Rack-Wagon with wooden Wheels
Wiking 1:87 Scale Vehicle Review
The Wiking rack-wagon shown here is sold alongside a Hanomag R 16 B All-Purpose Tractor, which is why the vehicle has been fitted with a modern shaft and tow ring. The wagon may be converted to a horse-drawn model by inserting a longer plug-in shaft without tow ring, scratchbuilt from extruded plastic sprue or pianowire.
The iron wheel rims need to be painted dark silver, and the factory new wagon should be drybrushed grey or sand colour to give it a more realistically weathered finish. The wagon may be loaded with dried grass or tea leaves preserved in glycerin.
Contents
- Hanomag R 16 B Export Model
- Rack-Wagon with wooden Wheels
Evaluation
Working scale model with interesting detail.
Historical rack-wagon of the 17th to 20th Century.
The beautiful wood grain on the wagon bed may be accentuated by drybrushing with light brown paint.
The racks may be replaced by solid wood sides scratchbuilt from balsa. Wagons without sides may be shortened and fitted with wooden barrels to serve as water wagons in wargame campaigns.
Compatible with other HO scale vehicles and miniatures available from Märklin, ROCO, Faller, Pola, Preiser, and Noch.
The typical rear axle assembly has not been recreated correctly in miniature, and the Langwied center beam is missing as well. The wheels need to be immobilized with superglue to prevent the wagon bed from slipping sideways, and to stop the model from rolling around on a diorama base. Expert modellers may want to scratchbuild the rear axle assembly from polystyrene and glue the rear wheels directly to it.
The iron wheel rims have been left unpainted. Some sprue needs to be removed prior to painting.
The modern shaft with tow ring needs to be replaced by a longer plug-in shaft to allow horses to pull the rack-wagon. The required part may be scratchbuild from extruded polystyrene sprue or pianowire.
The Wiking rack-wagon is perfectly suitable for historical miniature dioramas of the 17th to 20th century. Wargamers may use the rack-wagon as a requisitioned baggage or supply wagon. Suitable horses are available at model railroad and hobby shops. Spare artillery horses with harness and collar may be used as well.