155mm Gun M1A1 - Long Tom

The 155mm Gun, nicknamed the "Long Tom", was one of the guns specified by the Westerfield Board at the conclusion of WW1. It built upon the successful 155mm GPF gun of WW1 and paired it with a carriage and recoil system that allowed high-angle fire. It was to be the long-range partner of the 8-inch howitzer and share the same carriage. The ordnance department worked on it through the 1920's and 1930's. When WW2 started the US Army had this excellent piece fielded in small quantities and in low-rate production. It was an excellent field piece and went on to serve for decades in the armies of Allied nations.

This is AFV Clubs release of the WW2 version. It features the WW2 highway pattern tires and the early limber. With this kit, AFV Club did something that few companies do - they fixed the problems with the prior release. The AFV Club Korean War version has been around since 1996 and had dimensional issues with the barrel. This release fixes those issues and includes a new well detailed breech and breech block, new sights, and a good assortment of gun implements. It also includes vinyl airbrake hoses. They look great but can be a bit fiddly.

I used the some of the parts from the Eduard PE set for the Korea version to enhance the kit. Other than that, it was built from the box. I finished it with Tamiya paints, Winsor & Newton oils, and AK weathering products.