Article says that base coat is Feldgrau, virtually 100% certain.
Now, as to what exact colour Feldgrau is!
Blotches are probably white, but maybe a yellow or a sand hue, with dark green or dark brown.
Take home message, whatever colours you use, somebody will say you're wrong.
Thank you for the information on the Bertha issue. I looked for the color of the feldgrau and perhaps found an aproximate shade.
Kit of Bertha is almost built,I can not make big adjustments - Iam just a average modeller... But I want to try minor repairs and replenishment according to the 3D model. Ivo
Hi Ivo,
I am pretty sure that the bar you are referring to is there to protect the carriage from damage during assembly and, in particular, to guide the barrel wagon when this is being driven up the ramps during insertion of the barrel in the cradle. The barrel wagon has what appears to be vertical rollers inside the wheels (look closely at the pictures you have uploaded) and the protrusions at the end of the brackets could help with holding the barrel wagon back when the barrel is being pulled off it?
Just a qualified guess after having studied this design for years
Cheers,
Steen Winther
Regarding the colours, I can direct your attention to a cannon outside the Australian War Museum, which is painted in similar colours and style to the 'late' Big Berthas. I have attached a poor picture, but you can find much better ones by searching for this gun: https://wikivisually.com/wiki/15_cm_Kanone_16
You're work is especially nice, thanks for posting!
looking at my own (poor) Takom kit, I notice that none of the handwheels actually looks like something working and I have some questions if anybody could help!
There are 3 handwheels on the kit :
The first in the front of the carriage but not connected to anything... Brake? Mooving the axle?
The second is on the right side of the carriage : elevation of the barrel? Brake?
The first is on the left side of the carriage just behind the shield : no connexion with anything and same question...
This model is especially disapointing on many other points but the way the designers consider the systems is one the worse side!
Thank you very much for your answer! If both wheels on the sides of the carriage are use for the gun elevation, any idea on the purpose of the one in the front of the carriage, just behind the frontal platform? My fisrt idea was it could be used to move the axle but I don't know if it was used on german guns as it was on french ones...
I don't know what the handwheel on the right hand side was for.
I think the handwheel on the axle may have been a brake - the 21cm Morser has an identical handwheel on the axle housing - the handwheel on the 21cm has
an inscription which, in part, reads "Bremse" or "Brake" in English. My guess is that the 42cm was the same.
Regards,
Charlie
-- Edited by CharlieC on Monday 20th of January 2020 08:52:24 PM
I do believe that the handwheel on the right side of the carriage is a wheel brake. When the gun carriage was moved in a train, it had a soldier situated on a seat next to this wheel. I can't think of any other function during transport than a wheel brake....?
Hello, everyone here. I´m also working on the back of the cannon. Please anyone know the purpose on this construction? Is it only used in transport configuration?
I have attached another picture showing the carriage train in partial disassembly, attaching (or detaching?) the radgürteln (the linked blocks on the wheels). I believe that the brace you enquire about was there to prevent the tarpaulin from getting caught in the radgürteln during transport. It is not visible at any other stage of use of the weapon.
I also concur with Charlie that the front handwheel must be working on the same brake as the right side handwheel.
Great looking model - I particularly liked the effect you achieved with the spots of colour over the base Feldgrau. So many modellers
don't seem to realise that spray painting wasn't much used in WW1 - paint was usually applied with a brush.
Just to let my inner anorak out for a second - the projectiles for the Dicke Berta were painted blue/grey for the armour piercing and ochre for the HE round.
I particularly like the muted weathering you've done on the platforms to suggest areas where the crew have been walking - the effect is very convincing.
Really nice finish on the Bertha and it's presentation. I like the way this is displayed on the base, it gives the model a museum quality look to the whole thing. I enjoyed following all the comments that were posted and I actually learned a lot of new to me information. Thanks for everyone for taking the time to post.
Hello everyone. I changed the color on the ammunition and the text on the mat. Thank you for further information on the model. Ivo of the Czech Republic.