I´ve got an M102 & an M-998 Hummer that I want to put together as the 82nd ABN in Desert storm. I´ve already found this pair in photos on the net but I was wondering if somebody could get hold of the 3 tone Nato scheme for the gun, also I´d like to know if the Hummer of that time could also be done in the same scheme. The only photo references I have are in a squadron/signal publication : Ground war-Desert storm but they are a little bit vague. ANY help would be apreciated.

How long can you wait? The M102 was the first howitzer I trained on. If you don't get what you need (as is apparantly happening) hit me up later in the year for pics.

As far as whether the Hummer of that time could be done in the NATO 3 color scheme, the answer is yes. (My vehicle as XO of 4th Bn 20th FA in the USAR in 1992 was done in that scheme). You should be able to find whatever version of Hummer you're looking for here:

http://www.tpub.com/content/automotiveaccessories/TB-43-0209/

One question to be sure of is whether the 82nd repainted their equipment to the desert scheme during combat operations.

Unfortunately, this TB does not include the M102. The only reference I have which includes the M102 is TB 746-95 from 1976 and covers the older 4 color pattern.

Thanks guys I have been thinking though ,It doesn´t even have to be 82nd Abn if I can get another specific unit & a number for the vehicle.

Gino may be able to help. If you're planning to do a vehicle from Desert Storm, your choices are probably going to be limited. The M102 howitzer, as a 105mm weapon was used by Direct Support Field Artillery battalions and only in light units such as the 82nd and 101st (and a few more). Mechanized units used 155mm howitzers for Direct Support and these were Self Propelled.

I'd have to do some digging to see which units in Desert Storm actually used the M102.

for what it's worth, the 82nd had their only 155 unit over there using M198's.
gary

Hi Guys
Gino I think is out of pocket for a bit. I'm usaully over in the FSM forum but decided to wander over here. The M102 is my favorite towed weapon.(commanded a battery of them in the late 80s).

As for your question, the 101st deployed their M102 with M998 prime mover in ODS. When you build the kit, you will need the "crash bar" installed. Prior to deployment the equipment would have been standard 3 color Nato, both the prime mover and the weapon. I'm not sure but I think they were oversprayed sand prior to deployment.

Shortly after (about a year) ODS the 101 switched to the M119. Are you going to model it in the towed position or the emplaced position?

Here is an emplace M102, my version from the 80's



Hope this helps

Rounds Complete!!

I think I´ll go for the gun in tow with a desert sand finish, chipped & scraped because a rush paint job wouldn´t have the care taken to do a good paint mix.

I could be mistaken but I'm sure that Graeme Davidson did a HMMWV towing a field gun, don't know anything about artillery but the model was beautiful. I searched the Missing Lynx Galleries and couldn't find it. It might be worth asking raeme about it?
Bill

Nice job on that piece, Mike. The first gun I chiefed was a 102. It was named "Amy." Two months later I met an Amy. And married her.
The only thing I find different is that our ammo was covered to shield it from the sun, and one round was always opened with that big @$$ed thermometer sticking out, to record powder temp.
.

18B

Thanks..Yeah, the rounds were normally covered but it dosen't make an intersting model when it's covered.

As far as Amy...OK...if you knew her that well what was her SN....LOL

Powder Temp....Yep, most times had to find the @#$!%^ thermometer first, then if you found it, was it working. Oh well, the memories could fill the page.

Thanks again.

PS...Back on the subject of the thread...if you do sand chipped you will need...in principle nato camo under to show through. If you are going to show bare metal remember the M102 was an aluminum frame. Any metal that shows will be shiny silver

Hope this helps

Rounds Complete!!

I was with the 2/320 FA, 101st in Desert Storm 90-91. The M102 and the and the M998 were both deployed in the 3 color NATO paint scheme and stayed that way during the entire campaign. We didn't have time to paint the the vehicles and howitzers prior to deployment. The only thing we could do was wipe diesel fuel in the body of the M998 and try to coat it with a layer of sand to hide the green. It didn't work to well, The headlights were covered in burlap to reduce glare and bumper markings were covered with duck tape, All M102's had the roll bar.

The only M102 howitzers in theater were the direct support battalions of the 82nd and the 101st, a total of six battalions, If anyone want pictures let me know and I will email pics to you.

I've got some photos of an old M102 we had to keep on hand in case we had any of the nearby ARNG soldiers that required maintenance training on them. The unit eventually kept coming over to "borrow" parts off of the cannons.
http://gallery.kitmaker.net/showgallery.php/cat/513

WWWOWWW awesome almost a year later I get the answer to my prayer on the same day.I ´ve still got the Hummer & the howitzer in the boxes shelved but this is the inspiration to get back into it . Thanks fellas. p.s. I had a girlfriend called Amy that did me as much damage as a point blank direct impact from a howitzer. Although she was never classified as a weapon of mass destruction, you should see the damage to a bank balance.....until she "got fired".