Hi, folks. I'm building the sFH 18 howitzer (152mm, i think) from Dragon and am thinking about following it up with a towing vehicle. What was commonly used to tow this gun? 3-ton? 8-ton? 18-ton?

Thanks,
Ricky

The 8-ton half track, of which Tamiya makes an old (and frequently derided here) model and Trumpeter has just announced one as a companion to its own version of the 15cm gun.

It was a 15cm howitzer. DML also has announced that they're coming out with the 8ton SdKfz 7 tractor as well.

Thanks, guys!

Ricky

Ola Rick

And if you want something else to tow your sFH18 then you can also opt for an armored SWS cargo tractor. Italeri has one with a 3,7 mm Flak in the back... toss it out and modify the rear a little bit and you have a cargo version.

Or do a mule team!

seriously....

>>mule team...

Hmmm, that's an interesting idea. Where might one find 1/35 scale mules?

Ricky

I have seen a photo of a sFH 18 battery with both half-track and mule-drawn guns. The problem for the latter is they generally used a differnt wheel set if I'm not mistaken, at least at the start of the war. Later on, likely all bets were off, and they would drag the guns about with whatever worked.

Sometimes I think we're too focused on the manuals and not on the actuals.

Would an RSO Steyr tractor be able to tow this gun or would it have been too light? I know it schlepped around Nebelwerfers and Pak 40's and the like so maybe some of the bigger guns as well....



Bob

I'd stay away from an RSO, to light to pull the gun. I'd go with the 8ton SdKfz 7 tractor or an SWS. Their was and may be an unarmored SWS from Revell or Italeri.
I have seen a picture of two H-39 or H-35 tanks pulling a sFH 18 howitzer. Early in the war several older captured tanks were used to pull artillery. Later in the war I'd use a SWS or
8ton SdKfz 7 tractor.
Joe

The mule team version was actually a horse drawn version. Not only were the wheels different (I understand they were cast aluminum), the limber was very different. The gun tube was removed to lighten the load and it was carried on a horse drawn caisson with its own limber.

Ron V