Well it has been a couple of weeks since I last posted on this one. First I worked on the air lines for the brakes. Using the Aber Pneumatic Details PE set and some 20 gauge SS wire I created the fittings from PE, the strain relief by creating a spring from the 20 gauge wire and the hose is the tubing supplied with the Aber set.
Here is the front air tank with the supply lines and feed lines to the brakes.
On the rear plate using the Aber kit, I assembled the air fitting connections and strain relief from the wire. The air line runs from the rear up each side and feeds the forward air tank.
Prior to adding the air lines the lower carriage along with the other parts of the howitzer were finished painted with Poly Scale OD. With the air lines in place the howitzer was final assembled. Using a PE stencil a 10inch scale White Star was painted onto the right side of the shield using Tamiya Flat White. The tires were painted with a 50/50 mix of Tamiya NATO and Flat Black.
Here is the front view of the assembled and painted howitzer
Here is the view from the rear
Next I gave the details and rivets a pin wash with MIG dark wash. After the pin wash dried, I gave the entire model a dot filter using Windsor & Newton White, Flesh and Sap Green along with Abteilung Light Mud. I spread the dots using MIG Grey for light Green. Using this mix gave the OD the faded look with a mixture of tones.
I finished up the weathering with a dusting of a mix of MIG Dried Mud and Industrial Dirt pigments. Here is the finished look
I created some details for the display. First was the 155mm ammunition using the AFV 155mm ammunition kit. The 155mm projectiles are painted with Tamiya OD. The rotating band is painted with Tamiya Flat Copper and the kit decals applied. The powder containers are also painted using Tamiya OD and the white band kit decals applied. The dunnage is 1/32 inch plywood cut in a scale 4 inch wide and 8 foot long strip. To weather and bring up the grain, a light coat of Minwax stain was used.
Some other details include a ramming staff from styrene rod and punched sheet styrene sheet for the end plate. The staff is painted with Tamiya OD and the end plate with Alclad Steel. The resin cast foot locker/section chest is painted with Tamiya OD and Alclad Steel on the hinges and hasp. The shovel is Tamiya Flat Black and Buff. The shovel is scratched using a #2 pencil.
After a visit to my woodwork shop to make the oak base, I created the ground with cell-u-clay and cheap buff colored acrylic paint mixed in. After drying, the surface had a light coat of the same MIG pigments used above. The spade hole used the same pigments with a touch of MIG Old Rust pigment to give it a darker freshly turned dirt look.
Here is the complete model
Here it is from the rear
That is it for this one. I would like to again thank Jon from Commander Models. This is a fun little kit that fills the void of the WWI and early WWII US Medium towed artillery.
Next up is the M115 8 inch howitzer
As always all comments are welcome
Rounds Complete!!
EOM