Just like small boy who gets his hands on a new toy, all attention was focussed on painting up one of these three 1/56 howitzers just to see what it would look like before the remaining two get the treatment in the fullness of time. The six crew figures come from Empress Miniatures. HLBS, Woodbine Designs and Perry Miniatures. All have been given Woodbine Designs Wolseley helmeted heads.
Some time ago, followers of these pages may recall, that master model maker John Hart made me a number of 1/56 Model B FWD 3 ton trucks and I turned my hand to some sculpting of drivers. These were to form part of my planned Heavy Artillery Group...some table dressing for Palestine 1917-18. Yesterday, the Postie delivered the next part of the project, a number of 1/56 26cwt 6 inch Howitzers and towing limbers. The FWD trucks will act as tractors for three 6 inch howitzers that join a couple of 60pdrs from HLBS and a 6 inch gun (converted from a HLBS 8 inch Howitzer) to be pulled by Holt tractors from 1st Corps. Here are some images from the camera on the mobile to show these excellent resin guns. John has assembled the guns for me (I don't think he trusts me to do it properly) and all I have to do is put the wheels on. I have put a 28mm gunner alongside the gun so that you can get an idea of scale (which is spot on) and I have photographed a gun attached to a FWD Model B truck. The detail on these models is superb. Some great detail can be seem on this model in some of the tools attached to the carriage...a shovel, big mallet and thumping big axe! The gun also has the dial site attached. I would be very interested to hear from any one who might be interested in purchasing the masters for the Model B FWD truck, the 6 inch howitzer and towing limber with the aim of adding these existing ranges. Until that happens then I own something unique! MINE! ALL MINE!
