https://gallery.kitmaker.net/data/500/1303WW2_45.jpg?4312

and is there a kit version of it in 1/35?

thanks!
Peter

Is that German or American. Looks like its captured, and they are showing the shell for the picture taker.

I don't honestly know, someone will though.

~Chip



#:-)

It looks like its a Russian anti-tank gun.

It is a US 57mm AT gun. This was based on the British 6-pounder (the early version without the muzzle brake). Italeri made a kit of this but it is not in their current catalog. I also could not find it listed on Great models website. You should still be able to find it at a good hobby shop, ebay, or at the swap tables.

57MM Anti Tank gun... was real common early in the war... but less and less towards the latter part of '44 and early '45 as it was pretty useless against the Tiger and Panther. I think there are some resin versions still on the market (Verlinden?)... do the old "google.com" search, and you should find something.

It is a US 57mm AT gun, superficially at least it was similar to the British 6 pounder. As this photo is almost certainly of the 101st airborne in the Ardennes, It must have been taken in late '44, early '45. The tarpaulin cover in the back of the photo is probably covering a jeep, not I would imagine, a large stock of ready-ammunition. Even at that stage of the war it was still relatively effective against some of the german vehicles, not everything the Germans were fielding were Tiger 2s or Jagdpanthers.... It's prime use here was probably as an infantry support weapon, it could use (a small) HE round or even smoke. As far as I know there isn't much in model form of the 57mm.... Jim

from what ive read, it wasnt too bad a gun,
the main problem was it never had the range of ammunition that the 6-pounder had,
im at work so cant give more information, but will post some when i get home,
cheers
joe

The 57mm was intended to replace the 37mm atg after it's performance proved lacking against up-armored German afv's. By 1944, it was little more effective on the battlefield than the German 37mm Pak 35/36 "Military Door Knocker." We had a bad problem developing and then getting into the hands of infantry tank destroyer battalions sufficient numbers of effective anti-tank guns. The towed 3" gun that my uncle served on in France was better, but a far better, but seldom used answer to the problem a la the German 88mm Flak was the American 90mm aa gun that was eventually modified for use on the M-36 Jackson and the M-26 Pershing

Far superior to the '88 or even the US 90mm, was the british 3.7" AA gun, if it had been deployed as an AT weapon (and the War office had shown a little imagination) it would have been a potent answer to late-war german armor. Higher muzzle velocity and easier maintenance than either of the two others would perhaps have given it a place in the history books. Ultimately, it was 'the poor bloody infantry' who decided the war's outcome and not the frequently lunatic developments of the germans. Or as someone once said, "Amateurs speak of tactics, professionals speak of logistics"...Jim

Higher muzzle velocity than the 88? Wow.

Since everybody has I.D.d this gun I'll give a little story. My Dad server on one from Dec 1944 to VE day. He said he never once heard it fired. It was assigned to a AT platoon for an infantry company in the 1st Inf. Div. He claimed the company commander threatened to shoot anybody firign the 57mm. They felt it would give away their position and if we sent a 57mm out, the Germans would send an 88mm or 128mm back.

Thanks all for the info- some late night research found info on an available kit.
The Russian company ZVEZDA, makes this kit under with the stock number 3518. They purchased the Italeri molds, so although the Italeri version is OOP, it is re-issued from Zvezda. Great Models.com has it in stock if anyone is looking.

As for the picture- it is from a website dedicated to the Battle of the Huertgen Forest, so I am 'assuming' that the time and place of the photo is late fall '44, somewhere in the Huertgen Forest.

Thanks again!
Peter

ImrieRisley made a white metal model of the American 57mm awhile ago in 54mm scale. It came with a couple of paratroopers that were of poor quality, but the gun looks pretty good. I haven't gotten around to building it yet.

Mike

I don't see it there. Only AT gun I see is a Soviet AT. Do you have the acutal link? I thought the Zvezda kit was of a Six pounder and there are some big differences between the two.

the US 57mm at gun was originally developed when the US militayr realised the 37mm was really to light a weapon to deal wih modern tanks,
under the lend lease agreement, the design plans for the six pounder were submitted to the US, and new plans were drawn up for the weapon to be made using american dimensions, threads, and other engineering features.
the main difference was in the length of the barrel, the british barrel length being limited by the manufacturing equipment available at the time.
US factories had larger more modern machines and the barrel was increased to 117inches as opposed to the 6 pounders 100.95inches. this was also adopted in britian once the neccessary machines became available.
as with the british model, later marks of the gun were fitted with a muzzle brake.
the greatest difference was that the american gun never had the rane of ammunition that the 6 pounder had, with only AP and APC rounds ever being issued.
the british gun had AP, APC,APBC, APCR and the first in service sabot round (APDS).
this round doubled the penetration of previous types, making it possible to knock out most german heavy tanks from a respectable range.
several marks of the US gun saw service but i cant really tell which one the pictures is.
that was from 'encyclopedia of infantry weapons of world war 2' by ian hogg, a superb book, out of print i think though
hope that helps
joe

HalfYank-

At Greatmodels.com home page- select database, type "zv3518" in the Keyword box- and it should come up!

Does anyone know the length of a 57mm round? complete round and also just the brass shell? It looks like I'll have to scratch build ammo for this thing

thanks again,
Peter