The Guns! Thank Gawd the Guns! 1/35 M777-A2 155mm Towed Medium Howitzer

[GSymmonds]

Here’s Vargas’ 1/35 M777-A2 155mm Towed Medium Howitzer (vargasscalemodels.com) – it’s a 3D Printed model – the first I’ve tackled as a whole set.

Overall the detail is really excellent and the end result is definitely impressive – I never appreciated just how big these guns actually are – and the coordinated manpower required to operate them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Being essentially a cottage kit – the instructions are sparse and there is generally a lack of locating pins/mounting arrangements.  The instructions are emblazoned with “Test Fit” – with good reason: absent an understanding of how these guns go together there’s a bit of guesswork and a lot of diving into Google for photos.

Some parts aren’t quite right: The breech block is both too short and too long!  Too long at the front so the cone shape doesn’t fit well into the barrel assembly; and too short to fit all the way back.

 

The support yoke underneath is too short to put the gun in the “firing” position.

 

I did replace some of the kit parts – the antenna was lacking girth and detail; the push rod is way undersized.  To make the Canadian version the boxes on top are different – not exactly sure what they are (maybe electronics) and added what looks like a sensor panel (muzzle velocity?) on the front.  

 

I also added brake lines (fittings & hose from Detail Master - https://www.detailmaster.com/collections/fittings) and some of the more visible hydraulic lines.  Finally I added the firing mechanism on the right hand side.

 

I painted the bulk of the gun with NATO green (MRP) and weathered with Mr Color Stain Brown, Sandy Wash and Multi Black, save for the steel bits (lower barrel and breech).

 

Stenciling decals were printed on a laser printer and augmented with a bevy of placards from various aircraft sheets.

 

To make the scene I used a US howitzer crew from Shapeways, which were made up wearing CADPAT camo with decals from FFSMC Products.  That was a chore and a half!  Trying to “clothe” a 1/35 scale figure is something I’m not rushing out to do again.  Originally, I had planned on adding a few more figures but I couldn’t chin myself up to the task of dealing the clothes…!  Also there’s a whole bunch of ammunition from AFV Club, some ammo cans from Verlinden.

 

Arranged on a home made base with Noch grasses.

 

Overall a nice kit despite the challenges – and definitely looks impressive.

 

                Ubique, Rudyard Kipling

 

                Ubique means that warnin’ grunt the perished linesman knows,

                When o’er ’is strung an’ sufferin’ front the shrapnel sprays ’is foes;

                An’ as their firin’ dies away the ’usky whisper runs

                From lips that ’ave n’t drunk all day: “The Guns! Thank Gawd, the Guns!”

 

                https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/poem/poems_ubique.htm

 

Graham