Kits Used: Dragon kit #6392 German sFH 18 Howitzer w/ Limber, Dragon kit 6461 Howitzer crew, Eduard item # 36027 Howitzer detail set.
Both the howitzer and photo-etched set were subjects of previous product reviews. They have finally been integrated as intended into a finished model, and this reviewer thoroughly enjoyed the project. The gun was built in the firing position, which entails making choices throughout the building process, as opposed to the travel mode. Assembly was straight forward, even though some steps contained many parts. Marking those off the instructions as they are used helps avoid confusion. Fit was
good to very good all through the build, as was the fit of the photo-etched details. Of special note was the excellent fit of the rifling insert into the kit-supplied aluminum barrel. Simply rolling it up and inserting it and allowing it to snap open resulted in a perfect fit. Not all the photo-etched details were used, as I did not feel rebuilding the inside of the recoil slide would improve its appearance enough to be worth the work involved. Be careful to align the main
and limber wheels in all three axis before they set up as there is some play in their mounts. Fitting the ground spade extensions is optional; they were not always used. Shells, cases, and wicker containers and mats are included in both the gun and crew kits, so they were all used. The Eduard set provides metal charge boxes, and these were soldered together and used as well. The gun was
painted with Tamiya acrylic colors, and lightly weathered with oil paints, washes, and pastel chalk powder.The gun crew kit contains the same figures as the crew set for the Dragon "KARL" mortar, with the addition of an extra sprue of alternate arms, and instructions showing which to use. This is handy, as poses can be altered easily. The uniforms and gear provided indicate the early war period, so the older overall German dark grey was used on the gun. A couple of the figures had their heads replaced with after-market items to further personalize the look. They were painted with artist oil paints over acrylic base colors.
The base is 3/4" plywood, edged with basswood strips. A sheet of 1" styrofoam insulation was glued down, and scraps glued on it to vary the terrain contours. It was then covered with Celluclay, and when dry, various ground cover materials, model railroad static grass, real tree roots and limbs, and other natural and synthetic foliage was added. One item which seemed to work well for "viney" undergrowth is lizard bedding, found quite by accident at the local Petco store. It is sterilized and treated so as not deteriorate, and bag I have is several years old and still is soft and flexible. Thinned Celluclay was smeared over the grass in the work area to indicate well-trampled grass. The shells and charges were placed on tissue soaked in white glue and water and painted when dry. The live tree is an actual tree root with model railroad foliage glued to it, and the dead one is a broken limb stained and covered with remnants of an old photo-etched limb set, the maker of which I no longer recall, as the label part of the fret was missing.
i am quite pleased with the finished product. The howitzer is very well detailed, the photo-etched set added the next level of finesse, and the crew integrated well into the setting. Dragon and Eduard are to be commended for producing such fine products. The gun and crew were privately purchased, and the Eduard photo-etched set was donated for a product review. Approximately 80 to 100 enjoyable hours were invested in this project. I would like to thank Eduard for the detail set. Happy modeling.