In Box Review of Testors-Italeri 1/35th Scale
155mm M1 Gun
Kit no. 783
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1982
Available from one person on the web in the USA for $8.00.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1982
Available from one person on the web in the USA for $8.00.
HISTORY:
The 155 mm gun M1 was a 155 millimeter caliber field gun developed and used by the United States military. Nicknamed "Long Tom" (an appellation with a long and storied history in U.S. field and naval artillery), it was produced in M1 and M2 variants, later known as the M59. Developed to replace the Canon de 155mm GPF, the gun was deployed as a heavy field weapon during World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam and was also classed as a secondary armament for seacoast defense. The gun could fire a 100 lb (45 kg) shell to a maximum range of 14 mi (23 km), with an estimated accuracy life of 1,500 rounds.
The Long Tom was also adopted by a number of other nations, including the United Kingdom, Austria, Israel, and the Netherlands.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Howitzer
Place of origin: United States
In service: 1942–present
Designed: 1939–1941
Manufacturer: Rock Island Arsenal (U.S.)
Produced: 1941–1953 (U.S.)
No. built: 10,300 (U.S.)
Mass Travel: 5,800 kg (12,800 lb)
Combat: 5,600 kg (12,300 lb)
Length: 7.315 m (20 ft)
Barrel length: Bore: 3.564 m (11 ft 8 in) L/23, Overall: 3.79 m (12 ft 5 in) L/24.5
Width Travel: 2.438 m (8 ft)
Height: Travel: 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
Crew: 11
Shell: Separate-loading bagged charge
Caliber: 155 mm (6.1 in)
Breech: Slow-cone interrupted screw
Recoil: Hydro-pneumatic
Carriage: Split trail
Elevation: −2°/+63°
Traverse: 25° left or right
Rate of fire burst: 4 rpm, Sustained: 40 rph
Muzzle velocity: 563 m/s (1,847 ft/s)
Maximum firing range: 14,600 m (16,000 yd)
The 155 mm gun M1 was a 155 millimeter caliber field gun developed and used by the United States military. Nicknamed "Long Tom" (an appellation with a long and storied history in U.S. field and naval artillery), it was produced in M1 and M2 variants, later known as the M59. Developed to replace the Canon de 155mm GPF, the gun was deployed as a heavy field weapon during World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam and was also classed as a secondary armament for seacoast defense. The gun could fire a 100 lb (45 kg) shell to a maximum range of 14 mi (23 km), with an estimated accuracy life of 1,500 rounds.
The Long Tom was also adopted by a number of other nations, including the United Kingdom, Austria, Israel, and the Netherlands.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Howitzer
Place of origin: United States
In service: 1942–present
Designed: 1939–1941
Manufacturer: Rock Island Arsenal (U.S.)
Produced: 1941–1953 (U.S.)
No. built: 10,300 (U.S.)
Mass Travel: 5,800 kg (12,800 lb)
Combat: 5,600 kg (12,300 lb)
Length: 7.315 m (20 ft)
Barrel length: Bore: 3.564 m (11 ft 8 in) L/23, Overall: 3.79 m (12 ft 5 in) L/24.5
Width Travel: 2.438 m (8 ft)
Height: Travel: 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
Crew: 11
Shell: Separate-loading bagged charge
Caliber: 155 mm (6.1 in)
Breech: Slow-cone interrupted screw
Recoil: Hydro-pneumatic
Carriage: Split trail
Elevation: −2°/+63°
Traverse: 25° left or right
Rate of fire burst: 4 rpm, Sustained: 40 rph
Muzzle velocity: 563 m/s (1,847 ft/s)
Maximum firing range: 14,600 m (16,000 yd)
THE KIT:
Testors-Italeri is an old prolific plastic model manufacturer. Testors is based in Rockford, ILL and Italeri is in Italy. They sell all manner of plastic model kits in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. It has a slide-out cardboard tray that holds the parts. I like this type of end-opening box because of the tray,
The cover art shows a color photo of the M1 built up and sitting on a modeling table. It is overall olive-drab.
One side panel of the box gives a short history and specifications of the howitzer.
Testors-Italeri is an old prolific plastic model manufacturer. Testors is based in Rockford, ILL and Italeri is in Italy. They sell all manner of plastic model kits in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. It has a slide-out cardboard tray that holds the parts. I like this type of end-opening box because of the tray,
The cover art shows a color photo of the M1 built up and sitting on a modeling table. It is overall olive-drab.
One side panel of the box gives a short history and specifications of the howitzer.
The other side panel of the box lists materials needed to build the kit: glue, Model Master brand of paints, Testor brand paints, hobby tools, brushes and tape.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 2 very dark-grey green trees of flash free parts in a sealed clear cello bag.
Trees are not alphabetized. Instead, they are labeled with a square and a star.
The instructions consist of an unbound booklet of 8 pages in 8 ½” x 11” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art at the top, over the history and specifications of the M1, BEFORE STARTING , PREPORATION OF PARTS and PAINTING instructions.
Page 2 is the parts-trees illustrations.
Page 4 through to page 7 gives a grand total of 9 assembly steps. With 3 black and white photos of the gun being made up in steps 3, 7 & 9.
Page 8 is WEATHERING HINTS, with another black and white photo of the model made up.
Tree SQUARE holds: the carriage wheels, gun barrel, shields etc. (54 parts)
The kit holds 2 very dark-grey green trees of flash free parts in a sealed clear cello bag.
Trees are not alphabetized. Instead, they are labeled with a square and a star.
The instructions consist of an unbound booklet of 8 pages in 8 ½” x 11” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art at the top, over the history and specifications of the M1, BEFORE STARTING , PREPORATION OF PARTS and PAINTING instructions.
Page 2 is the parts-trees illustrations.
Page 4 through to page 7 gives a grand total of 9 assembly steps. With 3 black and white photos of the gun being made up in steps 3, 7 & 9.
Page 8 is WEATHERING HINTS, with another black and white photo of the model made up.
Tree SQUARE holds: the carriage wheels, gun barrel, shields etc. (54 parts)
Tree STAR holds: the trail arms, wheel hubs, field radio etc. (42 parts)
There are no crew figures included in the kit.
The detail is very good.
Recommended.
The detail is very good.
Recommended.