M2A1 105mm Howitzer

[jknaus]

Well I decided to try something quick and in between whimpers and whining this weekend I started this Dragon 105mm Howitzer.

It is a very tiny gun and of course this means very tiny parts. This while looking very cool makes this a difficult kit especially when your eyes are dim and the 5 thumbs per hand do not work the way they're supposed to. As a matter of fact I would have to say that the biggest negative with this kit is because of the size and breakdown of the parts. Where one well formed part would work there are 3 smaller parts and no positive mounting locations.
Having said that I think that what you do get can make this an awesome piece when finished.
This is where I am as of now.

Left side

Right side

I'll see how it goes putting the trails on tomorrow and try again to mount the right gun aiming optics.
One thing that would have been nice is if Dragon had given you a battery box for the rear right trail. Something to either wire up for an early gun or use as a parts box for a later A1 gun.
James

 

[phantom II]

Hi James,
that looks like it will be an interesting little build !

Cheers, Christian

 

[Ken Abrams]

Looking really good James.

I'm currently building this kit myself* so I'll be watching as you go!



*well mine is mounted in a half track

 

[moon puppy]

M2A1 without tracks...I know but it still confuses me.

Git'er done James.

 

[jknaus]

Looking really good James.

I'm currently building this kit myself* so I'll be watching as you go!



*well mine is mounted in a half track

The right hand gunsite is tricky and has no locating tabs or pins. pain in the but. The crank I think for traverse l/r I would leave off until you get the carriage built. Otherwise you may end up like me with about 1mm gap between the cscrew and the gear. I would also leave the left site off till the gun is in the elevation you want. I glued mine on and it was wrong, luckily I caught it quick. I would get the carriage together out of sequence so you can put the left and right side even. And the piston while very cool is fragile. I squeezed it and the rods have a bit of a bow. I also had to cut the ram so it fit inside for the elevation I put on. If I can think of any other hints I'll let you know.
James

 

[jknaus]

M2A1 without tracks...I know but it still confuses me.

Git'er done James.

Government cut backs and all, saving money on letters and numbers. As long as you remember you may pull a M2A1 with a M3A1 ht but probably not with a M3A1 Stuart and there is a chance you could pull the M2A1 with a M2A1 but you may not see a M3A1 pulling a M2A1 or vice versa.

James

 

[PMH]

This is 105mm Howitzer I'm looking for quite some time, in order to do so during the war in Indochina!. I'm this post with interest!

 

[jknaus]

A bit more. This kit is very fiddly. Make sure when you build it you keep in mind everything relies on everything to be properly aligned or you end up with fit issues.

James