This is a limited Preorder Kit: Guaranteed availability only for preorders placed by midnight on Monday, March 2nd

About Panzerdraisine- WWII German Armored Scout Train:

“I think I can, I think I can.” So muttered both the lowly resistance fighter crawling along the tracks to place explosives, and the anti-aircraft gunner training the gunsights on enemy fighters diving out of the sun toward the train. 

The railway system provided vital arteries to the German Reich as it spread across Europe in the early days of the Second World War. It transported critical reinforcements and material to the front; it carried exhausted and wounded troops home; and it allowed commanders to quickly shuffle their soldiers to where they were needed most, enabling the Wehrmacht to maintain the pace of its lightning attacks. But the importance of the rail system was well-known, and the long, unguarded railways also were susceptible to attack. Emboldened resistance movements, from the Maquis in France to the partisan units in Eastern Europe, strove to disrupt the tracks and destroy the train cars. As the war dragged on, the approaching Allied armies joined in, as fighter aircraft screamed down with precision. 

To meet these threats and protect the rail system, Germany developed the Panzer Draisine in the early years of the war. One of the most unusual armored vehicles of the war, it was a weapon built not for roads or open battlefields, but for the steel arteries of occupied Europe. The Panzer Draisine (literally “armored rail car”) was compact, heavily armored, and mounted directly on railway wheels. Unlike massive armored trains bristling with artillery, these vehicles were smaller and more agile. Some variants were equipped with rotating turrets—often adapted from light tanks such as the Panzer III—and mounted machine guns or small-caliber cannons. This gave them the firepower to suppress ambushes while moving swiftly along vulnerable stretches of track.

Their design was pragmatic and intimidating. Thick steel plating protected the crew from small arms fire and shrapnel, while the rail-bound chassis allowed rapid deployment over long distances. However, their dependence on intact tracks was also their weakness: derail a section of track, and even the fiercest armored rail car became stranded. Nevertheless, the Panzer Draisine was a fearsome and fascinating blend of engineering adaptation and wartime necessity. 

Motorization Hints:

The Panzerdraisine kit is intended to be more than just a display piece. While it comes with four track sections for display purposes, the model will function on most standard LEGO® and aftermarket track systems.  Furthermore, the model itself is ready to be motorized with the latest LEGO® Powered Up motor and control hub. Here are some useful links:

• LEGO® Powered Up Hub
• LEGO® Powered Up Train Motor
• LEGO® Train Track (you will need 4x to make a complete loop) 

Model Statistics:

949 LEGO® and Brickmania® elements
Full-color printed building instructions
2 x Custom minifigure
Additional printed parts
1/35th scale to match other Brickmania kits
Advanced Skill Level (6-8 years building experience recommended)

All Brickmania® model kits are made of new-condition LEGO® bricks. This model comes disassembled and includes complete printed building instructions. This is a limited-edition kit and production may be discontinued at any time.

This is not a LEGO® Product. LEGO and the LEGO minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group, which does not sponsor, authorize, or endorse this product. The LEGO Group is not liable for any loss, injury or damage arising from the use or misuse of this product.