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Complete: M923A1 w/M198 Howitzer USMC in OIF

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  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Valrico, FL
Complete: M923A1 w/M198 Howitzer USMC in OIF
Posted by HeavyArty on Sunday, December 13, 2009 3:40 PM

I finally finished the Airmodel M198 and Italeri M923A1 prime mover that I started over 18 mos ago before I deployed to Iraq.  The howitzer is the resin Airmodel kit.  Yeah, I know, I started it, then Trumpeter came out w/the Plastic version.  You're welcome.  The truck is the Italeri M923A1 with Cam Design wheels and lots of scratch building with sheet plastic and wire to bring it up to par.  I plumbed the howitzer with air and brake lines from solder as well.  The gear in the truck is a mix of stuff from various suppliers.  It represents a USMC truck and howitzer from early in OIF in Iraq.  Here are the pics.





More completed and in-progress pics of each can be seen at the below links.

M923A1
M198

Thanks for looking.  As always, all feedback is welcomed.

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Carmel, IN
Posted by deafpanzer on Sunday, December 13, 2009 3:49 PM
Freaking cool! I really like it especially the stowage in the back.

Andy

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Sunday, December 13, 2009 3:53 PM

Holy CRAP, Gino! That is one SERIOUS model! Outstanding attention to detail and beautiful paint!

I like how you used aluminum or something like it under the wheel wells. Lotsa cool parts on here too, from what I could see.

Really something to look at! You never disappoint! Toast

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Canadian Prairies
Posted by caSSius on Sunday, December 13, 2009 4:11 PM

Wow...stunning details executed masterfully! The Photobucket links really need to be seen to appreciate the improvements you made. Great work Gino Yes

Cheers

Brad

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."

- T.S. Eliot

 

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Massachusetts
Posted by jadgpanther302 on Sunday, December 13, 2009 4:22 PM

THat's sick Gino! It looks real!Toast

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Valrico, FL
Posted by HeavyArty on Sunday, December 13, 2009 5:41 PM

Thanks guys.  It was a fun build. 

Doog, the inner fender is made out of foil from the top of a wine bottle.  Its always good to have a nice bottle of wine while modeling.  I recommend a good Merlot for armor.  It can get interesting after a few glasses though. Big Smile

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: Dublin Rep Of Ireland
Posted by terry35 on Sunday, December 13, 2009 6:24 PM

Looks brilliant Gino, that Howitzer must be some size. Congrats on getting the job finished.

Terry.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Sunday, December 13, 2009 6:37 PM

Gino

A super addition to the battalion motor pool. Nice details....love the aiming posts (red and white poles for the non-artillery people). The projos with packing look great and the fuze crates are right on. I did not see any but presume powder cans are under the bench. The only thing missing is empty water bottles, an MRE pack and the always popular black garbage bag!!

Quick question...the screen cover on the M198 seems to be a bit.....forward of where it should be. Am I seeing it wrong???

The tube looks great. The brakes and other details make it a winner! Yes the resin curse hits all of us....If you build it it will come....in styrene!

Glad to see you at the bench again and looking forward to a battery coming from you next year!

The brother from another mother!!

Rounds Complete!!

 

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Sunday, December 13, 2009 7:00 PM

HeavyArty

Thanks guys.  It was a fun build. 

Doog, the inner fender is made out of this foil from the top of a wine bottle.  Its always good to have a nice bottle of wine while modeling.  I recommend a good Merlot for armor.  It can get interesting after a few glasses though. Big Smile

lol~! Gino, I am THERE,with ya, about the wine foil man! That stuff is awesome for so many applications! My girlfriend Jenn bartends at an upscale restaurant on weekends, and she gets me tons of the stuff--I used it on that Model T I just posted here to make that ripped top.

I must confess that I just appropriated some from a nice bottle of strawberry champagne that she got, cheap...lol. My favorite though, would be a good "Rioja" from Spain. MMMMM! Stick out tongue

Again; awesome work here! Yes

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Texas
Posted by wbill76 on Sunday, December 13, 2009 7:03 PM

Outstanding work on this one Gino, can only echo the comments that the others have made regarding the detail work you've put into this one. Yes

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Goffstown, NH
Posted by New Hampshire on Sunday, December 13, 2009 8:08 PM

Looks absolutely amazing!!!!  Well done!

Brian

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Sunday, December 13, 2009 11:32 PM

Very nicely done sir!Yes

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Valrico, FL
Posted by HeavyArty on Monday, December 14, 2009 6:53 AM

Thanks for the comments by all.  Glad you like it.

Mike:  You got me.  I noticed after I snapped the pics that I had left the powder cans, MRE and water boxes in a box holding all the bits and pieces that I had put on a shelf.  Load plan has been adjusted.  The guard on the M198 may be a little too far forward.  I went by the placement shown by Airmodel.  Oh well, lets just say it slid out of battery on the crew.  Thanks for looking in on it and keeping me straight.

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Valrico, FL
Posted by HeavyArty on Monday, December 14, 2009 4:22 PM

O.K., since Redleg caught me, I had to go back and add the powder cans, MRE boxes, and a couple water boxes.  Here is with the new loadplan.

Thanks for catching it Mike.

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

  • Member since
    June 2009
Posted by Guney on Monday, December 14, 2009 5:47 PM

It's really good....Yes

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Monday, December 14, 2009 6:11 PM

HeavyArty

O.K., since Redleg caught me, I had to go back and add the powder cans, MRE boxes, and a couple water boxes.  Here is with the new loadplan.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v231/HeavyArty/M923A1/IMG_0617.jpg

Thanks for catching it Mike.

Ahhhhh....much better.....I feel the sand and smell the muzzle blast. ......Looks more like a basic load!!

Can not shoot without powder.....can not fight without MREs.....yummmmm

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Valrico, FL
Posted by HeavyArty on Tuesday, December 15, 2009 7:27 PM

Thanks Mike.  MMM MREs!!!!

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

  • Member since
    August 2009
  • From: Cary, North Carolina
Posted by M1Carbine on Tuesday, December 15, 2009 9:07 PM

Gino....holy Censored that looks AWSOME!  I love it.

 

Bob

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Tuesday, December 15, 2009 10:41 PM

Well what can I add to what everyone else has already said but,

 

WOW!

 

I too really love the storage, it really brings the model to life.

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Valrico, FL
Posted by HeavyArty on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 6:03 AM

Thanks guys, glad you like it.

Yup, C-Rats ham and mothers, with pound cake, MMMMMMMMM!

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posted by zokissima on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 10:41 AM

Wow, excellent work. Great to see this one finally finished up, after so long of a break. Wish you could get some close-up shots.

Those wheels look to be an immense improvement over the lousy Italeri kit parts.

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Central Texas
Posted by NucMedTech on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 12:27 PM

Gino- Nice to have you back(safe and sound), and what a way to return! It looks really great can only echo others remarks.

-StephenCowboy

Most barriers to your successes are man made. And most often you are the man who made them. -Frank Tyger

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Valrico, FL
Posted by HeavyArty on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 12:52 PM

Thanks goys.  Glad you like it.  Thanks for teh welcome back too.

Zok,  take a look at the Photobucket links in the first post.  There are some  close ups there.

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Valrico, FL
Posted by HeavyArty on Friday, December 18, 2009 6:17 AM

It was pointed out by a friend that I missed something on the gun.  Usually, the half of the barrel that retracts into the cradle is left unpainted and is greased to keep it moving smoothly.  I forgot to do this as well.  I guess that's what I get for rushing to finish it.  I have since corrected it.

So I went ahead and fixed the barrel.  I painted the area just behind where the step in the barrel is back to where it enters the cradle gun metal.  Then I took a piece of t-shirt cloth and buffed it up a little when it was dry.  Below are the results.

Now I officially declared it as done.

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: Missouri
Posted by StraightJacket on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 1:31 AM

This is awesome!!!  I found this site/post while looking for ideas for this exact model, truck & gun, that I started working on a few weeks ago.  Your detail is absolutely amazing. I am a former Marine from 10th Marines (Artillery) , Camp Lejeune, NC. so this piece brings back some great memories. 

Im just a beginner at modeling so if I can get mine to look half as good as this I will be more than pleased. Again Great Work!

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Valrico, FL
Posted by HeavyArty on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 6:42 AM

This is a blast from the past.  Thanks for the compliment Straightjacket.  I really enjoyed this build.  I'm sure yours will come out just as good.  Good luck on it.

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: Dublin Rep Of Ireland
Posted by terry35 on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 11:49 AM

Super cool.

Terry.

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: Democratic Peoples Republic of Illinois
Posted by Hercmech on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 12:25 PM

Great looking build!


13151015

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Valrico, FL
Posted by HeavyArty on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 6:36 PM

terry35 and Hercmech - thanks for the compliments.  It was a fun build.

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posted by zokissima on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 7:08 PM

Wow, a monster of a model, and always a pleasure watching the understated clean look. Love it.

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