February 2012 New Releases

[GHQ]

We have just added the February 2012 releases to our website. We would like to pre-empt any fears about the F-14 and the F/A-18E, they are not up yet. The designer who is working on those had some personal things come up, and they will be slightly delayed. We are in regular contact with him, and they will both be completed very soon. We will post them when they are ready. Here are the rest of the February 2012 new releases:

GWS-13 BB-36 Nevada
http://www.ghqmodels.com/store/gws13.html

AC-85 Pe-2B
http://www.ghqmodels.com/store/ac85.html

G-566 Pak 44 128mm
http://www.ghqmodels.com/store/g566.html

G-567 Mittlere Einheitswaffenträger
http://www.ghqmodels.com/store/g567.html

W-89 T-10
http://www.ghqmodels.com/store/w89.html

Thanks for looking,
GHQ

[Donald M. Scheef]

I just took a look at the new releases and was glad to see that photos are up for the majority of the items.

As a Micronaut fan, I have already placed my order for two of GWS13, BB-36, Nevada.

Only one of the two Wehrmacht '47 figures have photos up. I am favorably impressed by G567, mittlere Einheitswaffentraeger (translation - medium special-purpose weapon carrier). The chassis is all new, not a modification of an existing tank body. The 15 cm howitzer has a sharply-sloped shield. The only problem I see with it is that there seems to be insufficient clearance for the breech at high elevations. This would be a significant problem for a howitzer that is designed to fire in the upper register.

G566, the PAK-44 12.8 cm gun doesn't have a photo out yet, so I don't know if this is on the Rheinmetall carriage or the Krupp version. Either would be fine for me. It also seems that this gun would fit nicely on the carriage of G567, producing a potent self-propelled anti-tank gun. From the illustrations I have seen, the shield on G567 looks very much like that on the PAK-44.

Likewise, the 15 cm howitzer on the mittlere Einheitswaffentraeger might fit nicely on the PAK-44 carriage. The Germans were considering such a match, but I would prefer a purpose-built carriage for the 15 cm howitzer to optimize high-angle fire, such as the Skoda schwere Feldhaubitze 43 or the Krupp 15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 43, Entwurf 1.

Don S.

[ed*b]

I do think the description for Nevada slights the New York and Texas, which i would have considered the first U.S. super dreadnoughts. I have always seen that term used for ships with 13.5" or 14" guns (or bigger).

I'll wait a few months - the pile of unpainted ships can no longer be accommodated on my desk and I don't want too many of them underfoot, lest something untowards happens.

[RedLeif]

Sweet Petlyakov bomber!
The GHQ VVS offerings grow more capable!

I just read that the Finns used 6 of them (bought from Germany) during the continuation war.
Handy to know too.

Thanks GHQ

RedLeif

[Schwerepunkt]

I presume there will be a prime mover included with the G566 PAK 128mm AT weapon.
I have ordered it and the 150mm howitzer. T-10 has been ordered for the USSR.

[TAMMY]

Donald

there would be no problems for upper register fire as the max. elevation of the sFH 18 was 45° only. BTW It was not a howitzer also in the other meanong as it had a 30 caliber barrel.

The Entwurf 2 or the Skoda had a max design elevation of 70° but they had the trunnion way back to keep a low profile, so should not have difficulties with the high angle recoil.

Another question could be the effects on the vehicle. I know that the Hummel was not allowed to fire at max angle with max charge. It could do it only with a specific authorization and for 5 shells max.

Mpore interesting, the cruciform platform of the 12,8 cm Pak 44 accepted the Enwurf 2.

[pibber]

Hello all !

Like Donald M.Scheef, I just took a look at the new releases and was very happy to see that photos are up for the majority of the items.
Models seem to be very great and "clean"
Good job GHQ !

[Donald M. Scheef]

I am dubious about the ability of the gun on G567 to achieve even 45 degrees of elevation. In the photograph, the side view of the assembled model shows the recoil slides extending parallel and just above the rear deck for the equivalent of several meters. I don't see how the gun could be elevated to even 30 degrees with this configuration.

For an indirect fire artillery piece, I think the gun mount would have to be moved considerably farther towards the back of the vehicle.

On the other hand, as a direct fire anti-tank gun (especially with the 12.8 cm weapon), elevation is not a significant concern. Is it possible that GHQ took the design of the chassis from the anti-tank version?

If nothing else, I will trade barrels between this and G566 to get SP AT guns and towed artillery (although I would have preferred to have the Skoda or Krupp Entwurf 1 mount for the towed piece.

By the way, I have discovered that the carriage is, indirectly, a modification of an existing vehicle rather than an entirely new design. Many of the suspension components are those of the Pz 38 ((t) model for the initial prototypes, planned to be (d) in the production vehicles). The chassis is significantly longer with six ground wheels in place of four in the Pz 38.

re: designation of sFH 18 I agree that it doesn't match the classic definitions of a howitzer (relatively short - length less than 30 x bore, capable of firing in the upper register - > 45 degrees), but the Germans identified it as a howitzer, so I go along with this.

Don S.

[pmskaar]

GHQ comes through again!

It looks like there is a little something for everyone here. I really appreciate the new Pe2B and will be adding some for my Russians.

Pete - Binpicker, Out!

[IRISH]

Don,

The US navy refered to the Nevadas as being the first Super Dreadnoughts because of the "All or Nothing" armor scheme.

IRISH

[Sepp]

I am getting into Micro- Squard and also I will get the Pak 44,but does anyone have the spects for it ? Will I need a bigger table

[microgeorge]

The stats for the 128mm PAK44 will be in the next addition of WWII Microsquad. Your wish is my command!

[Donald M. Scheef]

12.8 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 44 (12.8 cm Kanone 44)
From “German Artillery of World War Twoâ€￾ by Ian Hogg

This equipment, considered by many authorities to be one of the most outstanding gun designs of the war years, was the outcome of combining the army’s demand for a 12.8 cm gun with Krupp’s and Rheinmetall-Borsig’s continuous development of anti-tank guns in larger and larger calibres.
The gun was 55 calibres long with a high efficiency muzzle brake. The breech mechanism was a semi-automatic sliding block using cased ammunition and the firing mechanism was an electric type. While the ordnance was the same, Krupp and Rheinmetall developed different carriages the Krupp model had a cruciform platform with outriggers, carried on two two-wheel axles that could be swung from the ground as the platform was lowered by a simple hand-operated arc and pinion mechanism. …
The Rheinmetall carriage was also a cruciform type, carried on a two-wheel bogie at the front of the gun and a four-wheel bogie at the rear. The front bogie was removed completely on coming into action, while the rear bogie was raised from the ground but remained on the carriage to form part of the traversing mass and to add to the gun’s stability.

Data (Krupp Entwurf: data for Rheinmetall-Borsig’s version was similar)
Calibre: 128mm / 5.04in
Length of gun: 7023mm / 276.50in / 23.04ft
Length of bore: 6625mm / 260.83in / 21.74ft
Rifling: 40 grooves, right-hand increasing twist, 1/27 to 1/24.75
Breech mechanism: horizontal semi-automatic sliding block, electrically fired
Traverse: 360 degree
Elevation: -7o51’ to 45o27’
Weight in action: 10160kg / 22403lbm / 10.00ton

Performance
Firing standard high explosive shell weighing 28.00kg (61.74lbm)
Reduced charge: velocity 750mps / 261fps, range figures not available
Full charge: velocity 935mps / 3068fps, maximum range 24410m / 26695yd

Firing standard piercing shell weighing 28.30kg (62.40lbm)
Muzzle velocity: 1000mps / 3281fps
Penetration at 1000m: 30 degrees 230mm / 9.06in
Penetration at 2000m: 30 degrees 200mm / 7.87in
Penetration at 3000m: 30 degrees 173mm / 6.81in

Projectiles
12.8cm Sprgr 5151 :5.0: fuzed AZ 23/28 or Dopp Z S/60, weight 28.00kg (61.74lbm)
This was the standard projectile that attained the maximum range. It is believed that this was originally a naval shell developed for the 12.8cm SK C/30, since some specimens are painted yellow – a standard naval color – had naval acceptance stampings, and were dated December 1943, before the K 44 design was finished. This shell had double driving bands and two grooves behind the bands indicating that it had started life as a component of a fixed round.

12.8cm Pzgr 43: fuzed Bd Z 1521, weight 28.30kg (62.40lbm)
This was an armour piercing shell with penetrating and ballistic caps and a tracer pellet. Early models had a long cap that completely concealed the penetrating cap and was soldered on. Later models had a shorter cap that extended only half-way down the penetrating cap and was attached by spot welds.

Propelling Charges
Two completely different types of charges, each in its own case, were supplied: reduced charges and full charges. They both had the propellant enclosed in an artificial silk bag within the case, which was closed by a millboard cup. A label on the cup gave details of the weapon and was overprinted in large red letters ‘SPRGR’ on the reduced charge and ‘PZGR’ on the full charge – to emphasize that armour piercing projectiles were to be fired only with the full charge. The makeup of the two charges was:
Reduced charge: 12.55kg / 27.67lbm Digl R P.
Full charge: 15.30kg / 33.74lbm Gudol R P.

A number of experimental cartridge cases were discovered, including two bottle-necked versions: It appears from these that experiments were in progress to develop a fixed-ammunition version of the gun for use in self-propelled tank destroyers.

[TAMMY]

Donald

my comments were mot referred to your use of "howitzer". I should have written "The German called it a "haubitze" but it was niot. The same apply to the 10,5cm le FH18 or the 21cm Morser 18 with an L/29 barrel.

I have further comments on the waffentrager.
1) There is a step behind the platform of the gun that should help for the elevation.
2) It would be quite difficult to load in the actual position. It is too low on the platdform.
3) Wgat is the scope of suche a shield on thus heavy field gun. OK for an ATgun but for a long range gun seems excessive.