i felt exhausted trying to build zvezda m-30 kit and decided to make a change for my incoming entry. afv m102 and italeri 105 mm howizter are the options.sorry for my ignorance but i have a few questions;
both(nam or modern) versions of m102 have airdrop rings?
airdrop rings are removed in firing position?
all m102s are painted in camo pattern?
m102s in desert storm / shield ever poainted in sand ?
any info on m102 will be appreciated.
thanks thanks thanks

I think only the Airbore div's would have used the airdrop ring......

I'm not an expert on this field, but below are some answers based on my knowledge.



Nope, only modern version. And "modern" is relative as M102's were phased out of service in 1990's.




No, AFAIK they were not.




Depends on the period. During Vietnam war they were olive drab, later they had MERDC camo pattern on them and then some of them were painted in NATO 3-color scheme.




No, those I saw were still in camouflage pattern. And if I remember correctly I saw pictures of both MERDC and NATO camouflage on M102 in the desert.

Pawel

The rollbars have a dual purpose, they protect the sight mechanisms for damage and they assist in uprighting an overturned gun. These guns can overturn while being towed by a prime mover (such as a HMMWV) or while being set on the ground from a slingload (helicopter). It was a modification done to the M102 series and not necessarily just for airborne operations.