French SNCF Era II Class 241A Black Livery1931 version with large smoke deflectors, black livery with red pin stripping and long dome streamlining.Prototype: The French class 241 was four cylinder compound locomotive built in 1931, it was one of the largest European locomotives ever built. The class 241 was a used for very heavy express service. With its large 1950mm drive wheels it reached a top speed of (110 km/h) 70 mph. The class 241's wheel arrangement was 4-8-2 which in the USA is known as a mountain. It was truly a magnificant locomotive weighing just over 200 tons. In 1953 the DDR Deutsche Reichsbahn East, purchased a class 241 and converted it to a coal dust burning locomotive. The DR classified it as a BR 08 and it was the largest locomotive in the DR fleet.One class 241 actually still runs today, it is the property of a professionally organized association in Boniswil Switzerland. This group purchased this locomotive some years ago and sent it to locomotive repair facilities in Meiningen Germany. The professional at Meiningen fully refurbished the class 241 to its original greatness and it occasionally hauls excersion trains. Today it is the largest functional steam locomotive in Europe, we hope to one day see this giant in person.Model: Well this might be the best Micro Metakit model yet. They will produce 8 different versions, six French and two German. Quantites naturally will be very limited. The model is completely functional and highly detailed. It will feature a functional replicated 4 cylinder drive system just like the prototype. The two inner pistons and crank shafts are functional and move in unison with the outer two pistons and drive rods. For a model this is a remarkable accomplishment. It also features a brush-less, ironless