Review of Academy 1/72nd Scale
M-12 155mm Gun Motor Carriage
Kit no. 1394
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2000
Out of production, but available a few places on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2000
Out of production, but available a few places on the web.
HISTORY:
The 155 mm Gun Motor Carriage M12 was a U.S. self-propelled gun developed during the Second World War. It mounted a 155 mm gun derived from the French Canon de 155mm GPF field gun.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Self-propelled gun
Place of origin: United States
In service: 1942–1945
Used by: United States
Wars: World War II
Designed: 1942
Manufacturer: Pressed Steel Car Company
Produced: September 1942 – March 1943
No. built: 100
Variants: M30 Cargo Carrier
Mass: 59,000 pounds (27 metric tons)
Length: 22 ft 1 in (6.73 m) hull, spade retracted, 22 ft 2.5 in (6.769 m) including gun
Width: 8 ft 9 in (2.67 m) without sand shields
Height: 9 ft 5.5 in (2.883 m) over gun shield
Crew: 6 (Commander, driver, 4 gun crew) with remaining gun crew in M-30
Armor: 0.5–2 inches (13–51 mm)
Main armament: 155 mm (6.1 in) M1917, M1918, or M1918M1 gun in Mount M4 with 10 rounds
Engine: Wright R975 C1 of 350 horsepower (260 kW) at 2,400 rpm
Power/weight: 13.06 hp/metric ton
Suspension: Vertical volute spring suspension (VVSS)
Operational range: 140 miles (230 km)
Maximum speed: Road: 21–24 miles per hour (34–39 km/h)
The 155 mm Gun Motor Carriage M12 was a U.S. self-propelled gun developed during the Second World War. It mounted a 155 mm gun derived from the French Canon de 155mm GPF field gun.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Self-propelled gun
Place of origin: United States
In service: 1942–1945
Used by: United States
Wars: World War II
Designed: 1942
Manufacturer: Pressed Steel Car Company
Produced: September 1942 – March 1943
No. built: 100
Variants: M30 Cargo Carrier
Mass: 59,000 pounds (27 metric tons)
Length: 22 ft 1 in (6.73 m) hull, spade retracted, 22 ft 2.5 in (6.769 m) including gun
Width: 8 ft 9 in (2.67 m) without sand shields
Height: 9 ft 5.5 in (2.883 m) over gun shield
Crew: 6 (Commander, driver, 4 gun crew) with remaining gun crew in M-30
Armor: 0.5–2 inches (13–51 mm)
Main armament: 155 mm (6.1 in) M1917, M1918, or M1918M1 gun in Mount M4 with 10 rounds
Engine: Wright R975 C1 of 350 horsepower (260 kW) at 2,400 rpm
Power/weight: 13.06 hp/metric ton
Suspension: Vertical volute spring suspension (VVSS)
Operational range: 140 miles (230 km)
Maximum speed: Road: 21–24 miles per hour (34–39 km/h)
THE KIT:
Academy is an old prolific model company based in S. Korea.
They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of 2 M-12’s parked beside each other in a woods. The one in the foreground is firing its gun. Its tank commander is standing in the fighting compartment and facing rear with his hands over his ears. There are 3 infantry-men standing behind the tank. All the men wear steel helmets and green uniforms. Two of the men are holding their hand over their ears and the third man is on a field telephone.
The M-12’s are both overall olive-drab. The one in the foreground, on its hull side, has a white shield with 2 horizontal red stripes across it and 3 pale gray stars at the top, followed by white hand-painted “June Gil” and “Avant Le Char de Mort” (Advance tank of Death) over white serial no. USA 4081019.
One side panel of the box has 5 color walk-around type photos of the model made up. Four of the photos are of the box art scheme. One of these photos shows a large white star on the tank’s nose. The 5th photo shows a white star and stenciled serial no. USA 4051022 on the sides of its hull.
Academy is an old prolific model company based in S. Korea.
They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of 2 M-12’s parked beside each other in a woods. The one in the foreground is firing its gun. Its tank commander is standing in the fighting compartment and facing rear with his hands over his ears. There are 3 infantry-men standing behind the tank. All the men wear steel helmets and green uniforms. Two of the men are holding their hand over their ears and the third man is on a field telephone.
The M-12’s are both overall olive-drab. The one in the foreground, on its hull side, has a white shield with 2 horizontal red stripes across it and 3 pale gray stars at the top, followed by white hand-painted “June Gil” and “Avant Le Char de Mort” (Advance tank of Death) over white serial no. USA 4081019.
One side panel of the box has 5 color walk-around type photos of the model made up. Four of the photos are of the box art scheme. One of these photos shows a large white star on the tank’s nose. The 5th photo shows a white star and stenciled serial no. USA 4051022 on the sides of its hull.
The other side panel has a small color photo of the model made up in overall olive-drab, with white serial no. USA 40145192 followed by a circled white star. This is followed by features of the kit in 10 paragraphs in that many languages, including English that say: Contains one unassembled model kit and easy to follow pictorial instructions. Paint and cement are required to complete the model as pictured on the box. Kit is suitable for ages 10 to adult. Scale 1/35th.
These paragraphs are labeled with color illustrations of the flags of the country that speaks the language.
Academy’s web address, the copyright of the kit as 2000 and made in Korea. Then it contradicts the earlier statement as to who the kit is suitable by saying 6 years and up.
These paragraphs are labeled with color illustrations of the flags of the country that speaks the language.
Academy’s web address, the copyright of the kit as 2000 and made in Korea. Then it contradicts the earlier statement as to who the kit is suitable by saying 6 years and up.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 6 tan parts trees, a loose tan hull top and hull tub part, a length of wire and white string, vinyl tracks and the decal sheet in 6 sealed clear cello bags.
There are 2 instructions.
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 M-12 and READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions in English, German, Japanese and Chinese.
Page 2 has international assembly symbol explanations at the top in the 4 languages.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 7 gives a grand total of 15 assembly steps.
Page 8 is the parts trees illustrations, over a suggested paint color listing in the 4 languages and Academy’s street address in Seoul, Korea and their telephone and FAX numbers.
The second instructions is a painting and marking guide. It is a single-sheet, printed on both sides, the same page size as the main instructions.
I looked up the names of the units for the M-12’s shown on this instructions out of the Squadron Signal series book on the M-12.
The first 3-view is of the box art subject. It shows only the white shield and “June Gil” on its left side.
It was with the 487th Field Artillery Battalion, supporting the U.S. attack on St. Lo, France on July 1944.
The second 3-view shows a M-12 that is overall olive-drab. It has the white shield with 2 red horizontal bars across it under 3 pale gray stars at the top, with white “Corregidor” over it on its sides and a circled white star on its front.
It was with the 987th Field Artillery Battalion, France’s contingent in “Operation Cobra” at St. Lo, France on July 16th, 1944. In the Squadron book it is shown covered with canvas on its rear.
On the reverse side of the sheet there are two more 3-views of the M-12. They are both overall olive-drab.
The third one is overall olive-drab. It has a circled white star on its front and “Adolf’s Assassin” on its sides.
It was with the 991st Field Artillery Battalion at Kornelimunster. Germany on November 4th, 1944.
The fourth one is overall olive-drab. It has a circled white star on its front and a un-circled white star on its sides, with white stenciled serial no. USA 4051022 and “Alberta IV” on its sides.
It was with the 11th Armoured Div.,Budesheim, Germany, March 1945. This was part of the U.S. 3rd Army, commanded by General George Patton. The illustration in the Squadron book shows it with 2 jerry cans mounted on its left fender.
The bottom of the page repeats Academy’s address in Seoul, Korea and their telephone and FAX numbers again, with the 2000 copyright date.
Trees are alphabetized.
There are 2 identical tan letter A trees. They hold: road wheels, drive sprockets, leaf springs, idler wheels, return rollers, final transfer covers, bogies etc. (54 parts each)
This kit contains 6 tan parts trees, a loose tan hull top and hull tub part, a length of wire and white string, vinyl tracks and the decal sheet in 6 sealed clear cello bags.
There are 2 instructions.
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 M-12 and READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions in English, German, Japanese and Chinese.
Page 2 has international assembly symbol explanations at the top in the 4 languages.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 7 gives a grand total of 15 assembly steps.
Page 8 is the parts trees illustrations, over a suggested paint color listing in the 4 languages and Academy’s street address in Seoul, Korea and their telephone and FAX numbers.
The second instructions is a painting and marking guide. It is a single-sheet, printed on both sides, the same page size as the main instructions.
I looked up the names of the units for the M-12’s shown on this instructions out of the Squadron Signal series book on the M-12.
The first 3-view is of the box art subject. It shows only the white shield and “June Gil” on its left side.
It was with the 487th Field Artillery Battalion, supporting the U.S. attack on St. Lo, France on July 1944.
The second 3-view shows a M-12 that is overall olive-drab. It has the white shield with 2 red horizontal bars across it under 3 pale gray stars at the top, with white “Corregidor” over it on its sides and a circled white star on its front.
It was with the 987th Field Artillery Battalion, France’s contingent in “Operation Cobra” at St. Lo, France on July 16th, 1944. In the Squadron book it is shown covered with canvas on its rear.
On the reverse side of the sheet there are two more 3-views of the M-12. They are both overall olive-drab.
The third one is overall olive-drab. It has a circled white star on its front and “Adolf’s Assassin” on its sides.
It was with the 991st Field Artillery Battalion at Kornelimunster. Germany on November 4th, 1944.
The fourth one is overall olive-drab. It has a circled white star on its front and a un-circled white star on its sides, with white stenciled serial no. USA 4051022 and “Alberta IV” on its sides.
It was with the 11th Armoured Div.,Budesheim, Germany, March 1945. This was part of the U.S. 3rd Army, commanded by General George Patton. The illustration in the Squadron book shows it with 2 jerry cans mounted on its left fender.
The bottom of the page repeats Academy’s address in Seoul, Korea and their telephone and FAX numbers again, with the 2000 copyright date.
Trees are alphabetized.
There are 2 identical tan letter A trees. They hold: road wheels, drive sprockets, leaf springs, idler wheels, return rollers, final transfer covers, bogies etc. (54 parts each)
Tan letter B tree holds: the floor, transmission, engine, walls, seats, ammo rounds, shift levers etc. (55 parts)
Tan letter C tree holds: lockers, more walls, another seat, fire extinguisher, fuel cans etc. (98 parts)
Tan letter D tree holds: shovels, .50 cal machine gun, tools, .30 cal machine gun, tow rings, canvas bags etc. (58 parts)
Tan letter E tree holds: the main gun parts etc. (53 parts)
The vinyl tracks are next.
A string and wire is included for a tow ropes in a sealed plastic bag.
Final parts are the lone tan hull tub and top.
There are no clear parts or crew figures included. In an open-topped vehicle like this one Academy should have included crew figures.
The decal sheet completes the kit's contents.
The decal sheet completes the kit's contents.
Highly recommended.