7.2" Howitzer (15mm 1:100)

[Fitz]

I've been tinkering away at designing a 1:100 scale digital model of Britain's standard heavy gun of WWII, the 7.2" howitzer. It was derived from the WWI vintage 8" howitzer, with a new barrel to cater to heavier charges and new, better ammunition. It used huge chocks in an attempt to keep the gun roughly in place after firing; even so, it was not unknown for the most powerful charges to send the gun right up and over its chocks, presumably to the loud swearing (and peril) of the crew.

Test print (Elegoo Mars Pro, eSun water-washable resin)

This model shows it on its original carriage. It was later put on the four-wheel split-trail carriage of the US 155mm "Long Tom", which was better able to handle the massive recoil generated by the gun's most powerful charges.

The STLs for the gun and its chocks can be found at https://www.wargaming3d.com/product/british-7-2-howitzer/

[Fitz]

Unfortunately I don't have any crew figures for the 7.2". I have some old Battlefront crew from their 25 pounder, and some of those would be usable, but the ammunition for the 7.2" is much, much bigger than anything those figures are handling. I'll probably have to design some of my own, I suppose.

The figures in this photo are old Battlefront WWII Mediterranean British infantry.

[Etranger]

Nice!

[Jemima Fawr]

Lovely!  If it's any consolation, Spike Milligan's battery forgot to add the chocks on one occasion as well...

"Have you seen a gun roll through here?!"

"What colour was it?"

Re crew - the Battlefront 5.5 crew would be good.  They've got bagged charges, rammers and rounds being carried in cradles.

[Fitz]

Re crew - the Battlefront 5.5 crew would be good.  They've got bagged charges, rammers and rounds being carried in cradles.

That's good to know, thanks

[Jemima Fawr]

That's good to know, thanks

I don't know if you can buy them separately though. 

I'll dig out a picture...

[Jemima Fawr]

Here ya go:

[fred]

That is a very nice looking model, great work!

I do like some heavy artillery for my British forces.

[Etranger]

I don't know if you can buy them separately though. 

I'll dig out a picture...

They're not in the catalogue at the moment, & the 5.5" gun looks like it's sold without crew. 

[Jemima Fawr]

They're not in the catalogue at the moment, & the 5.5" gun looks like it's sold without crew. 

Yeah, I've been caught out with Battlefront so many times; start a project only then to find that they've pulled things from the catalogue and you can't finish it off without trawling through eBay.  When I got them it was a boxed Battery set with four guns, four Matador tractors, crews, Battery HQ, OP Carrier and Jeep.

[Etranger]

Hopefully they'll redo them in plastic (shades of Airfix!).

[Fitz]

I finally got around to printing and painting the huge chocks that were used to keep these guys from bounding away all over the landscape, and mounted everything on an off-cut of an old credit card.

[Etranger]

Dredging up an old thread. I forgot that Forged in Battle also do a 5.5" howitzer with crew. I don't know if they'd sell them separately though. https://www.forgedinbattle.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=90_123&product_id=270

[Baron von Wreckedoften]

Lovely!  If it's any consolation, Spike Milligan's battery forgot to add the chocks on one occasion as well...

"Have you seen a gun roll through here?!"

"What colour was it?"

Re crew - the Battlefront 5.5 crew would be good.  They've got bagged charges, rammers and rounds being carried in cradles.

And thus was born the (in)famous "Goon Show" (or "Go On Show" as some chair molester in BBC Accounts called it).  This means that the 7.2 is the only artillery piece anywhere in the world to have inspired a comedy series.

[Jemima Fawr]

And thus was born the (in)famous "Goon Show" (or "Go On Show" as some chair molester in BBC Accounts called it).  This means that the 7.2 is the only artillery piece anywhere in the world to have inspired a comedy series.

Yes indeed! 

Spike also provided some valuable first-person evidence for wargamers when he described having to re-paint the green & black camouflaged guns and vehicles in Tunisia with desert yellow... even though the terrain was uniformly grey.