I just noticed something amusing. The ACE model of the 10,5cm lFH 1916 took the photograph of my unrestored 10,5cm lFH 16 for their box illustration (without permission). Notice that it has the wrong number of spokes (14 not 12) and the hand spike is frozen in the up position. I wonder if they also incorrectly made the wheels for the model with 14 spokes.
My old photo from the web site is attached along with the box illustration. By the way, I now have correct wheels on this piece and the hand spike is at least usable now even though there is still a lot of work to go.
There's an in-box review on Internetmodeler, with some clear images of the sprues: http://www.internetmodeler.com/artman/publish/flarmor/Ace-1-72-10-5cm-German-Howitzer-leFH-16.php
I wanted to write a review of the Ace 10,5cm lFH16 kit for some time now, so this is as good a chance as any to do so...
When I opened the box I immediately noticed that the wheels were too small and the gun tube was too short. Apart from that, it seemed like a really nice kit. Closer inspection revealed that the gun shield was about half a millimetre too small on each side, the wheel diameter about 1mm too small and he gun tube about 2mm too small. The size and shape of the carriage on the other hand were more or less spot on. So were the height of the gun shield and the thickness of the barrel and cradle. The gun carriage has no riveting.
The wheels are easily corrected, just take a spare set from the Revell 10,5cm lFH18 kit. The gun tube takes a little more work. Cut off the breech block and scratch a longer new one. The pivoting point of the gun also has to be brought back (about 1mm). The gun shield is more difficult to correct, unless you want to scratch a new one. The problem with the gun shield isnt that noticeable, so you can also use the shield supplied in the kit. If you want to replace it, you also have to widen the axles by about 0,5mm on each side. The lack of rivets on the gun carriage is very difficult to correct. It will take a lot of time and effort, unless you decide that it isnt that noticeable on a gun this size.
The kit is supplied with a separate spade, so it can be modelled in a travelling or firing position. Brakes, elevation system, gun sight, seats and footrests are not over simplified. A limber is also supplied along with some loose rounds and charges.
All in all I give this kit thumbs up. Most shortcomings are easily corrected, or are so difficult to notice that it is hardly worth the effort. I already have 5 in my possession, so I can do some conversions, like the 77mm FK16, the 10,5cm lFH98/09 and the 77mm Kanone in Haubitzenlafette.
With kind regards,
Arie.
-- Edited by Arie Dijkhuis on Sunday 5th of December 2010 05:35:51 PM
Arie, many thanks for sharing your notes with us. Everyone now can decide whether the defects are bothering him enough to go through the trouble of corrections, or not.
There is a lack of information broken down to the need of a 1/72 modeller, so I appreciate your input and your drawings a lot.
I am a bit embarrassed to ask but how can I print out your excellent drawings on Landships to scale? E. g. this one http://www.landships.freeservers.com/jpegs_new/arie_dijk/77mm%20Feldkanone%2096%20nA.jpg is way to big when I print it straight out. There is no scale ruler in the drawing so I'm a bit lost. Regards, Pat
For printing I usually use Photoshop. As I draw in 1/38, I print them to scale 50%. For 1/72 you have to reduce to 52,8%. I will go through my old drawings and put a scale ruler in them. This could take some time, as I have had a major system crash, in which not only my computer died on me, but also my external hard disk with all my files on them. I ran a recovery, but I am still sorting out my files. Unfortunately a lot is lost beyond repair. I will get back to you on this one.
Many thanks Arie, these are excellent (and now I know how to use them ) - looking forward to anything else you can dig out of your PC system. E. g. the Skoda 100mm M14 drawing (on a page with your drawings of the German howitzers) which after some digging I found back on Landships. http://www.landships.freeservers.com/adh_germart3_fieldarty.htm
If you're looking for further German subjects, anything on the 75mm Krupp guns like the M03 etc. would be extremely useful and could let Emhar's "German artillery" set sales skyrocket! Regards, Pat
-- Edited by Pat on Tuesday 7th of December 2010 10:08:12 PM
I quite forgot about the Austrian 10,5cm lFH14. Enclosed you will find it. I probably forgot about it, because I am focussing on German artillery, that is, artillery that was built and used by the Germans in WW1. So far I have identified 125 German artillery pieces and the list is growing faster than I can draw. The 75mm M03 Krupp gun was, as far as I know, not used by the Germans. If you can prove that it was, I will draw it, but I will also hate you for it, because you will add one more to my list...
Along with the German pieces, I also have a list of 70 or so captured pieces, but my main priority lies with German pieces...
Hate away Arie, you posted an image a couple of days ago of a Beute Belgian Krupp M03 on the back of a truck. "28Jun14" supplied the correct identification. It looks like the Krupp M03 is a standard model - the Belgians modified the gun after WW1 with a hinge in the trail presumably to get more elevation.
Regards,
Charlie
-- Edited by CharlieC on Thursday 9th of December 2010 12:06:53 AM
You will be familiar with the following but I think being hated must be well-deserved, so here we go.
The M03 was used by the Ottoman army and I find it reasonable to think some went into German hands in Palestine. In WW2 the Wehrmacht gave captured Dutch examples the designation Feldkanone 243(h) so probably they used these as well.
There's also the M04 version, used by the Bulgarian, Ottomans, Romanians, and then some including Serbia. It was used by the army of Yugoslavia in 1941 and captured by... the Germans.
The Japanese acquired a licence to build the 75mm Krupp gun in 1905 and produced 2,000 guns as the Type 38 from about 1907 to 1914 at Osaka. A further 400 guns were built in the 1920s with a modified trail to increase max. elevation. the Type 38s served until the end of WW2.
The Italians also build the gun under licence as the Cannone da 75/27 mod.06 in the foot artillery version - horse artillery used the Deport gun.
The Belgians partially built their own guns as the Model 1905 - they made the barrels and assembled the guns with part supplied by Krupp.
The Turks bought the M03, ordered in 1905 delivered in 1906-7. These seem to have been both foot artillery and horse artillery versions of the Krupp gun. The initial order of 462 guns was followed up with orders of 90 M09 in 1909 and 88 M11 in 1911.
Sweden bought a small number in 1904 - presumably the M03 version
Brasil bought the 75mm in a number of batches before WW1.
Argentina bought a batch of 75mm guns in 1909 but these are different design compared to the M03, etc model - different breech, receiver.
The Israelis bought 50 guns after WW2 possibly from Rumania, these were used in the 1948 war and eventually became training guns. Most of the Israeli guns were modified with rubber tyres from 25 Pdr guns so they could be vehicle towed. They were not retired until the 1950s.
It should be noted there aren't gross differences between the various models of Krupp 75mm. About the only obvious change from the M03 model was the extension of the sides of gun shield over the wheels.
It doesn't help knowing the gun serial number with the 75mm Krupp guns since each order was numbered from #1. Even the build date only helps a little because there were multiple orders delivered in any given year.
"Btw many thanks for the Skoda drawing. Can't wait to check the upcoming HäT kit against your plans. Regards, Pat"
Hi Pat As I have a test shot i can confirm its pretty accurate and the detail is good, but rather 1/76 scale that said as far as Im aware Hät are making it larger(or have) for 1/72... in fact of all the new Hät guns its my favorite one, so i dont think youll be disapointed..
Thanks, Ironsides. You know how to add to the anticipation...
I think four of the five the WW1 artillery sets HäT are preparing will be sellers: 76mm Putilov 02, 75mm Skoda 15, 100 mm Skoda 14, British 4,5". Not so sure about the 75mm Deport gun - very useful for two World Wars but from the images the model looks even more spindly than the real thing.
Too bad there is still no release date for these. Regards, Pat
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