In Box Review of AFV Club 1/35th Scale
German LeFH 18 10.5cm Howitzer
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2003
I paid $31.68 for my kit back then at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
Kit is available at Sprue Bros for $30.49 or at Hobby Terra for $36.80 or at PM Store for $41.99 and at 11 locations over-seas on the web.
Copyright: 2003
I paid $31.68 for my kit back then at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
Kit is available at Sprue Bros for $30.49 or at Hobby Terra for $36.80 or at PM Store for $41.99 and at 11 locations over-seas on the web.
HISTORY:
The 10.5 cm leFH 18 (German: leichte Feldhaubitze "light field howitzer") is a German light howitzer used in World War II and the standard artillery piece of the Wehrmacht, adopted for service in 1935 and used by all divisions and artillery battalions. From 1935 to the end of the war, 11,848 were produced, along with 10,265 of the leFH 18/40 variant.
Designed in the late 1920s, it represented a major advance on its predecessor the 10.5 cm leFH 16. It was superior in caliber to its early opponents in the war, with adequate range and firepower, but the modern split trail gun carriage that provided it with more stability and traverse also rendered it overly heavy for a mobile role in the largely horse-drawn artillery battalions of the German army, particularly in the mud and snow of the Eastern Front.
The leFH 18 was further developed as the leFH 18M and leFH 18/40. Beginning in 1942, self-propelled versions were created by fitting the howitzer on a Panzer II, H35, Char B1 or 37L chassis. It was also used to equip German allies and neutral countries in Europe prior to and during the war.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Howitzer
Place of origin: Germany
In service: 1935–45 (Germany), 1939–82 (Sweden)
Used by: Germany
Wars: World War II, Slovak–Hungarian War, Syrian Civil War
Designer: Rheinmetall
Designed: 1927–30
Manufacturer: Rheinmetall, Krupp
Unit cost: 16,400 RM (1943)
Produced: 1935–45
No. built: 11,848 (original variant), 10,265 (10.5 cm leFH 18/40)
Variants: leFH 18M, leFH 18/40
Mass: Travel: 3,490 kg (7,690 lb)
Combat: 1,985 kg (4,376 lb)
Length: 6.100 m (20 ft 0.2 in)
Barrel length: 2.941 m (9 ft 8 in) (28 calibers)
Width: 1.977 m (6 ft 5.8 in)
Height: 1.880 m (6 ft 2.0 in)
Crew: 6
Shell: cased separate-loading (6 charges) 105 x 155mm R
Shell weight: 14.81 kg (32.7 lb) (HE)
Caliber: 105 mm (4.13 in)
Breech: horizontal sliding-block
Recoil: hydro-pneumatic
Carriage: split trail
Elevation: -5° to +42°
Traverse: 56°
Rate of fire: 6-8 rpm
Muzzle velocity: 470 m/s (1,500 ft/s)
Maximum firing range: 10,675 m (11,674 yd)
Sights: Model 34 Sighting Mechanism
Filling: TNT
Filling weight: 1.845 kg (4.07 lb)
The 10.5 cm leFH 18 (German: leichte Feldhaubitze "light field howitzer") is a German light howitzer used in World War II and the standard artillery piece of the Wehrmacht, adopted for service in 1935 and used by all divisions and artillery battalions. From 1935 to the end of the war, 11,848 were produced, along with 10,265 of the leFH 18/40 variant.
Designed in the late 1920s, it represented a major advance on its predecessor the 10.5 cm leFH 16. It was superior in caliber to its early opponents in the war, with adequate range and firepower, but the modern split trail gun carriage that provided it with more stability and traverse also rendered it overly heavy for a mobile role in the largely horse-drawn artillery battalions of the German army, particularly in the mud and snow of the Eastern Front.
The leFH 18 was further developed as the leFH 18M and leFH 18/40. Beginning in 1942, self-propelled versions were created by fitting the howitzer on a Panzer II, H35, Char B1 or 37L chassis. It was also used to equip German allies and neutral countries in Europe prior to and during the war.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Howitzer
Place of origin: Germany
In service: 1935–45 (Germany), 1939–82 (Sweden)
Used by: Germany
Wars: World War II, Slovak–Hungarian War, Syrian Civil War
Designer: Rheinmetall
Designed: 1927–30
Manufacturer: Rheinmetall, Krupp
Unit cost: 16,400 RM (1943)
Produced: 1935–45
No. built: 11,848 (original variant), 10,265 (10.5 cm leFH 18/40)
Variants: leFH 18M, leFH 18/40
Mass: Travel: 3,490 kg (7,690 lb)
Combat: 1,985 kg (4,376 lb)
Length: 6.100 m (20 ft 0.2 in)
Barrel length: 2.941 m (9 ft 8 in) (28 calibers)
Width: 1.977 m (6 ft 5.8 in)
Height: 1.880 m (6 ft 2.0 in)
Crew: 6
Shell: cased separate-loading (6 charges) 105 x 155mm R
Shell weight: 14.81 kg (32.7 lb) (HE)
Caliber: 105 mm (4.13 in)
Breech: horizontal sliding-block
Recoil: hydro-pneumatic
Carriage: split trail
Elevation: -5° to +42°
Traverse: 56°
Rate of fire: 6-8 rpm
Muzzle velocity: 470 m/s (1,500 ft/s)
Maximum firing range: 10,675 m (11,674 yd)
Sights: Model 34 Sighting Mechanism
Filling: TNT
Filling weight: 1.845 kg (4.07 lb)
THE KIT:
AFV Club Is an old prolific model company based in Taiwan, China. They manufacture all manner of model kits in the popular scales.
The kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of the IeFH18 that is overall Panzer-grey and posed over a pale-grey line-drawing of it again, against an all-white background.
One corner of the box has 2 paragraphs, all in Chinese. Another corner says in English: Complex-construction highly represented. Barrel made of aluminum and recuperator cylinder made of copper. It can be towed by motor or by animals. Two choices available - transport & firing.
One side panel of the box shows a color front view of the howitzer in a wave-pattern camouflage of sand and dark green, Followed by a side view of the howitzer being towed behind a half-track. Both are in overall sand. Half-track not included in the kit.
AFV Club Is an old prolific model company based in Taiwan, China. They manufacture all manner of model kits in the popular scales.
The kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of the IeFH18 that is overall Panzer-grey and posed over a pale-grey line-drawing of it again, against an all-white background.
One corner of the box has 2 paragraphs, all in Chinese. Another corner says in English: Complex-construction highly represented. Barrel made of aluminum and recuperator cylinder made of copper. It can be towed by motor or by animals. Two choices available - transport & firing.
One side panel of the box shows a color front view of the howitzer in a wave-pattern camouflage of sand and dark green, Followed by a side view of the howitzer being towed behind a half-track. Both are in overall sand. Half-track not included in the kit.
The other side panel begins with Hobby Fan Trading Co’s. street address in Taiwan, their telephone and FAX numbers. Followed by a small repeat of the cover art and a list of specifications for the howitzer
Kit is intended for modelers over 14 years of age, in 7 languages including English. Importer of AFV kits for Europe is Azimut Productions in Paris, France. Their address is provided.
Kit is intended for modelers over 14 years of age, in 7 languages including English. Importer of AFV kits for Europe is Azimut Productions in Paris, France. Their address is provided.
Inside the box’s lid, on the 4 walls, there are color illustrations of the cover arts of 12 other armor kits that AFV Club manufactures:
Kit no. AFV35024, a M10 Tank Destroyer
Kit no. AFV35040, a Sd.Kfz.11
Kit no. AFV35004, a M35A2 2 ½ ton cargo truck
Kit no. AFV35007, a M49A2C Fuel tank truck
Kit no. AFV35009, a M35A1 Quad 50 gun tank
Kit no. AFV35003, a M548A1 tracked cargo carrier
Kit no. AFV35015, a M15 tank destroyer
Kit no. AFV35023, a Achilles Mk. IIC
Kit no. AFV35002, a M730A1 Chaparral air-defense tank
Kit no. AFV35006, a M102 105mm howitzer
Kit no. AFV35011, a M88 recovery tank
Kit no. AFV35022, a LVTPA-1
Kit no. AFV35024, a M10 Tank Destroyer
Kit no. AFV35040, a Sd.Kfz.11
Kit no. AFV35004, a M35A2 2 ½ ton cargo truck
Kit no. AFV35007, a M49A2C Fuel tank truck
Kit no. AFV35009, a M35A1 Quad 50 gun tank
Kit no. AFV35003, a M548A1 tracked cargo carrier
Kit no. AFV35015, a M15 tank destroyer
Kit no. AFV35023, a Achilles Mk. IIC
Kit no. AFV35002, a M730A1 Chaparral air-defense tank
Kit no. AFV35006, a M102 105mm howitzer
Kit no. AFV35011, a M88 recovery tank
Kit no. AFV35022, a LVTPA-1
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 4 light tan parts trees in 4 sealed clear cello bags, an aluminum and copper barrel parts and a metal spring and the decal sheet.
The instructions consists of a staple-bound booklet of 12 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format. There is a small 5 ¾” x 8 ¼” sheet, printed on one side that is corrections to assembly steps numbers 8 & 9. There is also a 2 page review of the kit by Finescale Modeler, done back in 2003, that I copied.
I have added to this kit 2 sets of my company’s (Armor Research Co.) 105mm metal ammo rounds Set no. 2024 ($5.00).
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white repeat of the box art over the history of the howitzer in English and Chinese.
Page 2 begins with a paragraph in Chinese, over general instructions, decal application instructions, in English and Chinese and a suggested paint color listing of Gunze Sangyo, Mr.Color, Humbrol, Revell and Life Color brands of hobby paints, in English.
Page 3 through to the top of page 11 gives a grand total of 15 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 11 shows a 3-view of the howitzer for painting and marking-purposes. It says that the model can be painted either in overall German Grey or dark-yellow.
Page 12 shows the parts trees illustrations, over a customer service coupon in Chinese and English.
Trees are alphabetized.
Tan letter A tree holds: trail legs, shield, cradle parts etc. (53 parts)
The kit contains 4 light tan parts trees in 4 sealed clear cello bags, an aluminum and copper barrel parts and a metal spring and the decal sheet.
The instructions consists of a staple-bound booklet of 12 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format. There is a small 5 ¾” x 8 ¼” sheet, printed on one side that is corrections to assembly steps numbers 8 & 9. There is also a 2 page review of the kit by Finescale Modeler, done back in 2003, that I copied.
I have added to this kit 2 sets of my company’s (Armor Research Co.) 105mm metal ammo rounds Set no. 2024 ($5.00).
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white repeat of the box art over the history of the howitzer in English and Chinese.
Page 2 begins with a paragraph in Chinese, over general instructions, decal application instructions, in English and Chinese and a suggested paint color listing of Gunze Sangyo, Mr.Color, Humbrol, Revell and Life Color brands of hobby paints, in English.
Page 3 through to the top of page 11 gives a grand total of 15 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 11 shows a 3-view of the howitzer for painting and marking-purposes. It says that the model can be painted either in overall German Grey or dark-yellow.
Page 12 shows the parts trees illustrations, over a customer service coupon in Chinese and English.
Trees are alphabetized.
Tan letter A tree holds: trail legs, shield, cradle parts etc. (53 parts)
Tan letter B tree holds: wheels, axles, leaf springs etc. (55 parts)
Tan letter C tree holds: more trail arms, ground spades etc. (23 parts)
Tan letter D tree holds tools etc. (12 parts)
The decal sheet comes in a package and the sheet contains 2 black data plates and 5 white markings that are impossible to make out against the white background of the sheet.
Also in it is letter M, the metal barrel parts (2 parts) that are included with decals.
Also in it is letter M, the metal barrel parts (2 parts) that are included with decals.
In the same box is letter R and it is the metal spring (1 part)
I have the ammunition for the model from my company Armor Research.
There are no crew figures in the kit. It would have been very nice to have had some included.
Great detail and highly recommended.