German R-12 Motorcycle
1/72 Scale Model Kit also suitable for use with the Art of Tactic
This kit includes one plastic model German motorcycle with two soldier passengers.
Model supplied unpainted. Assembly required. This “snap fit” model can be assembled without glue.
Historical Notes
BMW started making motorcycles in the 1920s, and the German military quickly saw their value for communications and reconnaissance thanks to their high-speed and excellent maneuverability. All told, BMW would deliver some 36,000 R-12 motorcycles to the German military by the time they invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.
Equipped with a 2-cylindar 745cc engine, the R12 could manage speeds up to 100 kilometers per hour and had a range of more than 250 kilometers. Many were fitted with a sidecar, allowing the motorcycle to handle up to three passengers. The sidecar could also be used as a mount for a 7.92mm machinegun, creating a mobile infantry support weapon.
The R12 motorcycle proved to be a reliable vehicle that was popular with the German Wehrmacht. They would serve in every front of the war, from the frozen Russian steppe to the blazing Sahara desert.
