Anyone else get the MTH Sherman tank flatcars?

Hi John,

these Solido's are really meant to play with, toy wise I mean. That's why sprockets are simplified and tracks are 'a kind of' realistic. Some models are even having the same track.

Many of the models are from the 60's I guess, reissued now. They play a lot with paint work, older issues now in camouflage, or French tanks with German markings (which is historically correct). I think they have US army Shermans, but Free French too with that particular Lorraine cross decal.  Some tracks are browned, others silver. Some run well, others are roughly finished.

I have an M10 armoured car, the plastic of the wheels is slowly softening up, very strange. But I do like the range. The Solido DUKW is great I think, would be a nice train load too!

( no, I have no commercial interests or Solido stocks...just like 'em)

Kieffer

The Solido are great.  I remember as a kid not knowing that much about Solido and corgi except I wanted them and we couldn't afford them.  I thought they were just the coolest most desireable toys in the world, though, but I had to make do with plastic army men and jeeps and tanks and frankly I had tons of fun.  The "war train" I made last year (link to video in a posting i made earlier) was paying homage to those toy army trains and Solido, not trying necessarily trying to model accurately a real military train.   Those were the days! 

I had answered yes previously but I have pictures now.  In fact, I mounted both Shermans from my two flatcars onto one of them - removing and re-positioning and gluing the restraints/holders for the treads as shown in the photo below.  That freed up the other flatcar for a perfect use: carrying the land-speed record Bluebird (glued down now) which I think looks spectacular as a flatcar load. I'm thinking of getting a whole series - Mickey Thompson's Challenger 1, GoldenRod, and the Morman Meteor III if I can find them, all on this same flatcars.

Yep, a big Patton or larger tank is enough for a flatcar.  Three Sherman's (31 tons each) weight about what two Pattons (48 tons each) do, so even though they are a smaller tank, two are a heavier load than one Patton.  But they fit and look good. 

Above, I posted pictures of the faltcars I have with Pattons, and I only put one on each.  They are also a wide load, but look good.

I love the WWII military flats.  I love to run the a train of military flats and a second one of troop cars at the same time!

Hobbyboss made a bunch of the Shermans, but they weren't quite dimensioned accurately and military modelers are BRUTAL rivet counters. They make or made an LCM3.

Here's my Hobbyboss LCM on a Trainman flatcar (wooden deck added):

In real life the LCM, of course, wouldn't be shipped with the machine guns mounted and the LCM would actually be shipped lying on their sides.  On my railroad, though, I prefer my equipment to be battle-ready at all times!

The Solido DUKW is great I think, would be a nice train load too!

Here's my Solido DUKW. Again on a Trainman flatcar with wooden decking added:

I have had a hankering for the last couple of weeks to add a few more flatcars to my military train.  Anyone know of 1/48 or 1/50 WWII era bulldozers?

Jim

I'd like both a nice LCM or two and some DUKWs, but have not found good models of either, either too small (1:72) or too big (1:35).  But some will turn up in time

Lee

I had requested the photo of two Shermans on one flat car.  Thank you very much for posting!  I think it looks great.  I am going to have to purchase them.

I too think WW II military flats are great.  Is anyone other than me surprised Lionel does not offer any?  I am certainly glad MTH does.  For all the product in the O gauge market, I don't think there is that much in the way of WWII equipment.

Lee,

My Hobbyboss LCM is 1/48 scale, but it is plastic and needs to be built from a kit.  I don't know of any ready-built models in die-cast.

My Solido DUKW is diecast and 1/50 scale.  Both will fit nicely on 52' flats.

Jim

I will look for the LCM - I can certainly put together a kit.  I found one Solido 1:50 DUKW for sale, in the UK, but they could not commit to what the shipping would be so I left it.  I'll find one, or two, somewhere.