Xuan Hua 12-9-2024
For any military enthusiast, military motorcycles are probably the most common subject matter for World War II. Perhaps because of the limitations of funds and or because of the appeal of historical relics, collectors cherish those tanks and planes from films and television series, especially those classic icons of the defeated Axis countries, such as the "Zero" fighter of the movie "Tora, Tora, Toga", or the "Tiger" impersonated by M47 in the movie "Battle of the Bulge". The fact is that there are no scenes of large-scale battles where these are real deal, though there were some films about resistance guerrillas in the early days, where the only vehicles with a strong military style were military motorcycles..
What we do know is that these bikes as used in the film are the real deal. Compared with those fake behemoth tanks and planes, motorcycles have a deeply rooted use in civilian life and in culture. So, some classic models have survived and have not retired from the stage of history by the end of the war and hence, can be used accurately in the movies and television series.
We now proceed to the upcoming launch of Xuan Hua's BMW R12.
Shown above: R12 of the German Gendarmerie, Rubland, 1941 gorget (Gendarmerie ID card), M35 helmet, M36 uniform and what is the best? Military motorcycles, of course. The military police in the picture is riding on a BMW R12 heavy military motorcycle, if compared with the more familiar German BMW R75 or Zundapp KS750 in World War II. You will find that its chassis is lower, in fact, it is the second Germany's most produced heavy motorcycle, the reason it is not known, because it is a typical civilian" conversion to military use product.
Based on the R7 concept developed by BMW in 1934, the Bavarian company launched the R12 in 1935, where it was targeted primarily for the civilian market. It was the first motorcycle in the world to be produced with a hydraulically damped telescopic fork (as opposed to Zundapp's famous parallelogram fork), The engine consisted of BMW 212 two-cylinder horizontal opposed four-stroke engine. Compared to the previous generation of products, it was upgraded from a three-speed transmission to a four-speed manual transmission, so that the acceleration is smoother. The rigid body structure allows the R12 to cope with harsh environments, and the front and rear drum brakes also optimise braking and handling.
In addition to its success in the civilian market, the R12 gained the attention of the military as the latter prepares for war, and thus, BMW received a large number of military orders. From 1935 to 1942, the total production of the R12 reached 36,008, which happened to be the sum of the subsequent BMW R75 and Zundapp KS750. It is worth mentioning that, in order to simplify maintenance on the battlefield, R12 is divided into two versions - the civilian version has two carburettors, ignition with batteries and coils, and the speed is 120km without a bucket; The military version uses magneto ignition and can work independently of the battery, thus having higher reliability and a top speed of 110 kilometers without a bucket. (Although it loses a little power and speed, it is more reliable on the battlefield than in outright speed)
The 14-litre fuel tank can provide the R12 with a maximum road trip of 350 km with a weight of 188kg, which has certain advantages in speed and fuel consumption compared to its sibling, R75,, and because of it lighter size, it also has a good performance in terms of manoeuvrability.
Above pic: BMW R12 cars of the 55th Motorized Battalion of the 5th Armored Division of the German Army line up between railway tracks in the Balkan Peninsula in April 1941, showing their portability and handling.
Military orders for the R12 account for about a third of the total production of 36,008. However, this figure soon lost its significance. As the war unfolded, the German military began requisitioning more civilian versions for use in the war effort. Even in 1941, BMW stopped supplying motorcycles to the civilian market and switched its production entirely for military use. Thus, by the end of the war, apart from wear and tear damage, almost no civilian R12 could escape the fate of it being turned into a warfighter.
Above pic: At the station awaiting for transportation is an allotment of BMW R12
From the beginning of the war, the R12 accompanied the Germans, tracing their military movements. Small, lightweight, fast, road-adaptable, off-road and easy to conceal. With considerable assault capability on board weapons such as the MG34, the R12 is popular with front-line troops and is ideally suited for reconnaissance, communication / liaison, and medical transport. They can be seen in the European theater, the North African theater, and the Soviet-German Eastern Front. In addition, it was also introduced into the anti-Japanese Chinese National army forces at that time, becoming an important force of the "German armed division."
A German takes a nap in a BMW R12 military truck, which is often a high-intensity weapon
In extreme cases, the power of the R12 can function as a truck or mule. 12th Guard Regiment, 4th Panzer Division, Poland, September 1939. BMW R12 Towed 75mm Gun
However, as a "civilian to military" product, R12 also has certain limitations. The pursuit of comfort and stability in civilian products is destined to lower the height of the chassis of the R12, and the addition of 170 kilograms of sidecar, the unpowered side wheels make the whole car less stable. At the same time, civilian products did not follow military standards from the beginning, and the R12 performed poorly in some complex and harsh environments. As the escalation of the war intensified, the military's requirements for "pure military bloodline" increased, so the subsequent BMW R75 was born. (BMW is still very strong willed, it strongly rejected the official request of OEM Zundapp, and developed the R75 itself.)
Eastern Front in the autumn of 1941. The BMW R12 of the German "Kleist" panzer group is stuck in the mud. Bad roads in the Soviet Union were a nightmare for German motorized troops.
So, relative to the up-and-commers R75 and Zundapp, what is the R12's biggest feature?
Well, it's beautiful!
Despite the military usage, its leather was durable. Born out of the civilian market, the R12 of course to took the course similar in terms of aesthetic as that of the Volkswagen Beetle. At the beginning of its birth in February 1935, the R12 demonstrated its industrial beauty at the Berlin Motor Show with its stylish and elegant "art of decor" design style. This German military motorcycle, being the most produced in World War II, eventually became a favorite among bike collectors around the world.
(Picture taken from a foreign motorcycle club)
Xuan Hua's new theme BMW R12 is drawn from the purpose of BMW, not only to make up for the detail gaps in similar bikes offered by other 1:30 makers, but also to pay the well deserved tribute to this legendary motorcycle with ultimate craftsmanship. The last peak of 1:30 production for motorcycles was, the one from First Legion, and this is already a more than ten years ago design and mold, Xuan Hua hopes to override that.
Make up one place, refresh one place; Make up is the theme, refresh is the process. This is the meaning of Chinese production.
Because there is no reference to any plate, China invites foreign professional designers to make it through real car data and historical pictures (former military armored personnel, but also armored machinery experts), and has considerable confidence in the research. The total number of vehicle parts for this model exceeds 90, which is completely self inflicted. The small parts make the production and equipment difficult to improve the level of geometry, but the attention to detail of friends, you can get a surprise here.
Above: Display of some component parts in this model
We often encounter collectors who are insistent about the content of metal component accessories used in the models. We apologise that the R12 may not meet this desire. There are three metal parts in the whole vehicle, which are: handle, body sidecar connecting parts and parking deck stand. Xuan Hua does not want to use the so-called heavy metal counterweight to get the collector's psychological satisfaction. In fact, with a choice between metal content and the ultimate detailing, Xuan Hua willfully will choose the latter. After all, given the choice between materials, the PU material has better performance in detailing than the metal at the microscopic level. The purpose and use of any metal is not to increase its fineness, but for staibilisation and for longer term structural preservation. In some way, we associate delicate details with fine art, Xuan Hua believes that every well-versed collector will appreciate fine art and Xuan Hua hopes to achieve a durable balance while preserving and delivering the most fine and delicate art to you the collector.
The R12's tyres are narrow and tend to be difficult to fabricate on smaller scale models. Does anyone really care about the difference in width? Xuan Hua cares. To this end, we not only specially opened a new steel mold to make plastic tires, but even this tire is fabricate using 4 parts. In the process, because the tire pattern of the printed parts and the steel mold is different, much effort was invested to make a correct narrow tire to the same proportion as the original bike to the ratio of 1:30.
Micro magnification reveals the level of details
When it comes to metal parts, in addition to the three parts mentioned above, there are other parts, which are made using etched sheets. Etch film is used in the license plate and in the wheels, for a finer effect, Most collectors may not be familiar with the use of etch parts, and the difficulty of fabricating and assembling it.
So, etch parts provide a nice finishing touch?
Friends familiar with China should know that the purpose of China is not just to restore a plausible general effect, but to restore, or to restore as much as possible (in the case of current technology allows) the details of history. Therefore, we spend a lot of energy in the "silent place." We hope that these will be a surprise to you in your appreciation.
For example, the spare tire part of a motorcycle can be removed, and after removal, you can find a complete spare tire rack. Admittedly, these details are completely invisible after the spare tire is installed, but the spare tire itself is supposed to be disassembled, so we feel that restoring this neglected detail (or the one that is usually stolen) is the extra fun.
With respect to the connection between the bike and the sidecar, Xuan Hua has 100% followed the connection method as is presented in the real world bike, abiding with and ensuring historical accuracy.
There was many such thoughts on accuracy, and hence the fabricaton of a lot of small intricate parts and details, culminating into a product that you the collector will be eager explore and admire.
Xuan Hua has spared no effort to produce this BMW R12, pushing the limits. Compared to many other 1:30 producers, the level of details is intriguing and sometimes is felt as a thankless job. Whether the collector will understand and appreciate the complexity in making this to 1:30 or 1:16, to this, Xuan Hua can only answer that: Only the gods in the world know, but peach blossoms only wait for the destined person (in other words, only for the most fastidious collector)
If you wish to place Xuan Hua R12 orders, please click on below links:
Single motorcycle: No. BMW-R12 (S)
Tandem Motorcycle: No. BMW-R12
The diorama makers will be concerned about the status of Xuan Hua motorcycle riders and sidecar soldiers. In order to achieve the integrity of the soldiers and motorcycles as much as possible, the corresponding products will be designed to the same high quality standard. However, we reassure you that it pays to wait for the quality.
(The soldier fold texture such as the above is much more complex and serve as an example of possible side car soldiers. If you have more historical photos, please submit suggestions to Xuan Hua)
Xuan Hua's BMW R12, will only see a few dozen units of initial production (in fact this production cost as compared to development cost, the sale price is almost approaching the cost). This initial production is also destined to be an extremely niche product. Since the production cycle takes at least two months or so, we will take the form of pre-sale. Perhaps in this economic downturn environment, the harsh economic conditions will deter many people, but we think it will bring forth the true collectors and Xuan Hua will not disappoint these collectors.
Appendix 1: Pre-sale Price
BMW R12 with Sidecar: US$129.95
BMW R12 Bike: US$99.95
Pre-sale until 15 September 2024
Appendix 2: Original BMW R12 Specifications
BMW R12 military vehicle
Technical parameters:
Length: 2.1 meters, width: 0.9 meters, height: 0.94 meters;
Weight: 188 kg;
Top speed: 100 km/h; With Sidecar Mode Top Speed: 85 km/h
Engine model: BMW212
Power: 18 horsepower;
Fuel consumption per 100 kilometers: 3.5 ~ 4 liters on road, 4.5 ~ 5 liters off-road;
Fuel tank capacity: 14 litres;
Maximum journey by road (full tank): 350 km.
Original Chinese text as published on Weixin follows:
叱咤万里 不甘寂寂—鍹華新品BMW R12
Original Phil 鍹华模型
2024年09月12日 23:07听全文
对于任何一个军事爱好者来说，军用摩托可能是对于二战题材最为常见的出镜题材。
可能是囿于资金和历史遗存问题，影视里不一定会出现那些令人你们如数家珍的坦克飞机，尤其是战败的轴心国那些经典明星——比如《虎虎虎》里由“德州佬”扮演的“零式”，或者是《坦克大决战》里用M47冒充的“虎”，实在是让考证党们意难平的一件事。
更不用说没有大规模战斗的场景，比如早起引进的一些有关抵抗组织游击队的电影，唯一出场带有浓郁军事风格的载具，就是军用摩托。
（图片转载自本书作者社媒网页)
你不知道的是，它们甚至很有可能是货真价实的本尊。和那些纯军用的大家伙相比，摩托有着深植民间的用途和文化，因此一些经典型号长盛不衰，并没有随着战争的落幕而退出历史舞台。
比如这次鍹華即将推出的新品，宝马BMW R12。
1941年，鲁布兰（RuBland）地区，德军宪兵队的R12
月牙长命锁（宪兵身份牌）、M35盔、M36军装和什么最配？当然是军用摩托。
图片中宪兵驾驶的就是一辆宝马BMW R12重型军用摩托，如果与二战中人们最为熟悉的德军宝马BMW R75或聪达普Zündapp KS750来比较，你会发现它的底盘要来得更为低矮——事实上它才是二战队德国产量最高的重型摩托，之所以它的名气不彰，是因为它是一款典型的“民转军”产品。
基于1934年宝马开发的R7概念车，这家巴伐利亚的公司在1935年马不停蹄地推出了R 12，彼时它所要满足的是民用市场。它是世界上第一批采用液压阻尼伸缩前叉生产的摩托车（与之相对的是聪达普著名的平行四边形前叉），发动机为宝马212双缸水平对置式四冲程发动机，相比上一代产品将三速变速箱升级为四速手动变速箱，使加速更为顺滑。刚性结构的车身使R 12能够从容应对各种恶劣环境，前后采用的鼓刹则优化了操控性能。
在民用市场大获成功的同时，R12获得了备战的军方注意，因此获得了大量的军用订单。从1935年至1942年，R12的总产量达到了36008台，这个数字恰好是后续宝马R 75和聪达普 KS750的总和。值得一提的是，为了战场上的简化维护，R12分为两个版本——民用版具有两个化油器，以电池和线圈点火，极速无斗状态下120公里；而军用版使用磁电机点火，能够独立于电池工作，从而具有更高的可靠性，极速无斗状态下110公里。（虽然损失了一点功率和极速，但战场上可靠性大于竞速）
14公升的油箱可以给自重188公斤的R12提供350公里的最大公路行程，对比同门兄弟R75在极速和油耗方面占有一定的优势，同时由于尺寸要更为轻巧，因此在通过性上也有不错的表现。
1941年4月的巴尔干半岛，德军第5装甲师第55摩托化营的宝马BMW R12摩托车列队在铁路轨道间推进，通过性和操控性由此可见一斑。
R12在36008的总产量中，军方订单约占三分之一。然而这个数字很快便失去了它严谨的意义。随着战事的展开，德国军方开始征用民用版本改装投入战事。甚至到了1941年，宝马断绝了向民用市场供应摩托车，而是完完全全转为了军事用途。因此到战争结束，除自然损毁外，几乎没有一辆民用R12能够逃脱变为战争机器的命运。
车站等待运输配发的宝马 BMW R12
从战争开始，R12就伴随着德军，记录着他们的行进路线。体积小、重量轻、速度快、道路适应性好、越野能力强，并且便于隐蔽，搭载MG34等武器后又具有相当的攻击能力，R12受到前线部队的欢迎，它非常适用于侦察、通信/联络和医疗运输。欧洲战场、北非战场和苏德东线都能看到它们的身影。此外，它还被引入当时抗日的国军部队，成为“德械师”的重要力量。
宝马BMW R12军用摩托车上一名德军在小睡，摩托车兵往往是高强度的兵种
极端情况下，R12的动力可以客串一把卡车或骡马的角色
1939年9月，波兰战场，德军第4装甲师第12警卫团。宝马BMW R12摩托车牵引75mm口径火炮
但作为“民转军”的产品，R12也具有一定的局限。民用产品对舒适和稳定的追求，注定让R12的底盘高度较低，加上增加了170公斤挎斗后，无动力的边轮使整车稳定性下降。同时民品并非从开始就遵循军用标准，也让R12在一些复杂恶劣环境下表现不如人意。随着战争烈度的升级，军方对于“纯血军用”的要求一再提升，因此催生了后续的宝马 BMW R75。（宝马还是很有个性的，它强硬地拒绝了代工聪达普的官方请求，自己研发出了R 75）
1941年秋天，东线。德军“克莱斯特”装甲集团的宝马BMW R12摩托车陷进泥泞中。苏联的道路状况差是德军摩托化部队的噩梦。
那么，相对于R75和聪达普这些后起之秀，R12最大的特点是什么呢？
（Simple摄影作品）
它漂亮啊！
对于军方纯粹讲究的皮实耐用，脱胎于民间市场的R12当然要照顾大众的审美。在1935年2月诞生之初，R12就在柏林车展上以它时尚典雅的“装饰艺术”设计风格为人们展示了它的工业美感。这款在二战中产量最大的德国军用摩托，最终成为全世界收藏家们青睐的对象。
（图片取自国外某机车俱乐部）
鍹華新品主题取材于宝马BMW R12的目的，不仅是弥补同类素材中的空白，更是为了用极致工艺向这款传奇摩托的致敬。30比例的巅峰，目前还是First Legion的摩托兵，然而这毕竟是十多年前的设计和模具，我们希望的不仅于此。
（Simple摄影作品）
弥补一处，刷新一处；弥补的是题材，刷新的是工艺。这就是鍹華出品的意义。
因为没有任何板件的参考，鍹華是通过真车数据和历史图片，邀请国外专业设计师制作（前军方装甲部队人士，同时也是装甲机械专家），在考证方面具有相当的自信。整车零件总计达到了90余个，完全属于自找罪受的行为。细碎的零件让制作和装备难度几何等级的提升，但注重细节的朋友，你们可以在这里得到惊喜。
部分零件的展示
我们经常会碰到追求金属配件含量的用户，抱歉的是这次的R12可能并不能满足这方面的愿望。整车金属件总共三个，分别是：把手、车身挎斗连接部和单车版的驻车卡座三角件。鍹華并不想用所谓沉甸甸的金属配重来得到心理满足，在金属含量和极致细节两者里，我们任性地选择了后者。毕竟，同体积材质中，PU材质要比金属在微观局部上有着更好的表现。
金属的目的，不是为了增加它的成色，而只是为了稳固以便更长久的保存。但我们用艺术品的规格来要求自己，精致才能被称为艺术，相信每一位深谙此道的朋友也会呵护艺术。我们试图在最大保留艺术的前提下，达到耐久的平衡。
（Simple摄影作品）
R12的轮胎是比较窄的，在小比例模型上它往往比较难于表现。真有人在意宽窄不同一点吗？鍹華在意。为此我们不仅专门开了钢模制作了胶质轮胎，甚至一个轮胎用到了4个分件。在过程中因为打印件和钢模的轮胎花纹不同，不惜回炉再造，最终在30比例上收获了和原车比例一致的窄胎。
微观放大，依然细节满满
这里需要纠正一下，如果说到金属件，那么除了前面所说的3个部分外，其实还有其他的部件，那就是蚀刻片。
蚀刻片被用在了牌照和轮毂，对于它立竿见影的效果，相信对于各位老玩家并不会陌生，嗯，你也不会陌生制作和装备它的难度。
算不算画龙点睛的效果？
熟悉鍹華的朋友应该知道，鍹華的目的并不是仅仅还原一个似是而非的大致效果，而是为了还原，或者说尽可能还原（在当前技术允许的情况下）历史的细节。因此，我们花费了大量的精力在“于无声处”。我们希望这些，都能成为你在鉴赏中的惊喜。
比如摩托车的备胎部分可以拆卸，在拆卸后你可以发现一个完整的备胎架。诚然，在装上备胎后，这些细节是完全不可见的，但备胎本身就应该是被拆卸的，因此我们觉得，还原这个被忽视的细节（或者说通常被偷工的细节），才是额外的乐趣所在。
类似的还有单车和挎斗的连接部，我们100%还原了历史的连接方式。因为真车便是如此，历史便是如此。
诸如此类的小心思还有很多，让我们卖个关子，等待你慢慢发掘。
鍹華似乎又在做一件吃力不讨好的事情了，把30比例以16比例的要求来制作，又有几个能够在意这些细节？对此，鍹華只能回答：
世上神仙知不远，桃花只待有缘人
（Zheng摄影作品）
单人摩托：编号BMW-R12（S）
（Zheng摄影作品）
双人摩托：编号BMW-R12
各位战争场景达人一定会关心摩托车手和车载兵的情况。为了尽可能做到兵人和摩托车的完整度，将会在出货后按照量产标品来卡位设计相应产品，所以它会是一个需要等待的作品，但它一定会不付所望。
（该图士兵褶皱纹理较复杂，交给我们，如有更多历史照片请投稿建议）
鍹華的宝马 BMW R12，将只有几十台的产量（这个产量对比开发，各位可以想见我们的预售价格是否趋近成本），这个产量也注定它是一个极其小众的产品。由于制作周期需要至少两个月左右，因此我们将采取预售的形式。也许在这个经济下行的环境里，这些苛刻的前置条件会劝退不少人，但好处是它将为我们带来真正喜欢的玩家，而鍹華一定不会辜负你们的喜欢！
附1·：预售价格
宝马 BMW R12挎斗：899.00
宝马 BMW R12单车：699.00
预售至2024年9月15日
附2：历史原车规格
宝马（BMW）R12型军用摩托车
技术参数：
车长：2.1米，车宽：0.9米，车高：0.94米；
车重：188公斤；
最高时速：100公里/小时；挎斗模式最高时速：85公里/小时
发动机型号：BMW212，功率：18马力；
每100公里油耗：公路3.5～4升，越野4.5～5升；
油箱容量：14升；
公路最大行程（满载油缸）：350公里。
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