In Box Review of Polish CP Artillery Tractor
Kit no. 35042
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1998
Available at Hobby Link Japan for $24.39 + postage.
RPM has mis-named this vehicle as a CP. I found no mention the tractor being CP. Instead it is a C7P.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1998
Available at Hobby Link Japan for $24.39 + postage.
RPM has mis-named this vehicle as a CP. I found no mention the tractor being CP. Instead it is a C7P.
HISTORY:
C7P (an abbreviation of Ciągnik Siedmiotonowy Polski, "7-tonnes Polish Tractor") was a Polish tracked artillery tractor, used by the Polish Army before and during World War II. The tractor was developed by the design bureau of Witold Jakusz of the PZInż company between 1931 and 1934.
In 1931 Poland bought several dozens of British Vickers E tanks and a license to build additional tanks at home. The Polish Army also considered purchase of the then-constructed Dragon Medium Mk IV artillery tractor, based on the Vickers E, but the purchase never happened. As the British tank was considered not suited for service in the Polish climate and needed adaptation, it was decided that a similar Polish tank be built as a modification of the Vickers design.
The tank, initially code-named VAU-33, in time became the 7TP. Simultaneously, work started on a new artillery tractor for the Polish Army that was to replace the Citroën-Kegresse tractors built in France in the early 1920s. The main advantage of the new model of artillery tractor, dubbed C6P, C6T and finally for the C7TP was to be it's low price, ease of manufacture and durability.
For that purpose, the C7P shared many parts with the 7TP light tank, produced simultaneously. In fact the chassis was almost a direct copy of the tank, while the superstructure was partially borrowed from a license-built Saurer bus.
In 1933 the first two prototypes were constructed in the Ursus factory of the PZInż. The C6P had the engine placed in the front and used front wheel drive, while the C6T had the engine placed behind the crew compartment and used rear wheel drive. After a series of tests the C6P was chosen as a better option. In fact the new tractor, later redesignated as C7P, was much superior to its contemporary counterparts, particularly the British Dragon Medium Mk IV and the Soviet T-26T, both in terms of power and additional equipment. The final project included a closed crew compartment and a motor-driven winch.
In 1934 production started. Out of approximately 350 ordered, only 151 were built by the outbreak of World War II. Approximately 108 were deployed to the artillery units, where the C7P was used as an artillery tractor in the regiments of heaviest artillery, mainly for towing of heavy 220 mm wz.32 Škoda mortars. An additional 18 tractors were attached to various tank units, mostly the Polish 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade for towing of immobilized tanks and for transport of tanks to the battlefield on specially designed towing platforms.
Finally, two tractors were delivered to the engineering units for road maintenance and destruction of railways in case of a war. Until 1942 an additional 52 were to be delivered to various communal services, where they were to be used as snowplows to keep the roads in good condition in case of a war. During the Invasion of Poland of 1939 all C7P were used in active service. Most were captured by the Germans and were used as towing machines and snow-plows at least until 1941.
No example of the C7P survives today. However, a single C7P hull was recovered near Volgograd in around 2001. This hull was restored with a BT-5 or BT-7 turret and now looks like a T-26 tank. It is now on display at the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Moscow, Poklonnaya Gora
THE 1879/28 CANNON:
The French 75 mm field gun was a quick-firing field artillery piece adopted in March 1898. Its official French designation was: Matériel de 75mm Mle 1897. It was commonly known as the French 75, simply the 75 and Soixante-Quinze (French for "seventy-five").
The French 75 was designed as an anti-personnel weapon system for delivering large volumes of time-fused shrapnel shells on enemy troops advancing in the open. After 1915 and the onset of trench warfare, other types of battlefield missions demanding impact-detonated high-explosive shells prevailed. By 1918 the 75s became the main agents of delivery for toxic gas shells.
The 75s also became widely used as truck mounted anti-aircraft artillery. They were also the main armament of the Saint-Chamond tank in 1918.
The French 75 is widely regarded as the first modern artillery piece. It was the first field gun to include a hydro-pneumatic recoil mechanism, which kept the gun's trail and wheels perfectly still during the firing sequence. Since it did not need to be re-aimed after each shot, the crew could reload and fire as soon as the barrel returned to its resting position.
In typical use, the French 75 could deliver fifteen rounds per minute on its target, either shrapnel or melinite high-explosive, up to about 8,500 m (5.3 mi) away. Its firing rate could even reach close to 30 rounds per minute, albeit only for a very short time and with a highly experienced crew.
At the opening of World War I, in 1914, the French Army had about 4,000 of these field guns in service. By the end of the war about 12,000 had been produced. It was also in service with the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), which had been supplied with about 2,000 French 75 field guns. Several thousand were still in use in the French Army at the opening of World War II, updated with new wheels and tires to allow towing by trucks rather than by horses.
The French 75 set the pattern for almost all early-20th century field pieces, with guns of mostly 75 mm forming the basis of many field artillery units into the early stages of World War.
C7P (an abbreviation of Ciągnik Siedmiotonowy Polski, "7-tonnes Polish Tractor") was a Polish tracked artillery tractor, used by the Polish Army before and during World War II. The tractor was developed by the design bureau of Witold Jakusz of the PZInż company between 1931 and 1934.
In 1931 Poland bought several dozens of British Vickers E tanks and a license to build additional tanks at home. The Polish Army also considered purchase of the then-constructed Dragon Medium Mk IV artillery tractor, based on the Vickers E, but the purchase never happened. As the British tank was considered not suited for service in the Polish climate and needed adaptation, it was decided that a similar Polish tank be built as a modification of the Vickers design.
The tank, initially code-named VAU-33, in time became the 7TP. Simultaneously, work started on a new artillery tractor for the Polish Army that was to replace the Citroën-Kegresse tractors built in France in the early 1920s. The main advantage of the new model of artillery tractor, dubbed C6P, C6T and finally for the C7TP was to be it's low price, ease of manufacture and durability.
For that purpose, the C7P shared many parts with the 7TP light tank, produced simultaneously. In fact the chassis was almost a direct copy of the tank, while the superstructure was partially borrowed from a license-built Saurer bus.
In 1933 the first two prototypes were constructed in the Ursus factory of the PZInż. The C6P had the engine placed in the front and used front wheel drive, while the C6T had the engine placed behind the crew compartment and used rear wheel drive. After a series of tests the C6P was chosen as a better option. In fact the new tractor, later redesignated as C7P, was much superior to its contemporary counterparts, particularly the British Dragon Medium Mk IV and the Soviet T-26T, both in terms of power and additional equipment. The final project included a closed crew compartment and a motor-driven winch.
In 1934 production started. Out of approximately 350 ordered, only 151 were built by the outbreak of World War II. Approximately 108 were deployed to the artillery units, where the C7P was used as an artillery tractor in the regiments of heaviest artillery, mainly for towing of heavy 220 mm wz.32 Škoda mortars. An additional 18 tractors were attached to various tank units, mostly the Polish 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade for towing of immobilized tanks and for transport of tanks to the battlefield on specially designed towing platforms.
Finally, two tractors were delivered to the engineering units for road maintenance and destruction of railways in case of a war. Until 1942 an additional 52 were to be delivered to various communal services, where they were to be used as snowplows to keep the roads in good condition in case of a war. During the Invasion of Poland of 1939 all C7P were used in active service. Most were captured by the Germans and were used as towing machines and snow-plows at least until 1941.
No example of the C7P survives today. However, a single C7P hull was recovered near Volgograd in around 2001. This hull was restored with a BT-5 or BT-7 turret and now looks like a T-26 tank. It is now on display at the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Moscow, Poklonnaya Gora
THE 1879/28 CANNON:
The French 75 mm field gun was a quick-firing field artillery piece adopted in March 1898. Its official French designation was: Matériel de 75mm Mle 1897. It was commonly known as the French 75, simply the 75 and Soixante-Quinze (French for "seventy-five").
The French 75 was designed as an anti-personnel weapon system for delivering large volumes of time-fused shrapnel shells on enemy troops advancing in the open. After 1915 and the onset of trench warfare, other types of battlefield missions demanding impact-detonated high-explosive shells prevailed. By 1918 the 75s became the main agents of delivery for toxic gas shells.
The 75s also became widely used as truck mounted anti-aircraft artillery. They were also the main armament of the Saint-Chamond tank in 1918.
The French 75 is widely regarded as the first modern artillery piece. It was the first field gun to include a hydro-pneumatic recoil mechanism, which kept the gun's trail and wheels perfectly still during the firing sequence. Since it did not need to be re-aimed after each shot, the crew could reload and fire as soon as the barrel returned to its resting position.
In typical use, the French 75 could deliver fifteen rounds per minute on its target, either shrapnel or melinite high-explosive, up to about 8,500 m (5.3 mi) away. Its firing rate could even reach close to 30 rounds per minute, albeit only for a very short time and with a highly experienced crew.
At the opening of World War I, in 1914, the French Army had about 4,000 of these field guns in service. By the end of the war about 12,000 had been produced. It was also in service with the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), which had been supplied with about 2,000 French 75 field guns. Several thousand were still in use in the French Army at the opening of World War II, updated with new wheels and tires to allow towing by trucks rather than by horses.
The French 75 set the pattern for almost all early-20th century field pieces, with guns of mostly 75 mm forming the basis of many field artillery units into the early stages of World War.
THE KIT:
RPM is an old prolific model company based in Warsaw, Poland. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a very blousy, shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. The box is a whopping 5” too long and 2” too wide, creating a letter “L” void around the trees.
The cover art shows a C7P parked next to a railroad tracks that has a burning German box car on it. The box-car is overall dark green with white German lettering on its sides and snow on its roof.
The C7P is in a wave pattern camouflage of sand and dark-green, with no markings shown. It is pulling a 75 howitzer that is in the same camouflage. The C7P has a Hotchkiss machine gun, mounted on a tripod atop it.
One corner of the box art says that the kit's decals are by Kalkomania brand. This decal sheet is redundant as the markings on it are not shown anywhere in the marking instructions.v
RPM makes many different versions of this basic vehicle and this decal sheet is probably appropriate for one of those.
One side panel of the box shows a repeat of the box art, minus the box car. This is followed by: Model kit is suitable for ages 8 to adult. Contains decals and instructions for assembly. Paint and plastic adhesive not included. In German, English and Polish languages. Each labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language. Copyright of the kit is 1998 and RPM’s address in Warsaw, Poland is provided. Kit was made in Poland.
RPM is an old prolific model company based in Warsaw, Poland. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a very blousy, shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. The box is a whopping 5” too long and 2” too wide, creating a letter “L” void around the trees.
The cover art shows a C7P parked next to a railroad tracks that has a burning German box car on it. The box-car is overall dark green with white German lettering on its sides and snow on its roof.
The C7P is in a wave pattern camouflage of sand and dark-green, with no markings shown. It is pulling a 75 howitzer that is in the same camouflage. The C7P has a Hotchkiss machine gun, mounted on a tripod atop it.
One corner of the box art says that the kit's decals are by Kalkomania brand. This decal sheet is redundant as the markings on it are not shown anywhere in the marking instructions.v
RPM makes many different versions of this basic vehicle and this decal sheet is probably appropriate for one of those.
One side panel of the box shows a repeat of the box art, minus the box car. This is followed by: Model kit is suitable for ages 8 to adult. Contains decals and instructions for assembly. Paint and plastic adhesive not included. In German, English and Polish languages. Each labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language. Copyright of the kit is 1998 and RPM’s address in Warsaw, Poland is provided. Kit was made in Poland.
The other side panel shows 5 color box-arts of other AFV kits that RPM manufactures: a L37-L. a TLW-II, a Pzlnz. 126, a TK-3 and a TKS 20mm NKM.
No kit numbers are supplied for these 5 kits and I assume they are all to 1/35th scale.
No kit numbers are supplied for these 5 kits and I assume they are all to 1/35th scale.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 6 chalk-white trees, 3 light-gray trees, loose light-gray wheels and the decal sheet in 4 sealed clear cello bags.
The small instructions consist of a single-sheet, folded in the center to create 4 pages in 5 ¾” x 8 ¼” page format. It is all in the Polish language.
Page 1 begins with a tiny black and white repeat of the cover art, next to the history and specifications of the C7P over painting and marking instructions that call out H numbers for paints. H meaning they are Humbrol brand.
A small side-view of the C7P shows it in a tri-color camouflage with no markings.
The bottom of the page shows parts-trees illustrations of 7 trees and the 2 loose tires for the howitzer.
The top of page 2 shows part tree illustrations of 2 more trees.
The bottom of the page and page 3 show a grand total of 9 assembly steps for the tractor.
At the top of page 3 there is a part-trees illustration of a tree that is NOT in the kit, and again probably from one of the other versions of this vehicle that RPM makes a kit of.
Page 4 has 7 un-numbered assembly steps on it for the howitzer. These drawings are printed in very light ink and you have to use a magnifying glass to see things clearly. Bad move RPM!
Trees are not alphabetized and do not have part number tabs next to the parts. Only in the instructions are there part numbers with arrows pointing at the part on the parts trees illustrations. Very careful study of these is needed to get the right parts for assembly. Another bad move RPM!
The 1st chalk-white tree holds: the floor and sides of the C7P etc. (12 parts) 3 are X’d out in the parts tree illustrations. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
This kit contains 6 chalk-white trees, 3 light-gray trees, loose light-gray wheels and the decal sheet in 4 sealed clear cello bags.
The small instructions consist of a single-sheet, folded in the center to create 4 pages in 5 ¾” x 8 ¼” page format. It is all in the Polish language.
Page 1 begins with a tiny black and white repeat of the cover art, next to the history and specifications of the C7P over painting and marking instructions that call out H numbers for paints. H meaning they are Humbrol brand.
A small side-view of the C7P shows it in a tri-color camouflage with no markings.
The bottom of the page shows parts-trees illustrations of 7 trees and the 2 loose tires for the howitzer.
The top of page 2 shows part tree illustrations of 2 more trees.
The bottom of the page and page 3 show a grand total of 9 assembly steps for the tractor.
At the top of page 3 there is a part-trees illustration of a tree that is NOT in the kit, and again probably from one of the other versions of this vehicle that RPM makes a kit of.
Page 4 has 7 un-numbered assembly steps on it for the howitzer. These drawings are printed in very light ink and you have to use a magnifying glass to see things clearly. Bad move RPM!
Trees are not alphabetized and do not have part number tabs next to the parts. Only in the instructions are there part numbers with arrows pointing at the part on the parts trees illustrations. Very careful study of these is needed to get the right parts for assembly. Another bad move RPM!
The 1st chalk-white tree holds: the floor and sides of the C7P etc. (12 parts) 3 are X’d out in the parts tree illustrations. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
There are 2 identical 2nd chalk-white trees. These hold: the bogies and link and length type tracks for the C7P (47 parts ea.) 2 parts each are excess.
The 3rd chalk-white tree holds the howitzer trail arms, base parts, elevation and traverse wheels etc.(9 parts)
The 4th chalk-white tree is shown all X’d out in the illustration of it. (18 parts)
The 5th chalk-white tree holds: the transmission, steering wheel, seats, axle, storage box, lids etc. (43 parts) 17 are excess.
The 6th chalk-white tree does not belong in this kit and obviously got mistakenly put in the box at the RPM factory. It holds turret parts etc. (18 parts) All excess.
The 1st light-gray tree holds: the howitzers' barrels, shield, arms etc. (19 parts)
The 2nd light-gray tree holds ammo rounds for the howitzer and its axle etc. (14 parts) The spoked wheels for the howitzer that originally were in the center of this tree were removed at RPM’s factory.
The 3rd light-gray tree holds: the Hotchkiss machine-gun, the mantle for a turret etc. (18 parts) 9 are excess.
The 2 loose light-gray howitzer wheels are next.
There are no clear parts or crew figures in the kit.
There are no clear parts or crew figures in the kit.
The small decal sheet is not needed as already mentioned.
This kit is really a strange arrangement of things. It is not for the novice modelers, only for modelers that have a few difficult kits under their belts.
I only slightly recommend it to starting modelers.
I only slightly recommend it to starting modelers.