Gentlemen, I think we have the clearest argument yet. Now I am convinced. Tanks yes, Artillery no...Jim :-) :-) :-) :-)

Then I wasn't a member yet.
So I will missed it.

Sorry

As a former Gunner in the Dutch horse artillery I can only applaud more artillery pieces being produced

A few notes:

On towed artillery: also invest in the tractors.. It's nice to have a 17 pounder or a 5.5', but please also give us the AEC's, Bedfords, Scammels etc that towed it.
Also, make it a multimedia kit.. since we are probably be needing PE anyway.. include that please.

In general: Not just the gun.. please also give us the crew in realistic poses, and the other equipment needed.. like collimators for the M109 for instance.

Forget infantry or cavalry ( off course, they play their role in the field too )... the artillery is where the action is.. especially when a piece is getting in position, or is packing to relocate.

Ahhh! Now I understand why the manufacturers don't come out with arty pieces. Has nothing to do with marketing, sales or costs but the Vrooom Vrooom factor!!

I was recently bit by the artillery bug and was actually supprised at the # of kits I found online. The local hobby shops don't carry much, the they are out there. I will agree that the quality of some of them (like some of the old Italeri kits) are lacking but some of the new stuff by AFV is outstanding. In fact, all I got for Christmas this year as far as models were the AFB towed 155 and the British 25pdr by Tamiya. I focused on getting tools that will get me through the stack of models I have built up quicker with better results this year instead of more kits to stack up in the closet.

Oh artillery...

I think the first thing that needs to be done is to take the various execs from the pastic companies over to Ft. Sill for some artillery demonstration, especially in direct fire mode. Too bad the wonderfull 8inch is long out of service...

Also, artillery, for all its military usefullness, just does not excite the imagination of the regular builder like a good tank or airplane does. Probably because they just sit in one place and go "boom!" Never mind where the shells are going, the gun itself just does not "look cool". Mortars? HA! Not to pick on them but they look like glorified sticks.

Now once someone becomes aware of how much power those particular pieces holds, I think a persons appreciation of artillery increases dramatically. Then its all you want, with a few crunchies and tank-jockies to hold a perimieter!

Seriously, I think the most possible non-german, non-wwii artillery piece to be made in plastic will be the M198 towed 155mm. And I am not too sure it will see the light of day.

Actually, there are quite a few Arty kits out there, you just have to look for them. Here are some US Arty pieces, I don't build or follow all the Ger WWII stuff, can't help there.

WWII Era, you have the great kits by AFV Club of M59 Long Tom 155mm and M115 8" howitzers. Academy does the M12 SP Howitzer. Italeri does the M101 105mm and M1A2 (M114) 155mm howitzers, and the M7 Priest 105mm SP howitzer too.

Vietnam era: Italeri M101 and M114 again. Italeri M109 155 SP (can also be built as an M108 105 SP), M107 175mm and M110 8". AFV Club M102 105mm howitzer.

The modern arena is especially well represented.

For Operation Desert Storm, a.k.a Gulf War, 1990-91.
US Army used M109A5, M109A6 Paladin was not fielded till after the war, about 1994. Italeri did make a kit of the A5 as well, you could actually build any version of M109 with the kit. It was listed as an M109A2/A4 kit, same vehicle on exterior. I think it is now discontinued with the intro of Paladin kit.

M109A5

M109A6 Paladin


Also used were the afore mentioned M102A1 105mm howitzer, available from AFV Club.


And the M198 155 towed Howitzer that is available from Mouse House Designs from Australia for a small fortune. http://www.mheaust.com.au/MHE/Resin/OZA/M198.htm
M198


Lastly, the big guns used are the M270 MLRS available from DML.
M270


USMC used both the M198 and also the M110A2 8" howitzer (203mm.), available from Italeri as well.
USMC M110A2


Some USMC units still used the old WWII era 105mm M101A1 howitzer as well, avialable from Italeri, may be out of production though.
M101A1


For Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq 2003-present.
US Army is using M109A6 Paladin, M119A1 105mm howitzer, M198 155mm howitzer, and M270 MLRS. Some Army National Guard and Reserve units are still deploying with M102A1s as well

M119


USMC is still using M198 exclusively. They have retired all other artillery pieces and rely on the US Army for additional fire support.

There are other countries' arty pretty well represented as well. Tamiya does a Brit 25 Pound howitzer. Eastern express does the D-30 122mm, and a 100mm gun. Skif does a BM-21, and a 2S1 122 SP. Italeri does the post WWII BM-13. DML has the SCUD-B. Trumpeter does the Brit AS-90 and a bunch of Chinese pieces, one that could be converted into a Soviet 2S3 152 mm SP pretty easily. Revell does the Panzer Howitzer 2000 155mm SP as well.

I'm sure there are more out there that I am missing as well. Hope that brightens up some of your outlooks on the state of Artillery models available.

Happy Arty modelling to all.

Gino!

Superlative!

Steel Rain! Fire Order; battalion six, ICM in effect!

"Target Supressed, Repeat, Over."

I think that the relative lack of artillery units available goes a little farther than the models themselves. There isn't much glamour in artillery (sorry Gino). While I love arty, the psycological effect it rains (pun intended), gives it a negative connotation to the general public.

Jeff

I think you have the other half of the story here !!!! To simply kit an artillery piece doesn't quite work -- you need a lot more stuff to go with it. That tends to get you (the manufacturer) deeper into lots of short run things which of course is bad for the bottom line.

What's a 155 w/o a Mack NO or M4 HST -- now those kits cost easily twice what the AFV 155 or 8in cost !!!! The Hobby Fan crews may cost more than the guns also. And so on.

And, yes, another Incoming Campaign would be fine, but hold off till Fall, please !!!!

John