German Heavy Self-Propelled Howitzer Hummel (Late production) (Tamiya)

This is the Tamiya 35 367 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Heavy Self-Propelled Howitzer Hummel (Late production)’.

German Heavy Self-Propelled Howitzer Hummel (Late production)

History

The Hummel was developed by German designers in short time, intended to provide a quick boost for troops that had begun to struggle in the aftermath of their invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

The chassis was a hybrid using parts from the Pz.Kpfw.III and IV, and the gun was the powerful sFH18/1 15cm piece that fired 43.5kg howitzer rounds distances up to and over 13 kilometers.

Hummels joined the fray from 1943 in the showdown Battle of Kursk, and served through the second half of WWII.

Source: Tamiya website

Manufacturer

German DAK 15cm s.IG.33 auf Pz.Kpfw.III (Dragon)

This is the Dragon 6904 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German DAK 15cm s-IG.33 aud Pz.Kpfw.III’.

German DAK 15cm s.IG.33 auf Pz.Kpfw.III

History

Germany created a wide number of self-propelled howitzers (SPH) during WWII, these typically being converted from existing tank chassis.
It represents a 15cm s.IG.33 auf Fahrgestell Pz.III which, as its name suggests, mated a 15cm field howitzer with a Panzer III chassis.

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was seeking heavy artillery mounted on tracked chassis because horse-drawn or truck-drawn howitzers were impractical in the desert.

This SPH was used by the Deutsches Afrika Korps, specifically the 90 leichte Infanterie-Division, in North Africa. It first saw action in September 1942.

Source: Dragon website

Manufacturer

Where I got it

Russian Project 704 SPH (Trumpeter)

This is the Trumpeter 05575 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘Russian Project 704 SPH’.

Russian Project 704 SPH

History

One prototype, developed in 1945. It used elements of the IS-2 and IS-3 tanks. The overall height of the vehicle was reduced to 2240mm, which was compensated with an increased width of the superstructure.The factory designation was Object 704 (Объект 704). It was armed with the 152.4mm ML-20SM model 1944 (МЛ-20СМ обр. 1944 г) gun-howitzer, with a barrel length of over 4.5 meters (29.6 calibers) and no muzzle brake, which further increased the firepower of the gun. It had a maximum range of 13,000 meters.

The self-propelled gun carried 20 rounds of two piece (shell and charge) armor-piercing and high explosive ammunition. The secondary armament of the fighting vehicle consisted of two 12.7 x 108mm DShK machine guns, one anti-aircraft and one co-axial.

Source: Trumpeter website

Manufacturer

Where I got it

Russian SU-122, Interior Kit (Initial Production) (MiniArt)

This is the MiniArt 35175 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘Russian SU-122 Initial Production, Interior Kit’.

Russian SU-122 Initial Production, Interior Kit

History

The Russian SU-122 self-propelled howitzer was created in November 1942 at the design bureau of UZTM (Uralmashzavod – Uralsky Machine Building factory).

The vehicle was based on the T-44 medium tank chassis and was a Russian self-propelled howitzer or assault gun used during World War II.

The machine was designed to destroy fortifications, gun emplacements and tanks.

Source: MiniArt website

Manufacturer

German Panzerkampfwagen, KV-2 754(r) (Trumpeter)

This is the Trumpeter 00367 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Panzerkampfwagen, KV-2 754(r)’.

German Panzerkampfwagen, KV-2 754(r)

History

Produce at the same time in the M1941 KV-1 type, the KV-2 (Also be called the year in M1941 KV-2 type) also threw in the production.

The KV-2 characteristic is its quick-fried tower shape. The quick-fried tower that equip 152 millimeters of howitzers reports the hexagon keeps the square form, resembling an enormous box.

One of the (sturm) Panzerkampfwagen KV-II 754(r) of Panzerkompanie(z.b.v) 66 with the commander’s cupola of a Panzerkampfwagen III G/IV EE and stowage racks for the 152mm ammunition on the rear hull.

Source: Trumpeter website

Manufacturer

German Sd.Kfz.165 Hummel/Wespe (Dragon)

This is the Dragon 6535 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Sd.Kfz.165 Hummel/Wespe’.

German Sd.Kfz.165 Hummel/Wespe

History

‘Bumble Bee’ might seem an unusual nickname for a self-propelled howitzer, but that is what the Germans initially called their 15cm sFH 18 L/30 howitzer mounted on a Panzer IV chassis.

The Sd.Kfz.165 Hummel, of which 714 were produced from late 1942 onwards, was created because of an urgent need for artillery that could keep pace with Germany’s panzers during WWII.

Interestingly, the prototype of the Hummel was originally fitted with a 10.5cm leFH18 gun, the weapon that eventually found its way onto the Wespe that was based on the Panzer II chassis.

Source: Dragon website

Manufacturer

Where I got it

Russian S-51 Self Propelled Gun (Trumpeter)

This is the Trumpeter 05583 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘Russian S-51 Self Propelled Gun’.

Russian S-51 Self Propelled Gun

History

1943, the face of the Germans more and more thick fortifications in defensive operations, the Soviet early small-caliber light howitzers powerful.

After November 1943, authorized by the Revolutionary Committee of the Soviet Union the Ge Labin Central Artillery Design Bureau started to design the next generation of self-propelled guns, the KV-1S chassis and B-4 howitzer combination of design, named S-51 self-propelled artillery, optimizeartillery combat combat readiness to complete the 20 minutes.

In addition, due to the strong chassis of the KV-1S tank, the S-51 artillery can be folded to the rear to reduce the bodywork length to facilitate the march. S-51 in early 1944 by nearly 300 design test and a series of wild march test, basically reached the requirements, Soviet firepower summarized as, machine power in artillery belonging to excellent.

Source: Trumpeter website

Manufacturer

Where I got it

German Sd.Kfz.165 Hummel (Late Production) (Dragon)

This is the Dragon 6321 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Sd.Kfz.165 Hummel – Late Production’.

German Sd.Kfz.165 Hummel – Late Production

History

Hummel (German: “bumblebee”) was a self-propelled artillery gun based on the Geschützwagen III/IV chassis, armed with a 15 cm howitzer. It was used by the German Wehrmacht during the Second World War from early 1943 until the end of the war.

The full designation was Panzerfeldhaubitze 18M auf Geschützwagen III/IV (Sf) Hummel, Sd.Kfz.165. On February 27, 1944, Hitler ordered the name Hummel to be dropped as being inappropriate for a fighting vehicle.

Source: Wikipedia

Manufacturer

Russian Heavy Self Propelled Gun, SU-152 Howitzer (Trumpeter)

This is the Trumpeter 01571 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘Russian Heavy Self propelled, SU-152 Howitzer’.

Russian Heavy Self propelled, SU-152 Howitzer

History

The SU-152 (СУ-152) was a Soviet self-propelled heavy howitzer used during World War II. It mounted a 152mm gun-howitzer on the chassis of a KV-1S heavy tank.

Later production used IS tank chassis and was re-designated as ISU-152. Because of its adopted role of as an impromptu heavy tank destroyer, capable of knocking out the heaviest German armoured vehicles; Tiger, Panther, and Elefant tank destroyers—it was nicknamed Zveroboy, “beast killer”.

Source: Trumpeter website

Manufacturer

Where I got it

Russian Heavy Tank, KV-2 (Trumpeter)

This is the Trumpeter 00312 kit in 1/35 scale, of the Russian Heavy Tank, KV-2′.

Russian Heavy Tank, KV-2

History

Produce at the same time in the M1941 KV-1 type, the KV-2 (Also be called the year in M1941 KV-2 type) also threw in the production.

The KV-2 characteristic is its quick-fried tower shape. The quick-fried tower that equip 152 millimeters of howitzers reports the hexagon keeps the square form, resembling an enormous box.

But, it is said because of the excess, if not on the horizontal plane, dry by heat the tower connect to revolve all and very difficult. Because of such weakness, KV-2 is in actual battle, only used for proceeding to the virtuous soldier the thermodynamic power inhibit, but need not in the battlefield that hour of backstroke break war.

Source: Trumpeter website

Manufacturer

Where I got it

German 15 cm s.IG.33 (Sf) auf Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf. B (Dragon)

This is the Dragon 6259 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German 15cm s.IG.33 (Sf) auf Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B’, sometimes referred to as the Sturmpanzer I Bison.

German 15cm s.IG.33 (Sf) auf Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B

History

The Panzer I formed the nucleus of Germany’s embryonic tank formations, but its light armor and light armament meant it was outdated by the start of WWII. Despite being made redundant as a gun tank, the chassis of the Panzer I was utilized in a number of alternative roles, including that of a self-propelled howitzer.

It was recognized early on that mobile artillery could provide invaluable fire support to tank units, so the mounting of a 150mm s.IG.33 infantry gun resulted in a vehicle known as an s.IG.33 (Sf) auf Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B. The gun was mounted in a tall, boxy superstructure, though the chassis of the Panzer I was overstressed by the extra weight. The armored shield was only 10mm thick and could only offer front and side protection, plus there was no space for spare ammunition to be carried.

Ultimately, this ungainly and top-heavy artillery piece wasn’t a great success and only 38 were converted in February 1940 by Alkett. These guns served in the Battle of France and beyond, though as the war progressed, the 150mm s.IG.33 gun would be mounted on alternative chassis too.

Source: Dragon Models website

Manufacturer

Where I got it

Russian Heavy Tank, KV-2 (Zvezda)

This is the Zvezda 3608 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘Russian Heavy Tank, KV-2’.

Russian Heavy Tank, KV-2

History

76-mm tank gun L-11, mounted on KV, didn’t prove to be sufficiently powerful to fight Pillboxes and other fortifications. A new KV-2 tank, fitted with the M-10 152-mm howitzer in the turret, was designed for the destruction of defensive military fortifi cations.

The production of the KV-2s started in 1940 and soon after the start of WWII in Russia the production of the vehicles was phased out as this single-purpose tank was an exorbitant luxury in the severe conditions of the initial period of the war.

Source: Zvezda website

Manufacturer

Where I got it