Hello, I am new to this forum, although I have been enjoying this site for painting my models and figures for a good while. I am probably more a wargamer than a model builder but I still work very hard to be as accurate as possible. I will have to post a few pictures of some of models, and will do so shortly.
I am currently working on a 15 MM model of the German Infantry Gun, using the 7.7 cm field gun with the smaller wheels, for the 50 Nahkampf Batterien, and am tyring to confirm some detials for the modified gun carriage.
The main point I am trying to find out is in regards to the two seats on the carriage in front of the axel/gun shield. Did the Infantry Gun version of this gun still have those or where they removed?
I am also wonderign if the gun shield was modified in anyway?
And lastly was the gun trail kept at the same length or was it possibly shortened?
Thanks for any help and advice on this subject, and let me close by saying what an awesome site. The information is just excelletn! Thank you!!!
The main visible changes to the Infantry Support FK 96 n.A were the smaller wheels (as you've noted), the bottom section of the gun shield was removed and the footrests of the axle tree seats. There is a surviving example of this gun - http://www.ammsbrisbane.com/documentation/fk96_4.html. I haven't run a tape measure along the trail but I think it remained unchanged.
Regards,
Charlie
-- Edited by CharlieC on Friday 16th of September 2011 01:40:48 AM
Many thnaks for the link to the pictures of one of the actual guns. Hard to beat that! I almost wonder if that might be original paint, but guess not, it being outdoors for so long. But it does seem a good shgade of feldgrau!
The current paint job on the Miles gun is an example of how not to restore old guns. The locals appear to have repainted it without stabilising and passivating the surface so the paint is just falling off exposing the metal of the gun. An example of how to do it properly is an FK 96 n.A at Corinda (http://www.ammsbrisbane.com/documentation/fk96_1.html).
The 77mm Nahkampfkanone was not an infantry gun. It seems to have been a gun for the defensive. It was designed as an ambush gun. It had it's lower shield removed, smaller wheels fitted and the foot rests for the seats in front of the shield removed. Unlike the IG it retained the seats for the gunner and aimer. 'Das Gerät der Schweren Artillerie' also makes mention that a tail wheel was fitted for better manouvering, although on the Brisbane example that Charlie has sent in, I have found no evidence of that.
Enclosed you will find some scale drawings I have done of this gun.
Enclosed you will find one I did earlier. It is basically the old BK models kit of the FK96 nA (now sold by Matador Models) with a scratched shield and new wheels. I made rims of the correct size and added the cut down spokes from Hat´s 10cm lFH14. I will put the wheelless lFH14 on a Lancia 3RO to make an Italian WW2 truck mounted gun.
The gun at Miles (about 200km from Brisbane) was captured by the 10th Infantry Brigade at Messines in June 1917. From the war diaries at the AWM it was an isolated camouflaged gun which adds support to Arie's view these guns were used as ambush guns.
Unlike what I mentioned before, it was actually 'Das Gerät der Leichten Artillerie' part 2. On page 66 it is mentioned that 50 batteries were formed, and that they were placed inmediately behind the first line. It only had wheels of 1 m diameter, so it could be concealed more easily in folds in the landscape, shell craters and small dug outs. From this I concluded that this gun was specifically used as an ambush gun. It is placed under the caption Anti Tank, so it seems to have been an AT-gun...
With kind regards,
-Arie.
-- Edited by Arie Dijkhuis on Sunday 18th of September 2011 08:00:40 PM
Arie, weren't these guns also briefly submitted to Sturmbattalion Rohr for testing as a storm cannon against MG nests and bunkers before being rejected in favor of the 7.5 Gebirggeschutz or Russian Pulitov 7.6cm?
-Greetings, Josh
__________________
"General, you have nobly protected your forts. Keep your sword...to have crossed swords with you has been an honor, sir." General der Infantrie, Otto von Emmich
Unfortunately 'Das Gerät der Leichten Artillerie' part 2 makes no mention of it. On page 22 it does mention that no guns were tested by Sturmbattaillon Rohr, but that this battallion was used to form and train new Sturmbattaillone.
Arie, This brings up an question I have then. Who manned these infantry guns? I was under the impression that originally they were manned with ranks from the artillery supplemented by infnatry, and later then possibly Strumtruppen or artillery assigned to the Sturmtruppen? Thanks,
I have no idea. 'Das Gerät....' makes no mention of it. Untill a few months ago I didn't even have the confirmation from German sources that the Nahkampfkanone really existed...
Thanks Arie, I understand. I'll work something out and at 15 MM, probably not that much difference except maybe the shoulder straps, and even the artillery wore feldgrau ones at one time.
Thanks again,
Terry
