Scale Field Gun or Howitzer plans

[Peter Simpson 1Participant @petersimpson1]

Hi All,

Is anybody aware of any company that to scale drawings of a WW 1 or 2 howitzer. I have been watching the build progress of one on here, but I believe it was built using photos etc, which is beyond me.

[Peter Simpson 1Participant @petersimpson1]

[BufferParticipant @buffer]

Peter

there is a book called Early British quick firing artillery By Len Trawin. This has very detailed drawings of guns carriages and all the gubbins that go with them. They are not working drawings that you can build from they are just detailed cut aways, sections some technical drawings and explanations of all the parts. It might also be worth contacting the tank museum in bovington. They have a lot of technical drawings of tanks and might also have artillery. The imperial war museum also has a lot of handbooks for artillery and these often contain three view drawings to scale. I can give you some good drawings of the BL 15 inch howitzer but again you would have to use these to make you own plans.

regards rich

[PlasmaParticipant @plasma]

Hi Peter

Have you looked at Armortek 1/6 scale kits?

They do a couple of field guns and the ammunition limber.

Very nicely machined but lots of scope for extra detailing and work. I built their Centurion tank and spent many hours machining extra parts and details to make it so much more accurate.

If you are not sold on making your own plans and dont mind building from a metal kit you can spend a lot if time on really super detailing it.

Once materials and machining are counted in the cost of these kits is not bad.

Beat regards plasma

[Robert Irving 4Participant @robertirving4]

Hi Peter,

Building from photographs is easy, there is a freedom that does not accompany building from drawings, particularly when purchased castings are employed.

The 8"Vickers 1916 MkI took a long time to build, about 900 hrs. Some of that time was in working out the innards but a lot of it was making swarf through having to cut from solid stock and riveting, Ugh! There was one line drawing of a later mark that had some vague dimensions but that was discovered too late and was confirmation that the dimensions were about right.

The guy I agreed to make it for put progress photos on the site that I had sent him to ease his mind that there was progress, and lots of nearly right commentary, eg he announced that I was a retired toolmaker, not even close to the truth. I am a retired CEO whose hobby is engineering model making and restoration. So please don't underestimate what can be done with a modicum of skill and perseverance.

You do need photographs with as normal an angle as possible and something to scale from like a person. My intent was to give the guy a model that he asked for, this was not a scale model exact enough to please rivet counters but a fair representation of a long gone artillery piece that functioned as the original. None firing of course, the barrack room lawyers and retired house conveyancers had their say anyway and it amused me since the Firearms Act 1936 and amendments plus other UK laws were guides extensively referred to in detail as a competition shooter who enjoyed two longish spells based in the UK .

I do have all the progress photographs on file so if you would like to explore further your own build I can send my email address, but not on open forum. I am not interested in building for someone else, too much hassle.

Rob

[George Moore 1Participant @georgemoore1]

I have recently joined, my name is George Moore, I have been a model maker for many years but work mainly in plastic, (hope this does not put you off !!!).

I Make master patterns for a company "Resicast", that produce resin kits of Commonwealth / British military equipment in 1/35th scale. I have made many masters of vehicles, guns, wagons for WW1 and WW2 subjects.

A visit to the website will show some subjects I have mastered.

My reason to visit the site is to enquire to Richard Brown if he can supply me with details of the 15 inch howitzer.

I have one scale drawing of the side profile, but would like a plan or other detail items.

If you think you are able to help, contact me via the site, I can furnish contact details.

Over the years I have collected quite a list of data, plans and had the opportunity when visiting the RA Library at Woolwich, quite a lot of detailed drawings for 8", 6", 25/18 pdr field gun, 60 pdr field gun. As mentioned the Trawin book is a mine of information, and I have some original manuals.

Thanks in advance.

George.

[BufferParticipant @buffer]

George

I guess you have the Ken Musgrave 4 view drawing thats the one I have.

Rich

[IanTParticipant @iant]

There were two articles in ME Vol 170 (1993 – Nos 3942 & 3944) by Brian Hope – about his award winning model of a WW1 (1904) 18 pounder field gun.

It isn't a blow-by-blow account but there is a reproduction of the drawing from the Imperial War Museum he based his model on, as well as a view from the gunners end…(his own drawing I assume). He also discussed how he made the major assemblies and there are a few photos. There may also be examples of the real thing around for anyone determined to find them with a camera & tape measure, it looks like the kind of gun fired at Horseguards but they may be completely different for all I know about these things…

It's going to be a major project whatever you decide to model Peter …so best wishes!

Regards,

IanT

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