Early WW2 US 105mm Howitzer M2A1 on Carriage M2

Olivier
Very nice. Will it stay on its own ? Or should some accessories arrive ?

Spanjaard
i fully agree with Oliver 👍

Norbert Steffens
Very nice build

Tim Heimer
Nicely done!

Neuling
Valuable contribution to your collection of American artillery pieces.

Rick Taylor
All,
Thank you for your kind words. This one will stay as-is, sans crew and firing position diorama, as part of my US artillery collection. I have plans to do a full-up firing position diorama for an M101A1, the final iteration of this weapon. I commanded one of the last remaining batteries of these in US service in the 1980's. Building up a complete and accurate firing position is a LOT of work. To do it well requires lots of ammunition in various stages of preparation for firing, lots of ammo dunnage, communications gear, artillery tools and implements (forcing cone, fuse wrench, fuse setters, extraction tool, etc.), camo nets, etc., etc., etc. Finding good crew figures is another issue. Most of the artillery figures available are depicted in the process of loading the howitzer. Most don't convey the weight of the ammo being handled. Even on this "light" howitzer, the ready to fire round weights about 42 lbs / 19kg, so it is carried close to the body. I've not had luck in finding figures in casual poses which are easier to sculpt. The there is the issue of me not having mastered the art of figure painting...

Rick

Spanjaard
that will be a dio certainly worth being followed... 🙂