Has anyone built this. I picked up some PE at the show Saturday and just dug the kit out of my stash. The moulding looks pretty good, not too much flash. On the bottom of the hull there is a railsed area where the manufacturers name shold be, but you can see where the mould has been machined to remove the name. However some of the sprues have the number 8005 on them. Does anyone know who the original mfg. was?
Rob, did you run across this beast when you were in Germany?

Thanks

The entire M109 (and even the earlier M108 short barreled 105mm howitzer) originate from Italeri molds. They have been boxed by Testors and Revell of Germany and they run the gambit of:
#235 M109/G short barreled 155mm Vietnam era or German version
#238 M108 short barreled 105mm
#239 M109A2 Modern version that can also build an Israeli type
#246 M109E4/G/A1-A2/E4 best because it contains all options in one kit (less Paladin)
#372 M109A6 Paladin latest version currently being fielded in the US Army

The Revell of Germany version builds the German used M109A3, I didn't work with any German artillery units so I do not know the difference between a US M109A3 and a German M109A3G, now if you asked about the M48A2GA2 vs the M48A2, then I could answer.

I have the Paladin and a Barrel Depot aluminum barrel, but have not even opened either kit. I have an M109A4 and M109A5 in my motor pool if you need ref. shots, but it may not do you much good.

Damn Rob, you are a fountain of knowledge!
Tell me, do you have one kit of everything made in 1/35? How do you come up with the info?
The Revell kit # is 03016 if you want to add it to your database.
Now you have gotten me interested in the whole M109 line.
I tell you, the box art on this Revell kit is neat. A light green, dark green, brown camo.
Great info, thanks Rob.

Ummm, according to my wife, yes. Revell of Germany usually reboxes Italeri kits and gives them a more German flavor. Whenever I see a RoG armor kit in 1/35, I assume it's an Italeri rebox or DML. Skybow makes single link tracks for them if you are interested.http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=SV3502 Thanks for the additional info too.

Old model magazines and Squadron catalogs, some internet searches of favorite sites such as online stores. All close at hand, and I have an annoying memory. I can remember where and when I bought my first Sherman kit or an old conversation that happened decades ago, but have a hard time remembering what the wife told me to do 10 minutes ago.

Funny, I suffer from the same thing.

Hey Pipe,
Warriors from VLS also has a lower hull and turret detail set in resin for the M109. Like Sabot said, the Tracks from Skybow are awsome, way better than the tracks from the kit.

Now if only someone would do a set of road wheels for the M109, the kit ones are attrocious in my opinion.

JC Hayes

As usual, you guys have been most helpful. Now is the time to get out "The Plastic" and do some surfing.

Speaking of these kits - if you hear of someone wanting to get rid of #238 (the M108) please let me know. I'd like to build that model...

Gunnie

funny thing is that after the long barreled modern M109s hit the shelves, the short barreled M109 and M108 died on the vine. Same deal with the M107, when the M110 hit the street, the old one stopped selling.

Absolutely! I missed the vine when the kit first hit the shelves. Same with the M107. I finally got the '107 last year, but actually haven't gotten the '109, or '110, kits yet. I wasn't an arty-fan at first, but man, now I'm really liking the big guns...

Gunnie