way to the Fahrpanzer's emplacement.

Regards

Claus

Tim R · Hero

Hello Gents

Here is a cool photo from my collection of Fahrpanzers.

all the best

Tim R

-- Edited by Tim R at 21:01, 2006-09-28

Centurion · Legend

Tim

There is definitely some sort of glitch with the forum software as somehow your posting has hi jacked the file I posted over 24 hours ago - ie fahropen.jpg!

Tim R · Hero

You are correct Centurion, I have no idea whats up with that. here is that pictures

all the best

Tim R

Claus · Lieutenant

Tim:
A lot seems to indicate that your recent posted photo of a Fahrpanzer captured by French forces is exactly the same as portrayed in my file Champagne 34.

Regards

Claus

Tim R · Hero

Hello Claus

could be!!

All the best

Tim R