Earlier this month, we were treated to our shipment of Oxford Rail’s 1:76 scale British BL 18-inch Railway Howitzer, which the British Army of WWI dubbed “Gladiator” (BOOM02). Heavy in hand and packed with lots of detail, Oxford’s railway howitzer is one of those extraordinary models that can be displayed alongside other diecast military vehicles or simply added to an OO gauge rail layout. Priced at just $79.99, our shipment of “Gladiators” has already sold out, and, to our dismay, won’t be available again until well into 2020 when Oxford gets around to reproducing it. Now, if you’re a latecomer to the game, eager to own a beast on tracks, you might think you’re sh*t out of luck until you learn that two more iterations are due out shortly.
Expected in July is “Boche Buster” (BOOM03), a 14-inch Railway Howitzer clad in a sumptuous tri-color camouflage scheme. Its roughly the same size as “Gladiator”, but sporting a slimmer gun capable of launching a projectile a bit farther than the wider 18-inch version. While we still have a few available for pre-order, we believe this gun will likely sell out even faster than “Gladiator”, simply because it looks more onerous and will likely attract the attention of those still interested in purchasing “Gladiator”.
And, if that doesn’t whet your appetite, there’s “Boche Buster” deluxe, a more upscale version of the 14-inch gun that comes bundled with a Rod 2330 0-6-0 locomotive and accompanying coal tender. Its a bit pricier, weighing in at $219.99, but it comes with a working locomotive thereby giving it true “Scoot-and-shoot” potential. And lastly, there’s “Boche Buster” super deluxe, which adds digital sound to the deluxe set all aimed at bringing your prized possession to life. Admittedly, it tops out at $349.99, but if price is no object and you’re looking to scare the neighbors out of their beds, then this version has got your name written all over it. Now wipe that smirk off your face…