_GOTOBOTTOM
Armor/AFV: AA/AT/Artillery
For discussions about artillery and anti-aircraft or anti-tank guns.
Hosted by Darren Baker
155 Crew
WRichter
Visit this Community
Georgia, United States
Joined: December 01, 2007
KitMaker: 39 posts
Armorama: 37 posts
Posted: Friday, February 01, 2008 - 06:26 AM UTC
Does any body know where i can get or order a 155 long to m gun crewe in 1/35?
ericadeane
Visit this Community
Michigan, United States
Joined: October 28, 2002
KitMaker: 4,021 posts
Armorama: 3,947 posts
Posted: Friday, February 01, 2008 - 09:09 AM UTC
Hobby Fan of Korea makes three resin sets (pricey however), two for the 155mm Long Tom and one for the M40 155mm GMC (set in Korean War setting).

trickymissfit
Joined: October 03, 2007
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,357 posts
Posted: Sunday, February 03, 2008 - 07:45 AM UTC
if your looking at an early 155, then plan on a small crew number (forget what you read in the books on this one). You'll of course have an AG, and gunner (he sits ontop of the trail)
There will only be one other person close to the breech, and that of course is the loader (left side right behind the gunner). Then there will be a guy on the phone (normally they use a phone instead of a radio), and a guy who swabs the breech after it's opened plus helps with the rammer staff. Then there's the section chief that will almost always be positioned on the outside of the left trail right near the gunner and loader. Normally there's another guy who will hand powder over the trail and help with the ammo. The most I've ever seen was nine men, and the least was four with no section chief.
There will be very little in between the trails to walk around (maybe nine rounds max, and that's upto the loader himself). There will be no powder between the trails ever. And usually a small 30 cal. ammo box full of primers. Lastly the top flap of the forward shield in front of the gunner is almost always folded down. I'll see if I can figure out how to post a couple pics of a 155 crew shooting for you.
gary
trickymissfit
Joined: October 03, 2007
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,357 posts
Posted: Sunday, February 03, 2008 - 07:50 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Does any body know where i can get or order a 155 long to m gun crewe in 1/35?



somehow I missed the "long tom" in your post, so things will of course be a little diifferent.
The rounds are the same and also the powder. But if I remember right the breech sets so high that you have to load from a tray, and thus you'll have one more person. A howitzer (as I recall) has a lower carriage centerline. You should be able to use figures from Korea or Vietnam just as well as WWII.
gary
smokeyjoe
Visit this Community
Connecticut, United States
Joined: March 31, 2008
KitMaker: 21 posts
Armorama: 7 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 02:36 AM UTC
A towed howitzer or gun I ever saw in 19 years in the Field Artillery (From the blockhouse on Signal Mtn.) had only the ramming staff and swab bucket between the trails. Ready ammunition was always prepared outside the trails,
This is from memory. I know the gunners all have specific titles as gun chief, gunner and assistant gunner (AG) and the rest are numbered.
The Gun Chief almost always stood close to the gunner on a field phone with the Fire Control Section (FDC). Once he received the fire mission data he announced it to the crew. Shell/fuse combination, powder charge, elevation and deflection. Checking with his "Safety T" (a chart with limits on elevation and deflection) he would oversee the actions of his crew.
The gunner sitting on the left trail sets the elevation and deflection on his pantel (panoramic telescope) and cranks the elevation and deflection wheels. He sights in on either a collmeter or aiming stakes. Once he has it set he checks to see if the bubbles on the pantel are level and rechecks the sight.
Gunner #4 has picked out the proper shell and removes the eyebolt and screws in the fuse. If it is a time fuse he sets the time. The projectile is then places on a loading tray (a 155mm HE projectile weights 94 pounds without the fuse). The tray is lifted by the assistant gunner and gunner #1. Gunner #2 grabs the ramming staff and pushes the shell into the breech. Gunner #1 takes the loading tray back to gunner 4 and gets the powder charge.
Gunner 2 and the AG then ram the projectile home. Gunner 1 places the powder charge in the breech saying "Charge four green bag, I see red.) The "I see red refers to the red igniter pad sewn into the first powder bag. The pad contains black power for instant ignition.
The AG closes the breech, puts a primer in the firing lock and attaches the lanyard.
Gunner four takes the unused powder bags and stands over the powder pit and holds them out for the gun chief to see. Power came in two colors, green and white. White for example came with eight bags. If FDC calls for charge six the gun chief wants to see two bags in gunner four's hands.
Once the gun chief is sure all the data is correct he gives the order to fire. The AG pulls the lanyard. The AG swabs the bore and awaits another mission.
I've seen as few as three and as many as ten gun bunnies man a howitzer. The mission drives everything.
jimbrae
Visit this Community
Provincia de Lugo, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: April 23, 2003
KitMaker: 12,927 posts
Armorama: 9,486 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 02:48 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hobby Fan of Korea makes three resin sets (pricey however), two for the 155mm Long Tom and one for the M40 155mm GMC (set in Korean War setting).



Actually, if you buy from Lucky Model (for example), they're pretty reasonably priced . When HobbyFan arrives in the States or Europe, the price seems to multiply, buying from Japan or HK they're very good value...
HeavyArty
Visit this Community
Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 03:09 AM UTC
Hobby Fan is actually produced in Hong Kong, not Korea. They are the resin side of AFV Club. Their Long Tom crews (they actually have 2 sets) are really nice. They come with some extras too, like an ammo sled and rammer staff in set #1, and powder bags in #2.

Long Tom Crew #1


Long Tom Crew #2
smokeyjoe
Visit this Community
Connecticut, United States
Joined: March 31, 2008
KitMaker: 21 posts
Armorama: 7 posts
Posted: Friday, April 18, 2008 - 09:42 AM UTC
The powder bags look way out of scale. They just look too big.
trickymissfit
Joined: October 03, 2007
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,357 posts
Posted: Friday, April 25, 2008 - 09:59 AM UTC

Quoted Text

The powder bags look way out of scale. They just look too big.



they look like standard white bag to me, but without the normal tie straps going down the sides. Also if my memory is right there are three individual charges in the thing (all different lengths). The charge seven white bag should be about six inches in diameter and maybe 18" long altogether.
gary
HeavyArty
Visit this Community
Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Friday, April 25, 2008 - 01:15 PM UTC
The powder bags look right to me too.
smokeyjoe
Visit this Community
Connecticut, United States
Joined: March 31, 2008
KitMaker: 21 posts
Armorama: 7 posts
Posted: Monday, April 28, 2008 - 03:36 AM UTC
Look at the gunner holding the powder charge in the lower picture. If I spread my hand out fully it spans 9 inches. If the scale gunner holding the charge spread his hand out it looks to me as it would not cover the base of the bag. To me it looks too big. I never saw the 240mm howitzer of WWII but it would be about that size. I remember some of the 155mm powder bags were about the size of a canteen.
 _GOTOTOP