Have Gun Will Travel II: SP Artillery GB 2012

I'm in!

I have the Renwal 8 Inch SP Howitzer and the Atomic Cannon that need to be built.  I'll start with the howitzer.

Jim

Macattack80 reporting for duty!

Model kit to be determined.

Howdy All

If you read the lead story above you noticed I have permission to carry over my build of the Sturer Emil from part 1 of the Have Gun GB to part 2 so I thought it would be a good idea to post some progress shots for those that were not enlisted in part 1.

It's the Trumpeter kit with Friulmodel tracks,ArmorScale barrel and ammo along with I think the Aber PE set.

The PE set is under that pile of plastic,took me two days to figure that out.

This is as far as I got when progress stopped,WHY???????

There you have it for now. I've got other builds to finish painting but i'll work on the Emil while paint dries so keep an eye out for updates.

I'll be watching for your projects too.

See You Then

Tony lee

Stunning stuff, Tony -- that brass blows me away, it's almost a shame to paint it!

M/TB379

Sturm stuff Tony! Something like that is a hall of famer.

I am going to build a M40 GMC with Dad, who crewed one from 1948 to 1954 in the Michigan ANG.

I hope crossovers are allowed because we are already in the Veterans GB.

Bondo -- welcome aboard, that's a marvelous subject, and yes, crossovers are fine! I'll be watching with interest as I'd love to do this one myself!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

I am in. Not sure what to build yet, have to visit Sprue bross and find something.

Cheers...

Hi Mike ,

I was wondering if this kit would be suitable for this Group Build ;

It's the 1/76 Fujimi M7B1 105mm Gun

I would like to build it as a Israeli version of the M7 Priest  and after spending quite a few hours on the internet looking for reference pic's I found these ;

As you can see the rear engine deck is different to the Fujimi kit , so I was going to cut the upper engine deck from a 1/76 Airfix M4 Sherman and replace the Fujimi one

I will aslo replace the lower hull end section with one from the Airfix Sherman as well

Fujimi's pulpit is the deeper style and the IDF M7 has the shallow type pulpit

This shouldn't be too difficult to correct on the Fujimi kit .

Anyway is my choice of kit acceptable for this GB ?

John .

I'm in, I have an M109 in the stash just don't recall the make/scale off hand.

John -- yes, by all means, that looks an unusual and ideal subject, it's definitely SP artillery!

Gunner Chris -- I'd be guessing Italeri 1:35? Bring her aboard!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Most Interested, just have to think what I'm gonna do first!

Hey Bondo,i've got the M40 and M12 in the stash,i'll be watching for sure.

John my M7 is waiting in the wings to be completed,needs decals and weathering to finish.

Have fun everybody

Tony lee

Thunderbolt379

John -- yes, by all means, that looks an unusual and ideal subject, it's definitely SP artillery!

Gunner Chris -- I'd be guessing Italeri 1:35? Bring her aboard!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

TB were you peaking in my stash????  Yes Italeri 1:35 M109

Pvt Mutt

Hey Bondo,i've got the M40 and M12 in the stash,i'll be watching for sure.

John my M7 is waiting in the wings to be completed,needs decals and weathering to finish.

Have fun everybody

Tony lee

Awesome M7 build Tony

I like the added stowage gear , I just picked up 3 sets of the Black Dog resin 1/72 IDF Equipment sets , so I really appreciate you posting the pic as it will give me some idea as to what to place on my build .

I saw the Squadron Signal M7 Priest Walk Around book on the net , I wonder if it's worth while buying ?

I just started reading a new book I got yesterday on the Israeli Sherman and there are several photo's and a little text on the IDF M7 Priest .

The book mentions the differnce between the straight M7 version and the M7B1 . I was thinking of a second M7 build using the upper M7 hull section from Italeri's fast assembly kit and combine it with the lower hull of italeri's M4/M4A1 Sherman kit , which has a really nice Continental radial engine included in the kit . Italeri also provide seperate top deck engine cover pieces , so I could do the same modification as on the Fujimi kit . Mmmm somehting to think about ....

John .

Pvt Mutt the brass master!   Fantastic M7 sir!  I am looking forward to seeing the Sturer Emil finished although, as Mike stated, it seems almost a shame to paint it.

bondoman, that is a great kit although a bit out of my abilities.   I am sure you will do it justice.

John this is all I could find in my stuff.

Late production M7, IDF near Um Kataf in the central Sinai desert during the Six Day War June 1967.

Tony lee

Tony -- that M7 is amazing, makes me want to build one!

Gunner Chris -- GRIN! I have been told I'm highly psychic, but Italeri has pretty much the only game in town when it comes to 109s.

Okay, I think I've made up my mind -- it'll be Trumpeter's AS-90, in markings for Bosnia. Ordering PE at thbis time...

Cheers, M/TB379

What the heck!  Sign me up!

I'll do the 1/35th Revell o' Germany  M109A6.

I'm almost done with the BMP-3.  I'm gonna get the Bradley finished after that. 

Thunderbolt379

Okay, I think I've made up my mind -- it'll be Trumpeter's AS-90, in markings for Bosnia. Ordering PE at thbis time...

Is that the one I think it is?  Have fun with that kit. 

Thunderbolt379

Tony -- that M7 is amazing, makes me want to build one!

Gunner Chris -- GRIN! I have been told I'm highly psychic, but Italeri has pretty much the only game in town when it comes to 109s.

Okay, I think I've made up my mind -- it'll be Trumpeter's AS-90, in markings for Bosnia. Ordering PE at thbis time...

Cheers, M/TB379

I don't suppose anyone knows of a 1/72 M109??

Jim -- it is indeed the same one! I'm looking at the Eduard sets for it, the grills are a must-have, but the general set is both more expensive and more extensive (while not including the grills). Brackets, tie-down points, protectors, all sorts of detail to be filed off the original parts and replaced with brass. I'm tempted, but having difficulty tracking the sets down...

It looks like I can work on the undercarriage and the gun without getting into any areas the brass is needed for, so I might start there.

Gunner Chris -- I'm afraid not, 1:35 is the only scale I'm aware of the M109 being produced in as yet... But I could be wrong!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

My Renwal Howitzer is turning into a weekend project.  It is a very simple kit and the fit has been good.  With any luck, it will be ready for paint Sunday!

Wow, okay -- looks like we'll have a completion before many of us have even slit the shrinkwrap! So, what'll your next build be?

M/TB379

Thunderbolt379

Wow, okay -- looks like we'll have a completion before many of us have even slit the shrinkwrap!

Heck, I haven't even bought a kit yet.....

Plenty of time... I'll count myself lucky if I can build two!

M/TB379

Thank's for posting that color profile of the IDF M7 Priest , Tony

I've decided to start with my second option of using the Italeri 1/72 fast assembly M7 Priest and combine the Italeri M4/M4A1 kit bogies / wheels , tracks , engine deck cover pieces and the Continental radial engine

The engine will just fit into the lower hull section of the M7 kit with perhaps a few swipes of the sanding stick on the engine side support brackets

The seperate rear deck cover pieces fit nicely between the rear stowage boxes

There are some little lights I can use from the Sherman doner kit along with some seperate tools , I will also add some control levers for the driver . I'll cut open the rear end lower hull doors to show of part of the engine and a few other small additions here and there . I ordered the Squadron M7 Priest walk around book and it should arrive late next week but I can start on getting the engine built , painted and fitted in place in the meantime . I'll search through my other kits for some volunteer's to crew the M7 as well .

John .

Thunderbolt379

Wow, okay -- looks like we'll have a completion before many of us have even slit the shrinkwrap! So, what'll your next build be?

M/TB379

I have the Atomic Cannon and a Trumpeter Type 83.  So, it will be one of those, although, I am thinking the Atomic Cannon is in the lead. 

The Atomic Canon -- Renwal? Revell? Glencoe? Sounds old -- 1:40th scale?

M/TB379

Some WIP pic's on my kitbash Italeri M7 Priest build .

I airbrushed the lower hull interior white and the underside of the drop in floor along with some silver on the engine pieces

I cut open the rear deck and also the driver's small front hatch as well

I drilled through the floor piece to fit the drive shaft into the molded transmission

The engine fits nicely inside the hull

I also cut open the rear doors on the lower hull end piece and the top deck engine covers fit nicely

Next I'll start putting together the bogies / wheels .

John .