M198 155mm Towed Howitzer (early)
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In the Vietnam war, the US used the M114 155mm howitzer which was designed in the 1930's and began service in 1941. It was a rugged, reliable, and accurate weapon. However, it's range of only 15km was too limiting. The replacement M198 began design began in 1969 with fielding beginning in 1979. It sported a range of 22km with conventional ammunition and 30km with rocket assisted projectiles (RAP). 1,600 units were produced, and it was exported widely.
The Trumpeter kit is the only one available in styrene in 1:35. This kit depicts one of the early fielded units. It lacks the pressure gauges, positioning wheels, and electronics that were added later. It is a good kit, but I couldn't help myself and detailed the trails. I enhanced the model with:
• Scratch built airbrake lines and 3D printed gladhands
• Created custom decals for unit markings, stowage stencils, and for the many placards and warnings
• Added bell rammer and brackets to left rear trail
• Added mattock and handle to left inside trail - scratched brackets
• Added weld beads to trails with Archer resin decals
• Added PE footman loops to trails
• Scratch built M90 chronograph bracket
• Scratched brackets for loading tray on left inside trail from brass shim stock
• Added sledgehammer to left outside trail and scratched brackets from brass shim stock
• Added locking pins and retaining wires to travel lock
• Detailed the equilibrator and leveling cylinder brackets
I decided to paint it in the MERDC Grey Desert camo scheme using the pattern from US Army TB 746-95-1. After priming with Mr. Surfacer 1500 black (rattle can), and pre-shading with Tamiya XF-2 White, I drew the camo pattern on with a sand-colored pencil. I then airbrushed the sand color with AK RealColors RC084. I applied silly putty to cover the sand areas and sprayed the Field Drab areas with AK RealColors RC085. After removing the silly putty, I brush painted the two "small" colors in the MERDC scheme - black and yellow earth using Vallejo Black 70.950 and Vallejo FS30257 Desert Yellow 70.977. After sponge chipping the spades with XF-10 Brown, and the edges of the aluminum alloy trails and platform with XF-54, I detail painting and applied the custom decals made by Mike Blackwell. I sealed everything up with VMS Satin before weathering. As the US Army, is very serious about maintenance of weapon systems. I used a light touch on weathering using AK enamel weathering products and Winsor & Newton oil paints. The unpainted recoil area of the barrel was rubbed with AK True Metal AK461 gun metal wax.
This model won first place in towed artillery at the IPMS 2024 Nationals in Madison.
