BMW R75 with Sidecar - Bike crew update 170215

[Yaquir]

Wow, looks really very good!

[nazadsam]

How did i miss this great looking model

[Rubicon Models]

This is the last of the 3 crew sets - in DAK uniform...


Enjoy!

[stevepalffy]

Really looks good....Looking forwards to these

[ripley]

Good looking figures . I really like that your planning a variety of crew types for your vehicles , not everyone models the same theatre or year of the war . Hopefully the figures will all have separate arms . ( I do go on about it don't I ?  ) .  If I get three of these bikes I want a to create a  variety of crew , not clones . Also I'll assume the mg 42 pictured is just a cad render , I don't think DAK used them on bikes and if they did it was with the single ammo drum , the saddle drum pictured was only mounted on the mg34 and air craft crew mounts

[H0ffmn]

The double saddle drum was only used on the MG34. They made a replacement top receiver cover,which had a slot  which the double saddle drum would be fitted into, replacing the top cover on the MG 34.

[Pinky]

The DAK crew look very good.  I'd prefer them in long pants, as shorts weren't permitted in the front line and were rarely worn in combat (except by Panzer crewmen) - and photos show DAK motorcyclists in long pants.

The MG-42 was rare in DAK service, and wasn't fitted to motorcycle combinations as the motorcycle combination had fallen out of favour in recon units by then.  I've also suggested to Rubicon that they drop the mid-war crew (i.e. the figures with leggings instead of boots) for the same reason.  That would mean only needing to fit 2 sets of crew on the sprue.

With this crew the apparent size issue with the wheels is less obvious.  I gather there's no desire to deal with this.

[Rubicon Models]

@Pinky, nothing is firm as of now.  All figures are still at their initial design stage. 
Will amend as we go along.  Upcoming studio meeting will decide on the spec.  Once
confirmed, we will post the final production spec here for comment.

As for the DAK MGs, both will be included in the kit.

[ripley]

HOffmn , the saddle drum fit both the modified mg34 as you stated and it was used in aircraft on mg15 ( Stuka rear gunner for example ) .  Rubicon , nice to get both guns in the kit as long as the saddle drum is on the mg34 and the single 50 round drum is on the mg42 .  And don't do what Warlord did and mount it on the wrong side of the gun  .

[H0ffmn]

Yes it was. I meant that between the two, the MG-34 and the MG-42, it was only used with the MG-34.

[Rubicon Models]

Anyone had more info about the round container (labeled as #8)?



We know it is a filter of some sort that might be used as a heater/filter or something.
It was added during the autumn of 1942.  But not sure for which theatre...



Translation from the above photo states...

1st picture:  To clean the air filter it's necessary to open the hatch. The filter material is felt.
By opening the hatch you have access to the felt bellows filter. Now you can remove it. It is
possible to clean the filter by shaking it, this is enough to be able to drive the machine
immediately. The lever arm is used to adjust the inlet openings for air. This is so when you
start the engine a warm air fuel mixture is created. After the engine has run a while and is
warm you can switch the level back from start to drive.  Once is this is done the air inlet is
fully opened.

2nd picture:  Cleaning the air filter of a BMW R 75. A mechanic is cleaning the below shaped
felt filter in front of the open steel hatch. You can see the openings and pipe support.

Seems like an operating manual...

Not all bikes had this canister installed, even after Autumn 1942.  So we think it might be
war theatre related.  It will affect the sitting pose of our biker sculpt... that's why we need
to know this in detail!

From initial research, we thought it might be used in the desert due to the cold night and hot day,
plus the sand and such.  But if the bike was manufactured in 1943, then it would be painted in
Dunkelgelb instead of Panzergrau.

Any help is welcome!


BTW, we do have two German websites for references, but is very difficult for us to fully
understand what they are talking about...

http://wh-versand.de/WHV_Artikel_DV.html#2006056
http://www.fahrzeuge-der-wehrmacht.de/Artikel/BMW_R75.html

[elias.tibbs]

I will ask someone who might know

[Rubicon Models]

Anybody?   

[ultravanillasmurf]

I have contacted a local motorcycle expert to see if he knows anything about the R75, but he is at work at the moment (without email access).

[Rubicon Models]

Even though we have goggled everywhere for hints as to what this filter does,
we basically wanted to know which war theatre used it...