# My 1944 D-Day layout Part 2



## bakkers2005 (Nov 12, 2010)

Hi everyone, here are some pics of my Ho 4m x 5m layout, with some info. 

The layout at a glance.
It is a point to point layout over 3 levels. using peco code 100 flex track, with nce digital control (dcc).
Most of the structures are scratchbuilt. All of the trees are handmade. Most of the military models are airfix.
There are 21 scenes along the layout all built from photos from ww2.

The scene.

The time is WW2, 1944. The scene is the Allied invasion of France, D-Day+. The US & British railroad battalions are moving men and material on allied repaired track to the front for the impending invasion of germany & ending the war before xmas.

Whats on the layout.

my industries are different from the norm, in that I move men both fit and wounded, fuel, ammunition, food, armour & construction on the rails. I have a port, spitfire airfield, field hospital, sawmill, ballast mill, rock quarry, logging, ammunition points, fuel dumps, camp and bridge construction, track repair, quartermaster stores, supply depots and rolling stock construction depots, as well as the existing french passenger stations.

Operation

The layout is fully operational. It has taken 2 years, 3 men and a diary of a US locomotive engineer from france in ww2 to get the trains moving as they did in ww2. An operating session can go for 3 to 4 hours. whatever doesnt get done is left for the next session.


Continuing work.

The layout is not completed and will probably never be as i constantly have new ideas and make modelling improvements and track extentions. see them in future parts

The trains and rolling stock.

see them and their stories in part 4. part 3 will have more layout pics.

regards bob


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

No one said anything since this morning?

Nice!:thumbsup:

Now I see some smoke in the sky. Cool:thumbsup: (unless I didn't see it in #1)
But now it needs a few flames.

I like the smoke coming out of the factory stack. Cotton?

I have been thinking about adding a smoke generator to my stack.

Thats what you need a few smoke generators around the scenes where the buildings are burning. 
Maybe a few red flickering LED's in the burning buildings too. 
What do you think?

Thanks for posting.:thumbsup:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Post a better picture of what looks like an artillery gun on a turn table please.:thumbsup:
 

What you need is at least one kit bashed car with theses.:thumbsup:

I guess you know about these.
Maybe some don't. And being the historian I am I will post it.


*Anzio Annie *German K5(E) 280-mm RR Artillery piece​









Unlike other guns where the rifling is in the barrel on these weapons the rifling was on the shell and the bore was smooth.



























There were two guns that made up the German K-5 RR battery that shelled the Anzio Beachhead. "Robert" and "Leopold" were the names the Germans gave the two guns. Together, they composed "Anzio Annie." When the Allies broke out of the Anzio Beachhead, the guns were moved to Civitavecchia, located just north of Rome. 
There "Robert" and "Leopold" were spiked with explosives and blown in place. 

On 07 June 1944, the 168th Infantry Regiment of the 34th Division captured the guns.  Leopold was the less damaged piece and was moved to Naples and embarked aboard the liberty ship Robert R. Livingston and shipped to APG.




Country of Origin: *Germany* 
Caliber: 11.02 inches (280 mm) 
Barrel Length: 70.08 feet 
Overall Length: 135.28 feet 
Weight in Action: 214.59 tons 
Elevation: 0° to 50° 
Traverse: 2° 
Shell and Weight: HE; 563.38 lbs 
Muzzle Velocity: 3,700 fps 
Maximum Range: 38.64 miles 
Notes: This was one of the best workaday railway guns ever built. The K5(E) formed the background of the German railway artillery force during World War II and saw wide use. Two examples of the K5(E) survived World War II. One K5(E) is on display at Cap Griz Nez in France, the other *"Anzio Annie"* (above) is on display at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds Museum, Aberdeen Maryland. This particular gun is the one that was used in the shelling of the US troops during their landing at Anzio, Italy.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Bob -- Fabulous work, great dedication, inspiring reflections of very brave men. You have good reason to be very proud of your work.

Ed -- That's some big gun. Look at the monster trucks on that thing. I wonder if they locked it down to the rails when they fired, or whether they intentionally wanted the thing to recoil/roll a bit?

TJ


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> Bob -- Fabulous work, great dedication, inspiring reflections of very brave men. You have good reason to be very proud of your work.
> 
> Ed -- That's some big gun. Look at the monster trucks on that thing. I wonder if they locked it down to the rails when they fired, or whether they intentionally wanted the thing to recoil/roll a bit?
> 
> TJ



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krupp_K5


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Half way they fire the big weapon.:thumbsup:
check it out,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOediCqrukw


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

another?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAxySDG_jjs&feature=related


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Ed,

Fascinating real-time footage in that first video. Thanks for the link! The gun does roll / recoil upon firing, but not as much as I would have guessed.

Cheers,

TJ


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> Ed,
> 
> Fascinating real-time footage in that first video. Thanks for the link! The gun does roll / recoil upon firing, but not as much as I would have guessed.
> 
> ...



Yes and that's with all the brakes on:laugh:.


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## MattyVoodoo (Oct 26, 2010)

Great layout! Love the theme, and well done!


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Awesome layout....


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## IlliniViking (Dec 13, 2009)

This is an incredible layout. I only hope mine will be half as nice when it is finished. You have a great eye for detail.


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

*Wow*... what *DEPTH*! 


You really came up with an inspiring *original *configuration for a layout. :thumbsup:


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## GG1Fan (Nov 30, 2010)

I never would have thought of a WWII theme to model a RR. You've done an outstanding job!!

Where are the 'French Resistance' forces planting charges to blow up the German reinforcement troop trains? How about a re-enactment of that? 

Hum...gives me a great idea: Stalingrad!!! (It had a key rail juncture and was built along a river...many possibilities)


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## bakkers2005 (Nov 12, 2010)

GG1Fan said:


> I never would have thought of a WWII theme to model a RR. You've done an outstanding job!!
> 
> Where are the 'French Resistance' forces planting charges to blow up the German reinforcement troop trains? How about a re-enactment of that?
> 
> Hum...gives me a great idea: Stalingrad!!! (It had a key rail juncture and was built along a river...many possibilities)


the germans have long gone on my layout.the allies and french are trying to rebuild after heavy allied bombing and german saboutage on in retreat. but i agree stalingrad sounds interesting. remember research is a key to a good historic layout. regards bob


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## erkenbrand (Dec 6, 2010)

That's a gorgeous layout. Please keep posting pics as you make updates. The detail you've incorporated is fantastic.


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## GG1Fan (Nov 30, 2010)

LOL,
D-Day post German bugout. Yes, by July '44 there was the breakout at St. Lo, Patton arrived on the scene and took command of what became the 3ed Army Group...and the Germans got the heck out of Normandy fast.

Still, one or two German Tigers lurking within the wrecked buildings and terrain, ready to pounce on unsuspecting Allied units would be cool.

This layout is an inspiration.

Paul


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## Smokestack Lightning (Oct 31, 2010)

Your layout is not just historical. It's interesting. I love looking at it. Please post more pics:thumbsup:


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