In Box Review of Academy 1/35th Scale
U.S. Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 “PRIEST”
Kit no. 13210
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2007
Out of productions
I paid $25.43 for this kit when I used a 40% off coupon at the local Toy Fair store at the mall before it went out of business. It was originally priced at $39.99.
It is available 4 places overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2007
Out of productions
I paid $25.43 for this kit when I used a 40% off coupon at the local Toy Fair store at the mall before it went out of business. It was originally priced at $39.99.
It is available 4 places overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
Because of the U.S. Army’s success and experience mounting 105 mm Howitzer’s on halftracks, the Army decided that a modified M3 medium tank chassis would make a better weapons platform. Following considerable modification and development that also added a 50 cal. Machine gun to the side of the fighting compartment, this new, raised, open-topped vehicle was born as the self-propelled artillery vehicle, Carriage, Motor 105 mm Howitzer M7.
The open top, exposed the 6-7 man crew to enemy fire. The “PRIEST” was given its nickname after it entered British service during WWII, due to its elevated, protected pulpit-like drum cupola atop the gun carriage,. Officially called the 105 mm SP “PRIEST” by the British, it first saw service in North Africa at the second battle of El Alamein in October 1942.
By the end of 1943, the M7B1 (based on the M4A3 Sherman) was the standard model. About 3,000 were built during the course of WWII.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Self-propelled artillery
Place of origin: United States
Used by: U.S. Army, Argentine army, Austrian Army, Belgian army, British Army, Canadian Army, French Army, Israel Defense Forces, Italian Army, Norwegian army, Pakistan Army, Philippine Army, Philippine Constabulary,Taiwanese Army,Bundeswehr (West German Army), Yugoslav People's Army
Manufacturer: American Locomotive Company (M7), Pressed Steel Car (M7B1), Federal Machine and Welder (M7)
Produced: April 1942–July 1945
No. built: M7: 3489, M7B1: 826, M7B2: 127 converted from M7B1
Variants: M7, M7B1, M7B2
Mass: 50,640 lb (22.97 metric tons)
Length: 19 ft 9 in (6.02 m)[5]
Width: 9 ft 5 in (2.87 m) with sandshields
Height: 8 ft 4 in (2.54 m), 9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) over AA machine gun
Crew: 8
Armor: 12–62 mm
Main armament: 105 mm M1/M2 Howitzer with 69 rounds
Secondary armament: 1 × 0.5 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine gun with 300 rounds
Engine: Continental R-975 C1/C4, Ford GAA (M7B1), 400 or 340 hp, (298 or 254 kW)
Suspension: Vertical volute spring
Operational range: 120 mi (193 km)
Maximum speed: 24 mph (39 km/h) on road, 15 mph (24 km/h) off road
Because of the U.S. Army’s success and experience mounting 105 mm Howitzer’s on halftracks, the Army decided that a modified M3 medium tank chassis would make a better weapons platform. Following considerable modification and development that also added a 50 cal. Machine gun to the side of the fighting compartment, this new, raised, open-topped vehicle was born as the self-propelled artillery vehicle, Carriage, Motor 105 mm Howitzer M7.
The open top, exposed the 6-7 man crew to enemy fire. The “PRIEST” was given its nickname after it entered British service during WWII, due to its elevated, protected pulpit-like drum cupola atop the gun carriage,. Officially called the 105 mm SP “PRIEST” by the British, it first saw service in North Africa at the second battle of El Alamein in October 1942.
By the end of 1943, the M7B1 (based on the M4A3 Sherman) was the standard model. About 3,000 were built during the course of WWII.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Self-propelled artillery
Place of origin: United States
Used by: U.S. Army, Argentine army, Austrian Army, Belgian army, British Army, Canadian Army, French Army, Israel Defense Forces, Italian Army, Norwegian army, Pakistan Army, Philippine Army, Philippine Constabulary,Taiwanese Army,Bundeswehr (West German Army), Yugoslav People's Army
Manufacturer: American Locomotive Company (M7), Pressed Steel Car (M7B1), Federal Machine and Welder (M7)
Produced: April 1942–July 1945
No. built: M7: 3489, M7B1: 826, M7B2: 127 converted from M7B1
Variants: M7, M7B1, M7B2
Mass: 50,640 lb (22.97 metric tons)
Length: 19 ft 9 in (6.02 m)[5]
Width: 9 ft 5 in (2.87 m) with sandshields
Height: 8 ft 4 in (2.54 m), 9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) over AA machine gun
Crew: 8
Armor: 12–62 mm
Main armament: 105 mm M1/M2 Howitzer with 69 rounds
Secondary armament: 1 × 0.5 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine gun with 300 rounds
Engine: Continental R-975 C1/C4, Ford GAA (M7B1), 400 or 340 hp, (298 or 254 kW)
Suspension: Vertical volute spring
Operational range: 120 mi (193 km)
Maximum speed: 24 mph (39 km/h) on road, 15 mph (24 km/h) off road
THE KIT:
Academy is a prolific model company based in South Korea. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
It comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a “PRIEST” parked on a city street next to some rubble and a couple canvas shelters. To its side is a pile of 105 mm ammo and their storage tubes. A soldier is knelt down and holding a ammo round.
The “PRIEST” is overall olive-drab with a huge white star in a circle covering its side and on its nose too. No other markings are shown. Two crewmen are looking out of the top of the fighting compartment.
One corner of the box art says in white lettering that the kit contains a highly detailed exterior and interior of US Army “M7 PRIEST”. Reproduced early version of VVSS (Vertical Volute Spring Suspension). M7 PRIEST is widely used by US and the Allied forces for use of providing the support of the infantry.
One side panel repeats these features, followed by 9 color walk-around type photos of the model made up in the box art scheme.
Academy is a prolific model company based in South Korea. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
It comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a “PRIEST” parked on a city street next to some rubble and a couple canvas shelters. To its side is a pile of 105 mm ammo and their storage tubes. A soldier is knelt down and holding a ammo round.
The “PRIEST” is overall olive-drab with a huge white star in a circle covering its side and on its nose too. No other markings are shown. Two crewmen are looking out of the top of the fighting compartment.
One corner of the box art says in white lettering that the kit contains a highly detailed exterior and interior of US Army “M7 PRIEST”. Reproduced early version of VVSS (Vertical Volute Spring Suspension). M7 PRIEST is widely used by US and the Allied forces for use of providing the support of the infantry.
One side panel repeats these features, followed by 9 color walk-around type photos of the model made up in the box art scheme.
The other side panel repeats 2 of these photos, followed by the history of the “PRIEST” in 10 languages, each labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks those languages, including English. Copyright of the kit is 2007. Academy’s web address is provided. Kit was made in the Philippines and is intended for modelers over the age of 10.
A red sticker on the end of the box has Model Rectifier address in Edison, NJ on it. They were the US importer and distributor of this kit in 2007.
A red sticker on the end of the box has Model Rectifier address in Edison, NJ on it. They were the US importer and distributor of this kit in 2007.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 8 olive-drab trees, black vinyl tracks, the decal sheet and 2 instructions in 5 clear cello bags.
The main instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art, over the history of the “PRIEST” in English, German, Korean and Japanese.
Page 2 begins with READ THIS BEFORE YOU BEGIN instrutions in the 4 languages.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 7 gives a grand total of 12 assembly steps
The bottom of page 2 also has international assembly symbol explanations on it.
Page 1 has the parts trees illustrations on it. There is a listing of some part numbers that are excess and not needed to complete the mode.
At the bottom of the page is a suggested paint color listing in 5 languages, including English.
The second instruction sheet is a single-sheet, printed on both sides in the same page size as the main instructions.
The face side shows 2 black and white box arts of other Academy AFV kits: Kit no. 13206, a U.S. Medium Tank M3 “LEE” and Kit no. 13207, a U.S. Medium Tank M4A3 “SHERMAN” 105 mm Howitzer & MI Dozer Blade.
The reverse side is a marking and painting guide. It shows 4 schemes as 2-views.
1. The box art scheme (already described above). It was with the U.S. Army 2nd Armored Division, Sicily, July 1943.
2. A PRIEST that is overall olive-drab, with a white circled star on its nose, with a small yellow circle with black no. 26 over a horizontal bar and black no. 23 below the bar on the left of the nose and a unreadable white marking on the right and a white serial no. U.S.A. 4037722 stenciled on its side. It was with Battery B, 14th AFAB, U.S. Army, 2nd armored Division, Normandy 1944.
3. A PRIEST that is in a horizontal wave patter of earth-yellow, Khaki-green and red brown. It has a red triangle with a black H on it on its sides and a black oval with a white rhino on it on the front of its left front fender and a square that is divided into a red top and blue bottom with a white 77 on it on the front of the right front fender. It was with the 11th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, 1st Armored Division, El Alemein, 1942.
4. A PRIEST that is overall olive-drab, with a blue circle with a white maple leaf on it on its side over FRANCHE CONTE and a black square with bent bar over a letter A on it. It was with the 31st Firing Battery, 64 RADB, French 2nd Armored Division, France, September 1944.
Trees are alphabetized.
Olive-drab letter A tree holds: bogies, road wheels, idler wheels, drive sprockets etc. (52 parts) 20 parts are labeled as being excess in the parts trees illustrations.
This kit contains 8 olive-drab trees, black vinyl tracks, the decal sheet and 2 instructions in 5 clear cello bags.
The main instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art, over the history of the “PRIEST” in English, German, Korean and Japanese.
Page 2 begins with READ THIS BEFORE YOU BEGIN instrutions in the 4 languages.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 7 gives a grand total of 12 assembly steps
The bottom of page 2 also has international assembly symbol explanations on it.
Page 1 has the parts trees illustrations on it. There is a listing of some part numbers that are excess and not needed to complete the mode.
At the bottom of the page is a suggested paint color listing in 5 languages, including English.
The second instruction sheet is a single-sheet, printed on both sides in the same page size as the main instructions.
The face side shows 2 black and white box arts of other Academy AFV kits: Kit no. 13206, a U.S. Medium Tank M3 “LEE” and Kit no. 13207, a U.S. Medium Tank M4A3 “SHERMAN” 105 mm Howitzer & MI Dozer Blade.
The reverse side is a marking and painting guide. It shows 4 schemes as 2-views.
1. The box art scheme (already described above). It was with the U.S. Army 2nd Armored Division, Sicily, July 1943.
2. A PRIEST that is overall olive-drab, with a white circled star on its nose, with a small yellow circle with black no. 26 over a horizontal bar and black no. 23 below the bar on the left of the nose and a unreadable white marking on the right and a white serial no. U.S.A. 4037722 stenciled on its side. It was with Battery B, 14th AFAB, U.S. Army, 2nd armored Division, Normandy 1944.
3. A PRIEST that is in a horizontal wave patter of earth-yellow, Khaki-green and red brown. It has a red triangle with a black H on it on its sides and a black oval with a white rhino on it on the front of its left front fender and a square that is divided into a red top and blue bottom with a white 77 on it on the front of the right front fender. It was with the 11th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, 1st Armored Division, El Alemein, 1942.
4. A PRIEST that is overall olive-drab, with a blue circle with a white maple leaf on it on its side over FRANCHE CONTE and a black square with bent bar over a letter A on it. It was with the 31st Firing Battery, 64 RADB, French 2nd Armored Division, France, September 1944.
Trees are alphabetized.
Olive-drab letter A tree holds: bogies, road wheels, idler wheels, drive sprockets etc. (52 parts) 20 parts are labeled as being excess in the parts trees illustrations.
Olive-drab letter B tree holds: floor panels, 150 mm ammo storage tubes etc. (76 parts) Three parts are labeled as being excess in the parts trees illustrations.
Olive-drab letter C tree holds: side panels, pulpit ring, front fighting compartment wall etc. (57 parts)
Olive-drab letter D tree holds: main gun barrel, tools, 2 carbines, spare track links, etc. (70 parts) 2 trees are excess.
Lettering jumps to the olive-drab H tree. It holds the bogies and alternate drive sprockets etc. (62 parts)
Lettering again jumps to the olive-drab letter Y tree. It holds machine guns etc. (24 parts) 8 parts are excess.
Olive-drab letter Z parts tree holds: jerry cans, another machine gun etc. (15 parts) 7 parts are excess.
The lower hull tub is in one piece.
The decals for the versions described above.
The one piece vinyl tracks complete the model
There are no crew figures included in the kit and there SHOULD BE in an open-topped tank like this. Also no clear parts.
The decal sheet completes the kits contents.
Highly recommended.
The decal sheet completes the kits contents.
Highly recommended.