GHQ Models Forums

Hi,

Can anyone suggest a good "stand-in" from the GHQ catalogue for Italian WWII 75mm field guns? The Polish 75mm model?

I've got a few "Brand X" models, but I'm really not satisfied with them.

Thanks.

I picked up a single "Brand X" Italian 75mm gun to check it out, quality wise. That is something I now do with the off-brand producers (particularly the UK producers), as in the past I have too often bought a quanitity of some piece of kit sight-unseen, and then been so dissappointed with the castings that they wound up as scrap in my bits box.

The "Brand X" Italian 75mm gun I bought fits into that category. Not good enough for me to use.

As to the GHQ offering ... well unfortunate news is there really isn't a good alternative.

The Polish 75mm gun is just a French Mle 1897 in Polish Army service. It's a nice enough model, and comes with a horse limber (worth it just for that!), but it is no closer to an Italian 75mm than the original French model would be.

If you want an Italian 75/27 (the most common WW2 Italian artillery piece), you would find the following differences from the French 75mm Mle97:

- The French gun's barrel is noticably longer than the under-barrel recoil track. The Italian 75's barrel protrudes only a slight bit from it's under-barrel track. In addition, the French 75 has bracket-mounts under the muzzle, which are not present on the Italian gun. If these were the only differences one could simply snip-off 1/4 of the barrel length to get a good approximation. That may yet be the best approach.

- The French gun's breach assembly is round (tubular). The Italian gun's breach assembly is square. That is modestly noticeable even at this scale. It might be possible to kit-bash a French gun with putty or a small square of sheet plastic.

- The Italian gun has fenders over the wheels forward of the gun shield. The French gun does not. This is pretty noticeable even at this scale. This might redressed with a little putty.

- The Italian gun is set lower in the shield -- protruding well below the half-way point in terms of the shield's height. The French gun protrudes through the shield notably above the hald-way point (in terms of height). This gives the two guns a different overall appearance. I don't know how that might be addressed.

Put these factors together ... and for me at least I have chosen not to use French 75's as a stand-in. Too bad, really, as my Italian forces should have 75mm gun support. But they don't. I can't find a way yet to fill this gap that meets even my own rather flexible standards.

Just my views. Your mileage may vary.

Mk I,

Thanks for the detailed information!

I guess I'll just have to be patient and wait for GHQ's 75/27. I'll put the Italians aside for a while -- I've still got plenty of Brits and Jerries that need painting.

Since this piece was the most common artillery piece for the Italians, it stands to reason that GHQ should put this one on their to do list. Hopefully we will see this one in the next couple of years produced by GHQ to fill this gap.

Pete - Binpicker, Out!

Since this piece was the most common artillery piece for the Italians, it stands to reason that GHQ should put this one on their to do list. Hopefully we will see this one in the next couple of years produced by GHQ to fill this gap.

Hopefull... and maybe some heavier pieces, like 149mm. Generally italian artillery is poor in GHQ.

I would also like these.
I see there were at least three different models of Italian 75/27.
Solid trail, split trail, and the 1912 Krupp design...
That last one wasn't numerous, but would also serve in several other eastern european armies, as I recall. Multiple users is good (subtle hint there)...
On another note- how close is the larger field gun in the Japanese weapons set to any of these? Some of those Jap guns were european designs...

kiasutha wrote:I would also like these.
I see there were at least three different models of Italian 75/27.
Solid trail, split trail, and the 1912 Krupp design...

The Krupp 75mm was bought, and produced under license, in the run-up to WW1. It was the standard Italian light artillery piece of WW1, just as the Italian 100mm howitzer that GHQ sells (the Skoda 100mm -- also used by Romania) was the standard Italian medium artillery piece of WW1.

The Italian 75/27 was a modernization of the Krupp 75mm design. "Modernization" consisted mostly of providing pressed-steel wheels with rubber tires (solid rubber, not even pneumatic) so that it could be towed by a vehicle over a paved road, instead of just by horse limber over grassy fields.

That said, I believe that the basic Krupp design was still in service with the Italians during WW2. Don't have any numbers, but if we look at everything else in the Italian inventory we'll see that pre-WW1 equipment was never fully replaced by the more modern (?) 1920s/30s upgrades.

On another note- how close is the larger field gun in the Japanese weapons set to any of these? Some of those Jap guns were european designs...

That looks to my eye like a Japanese Model 38 75mm Gun. Which was (drum role please...) a license-built Krupp Model 12!

BINGO! Give that man a cee-gar!

Well found, my good man! Well found!

Now, does anybody know how many come to a pack? I don't have much use for the rest of the Japanese kit. If I only get one or two per pack, I'll be better off buying them as one-offs.

Now, does anybody know how many come to a pack? I don't have much use for the rest of the Japanese kit. If I only get one or two per pack, I'll be better off buying them as one-offs.

Two, by the looks. Between the IJCT and the J4 description I think J4 has 6 HMGs (but that seems a bit odd), two 70mm 'battalion guns' and two 75mm 'regimental guns'.

So GHQ could find themselves with some orders for assorted 75mm field guns. Now all we need to do is convince them to make a pack of four plus crews and we'll all be happy!

Thanks Mk1; I was pretty sure that Japanese piece was a Krupp...
I bought a pack; thinking my Hungarians & Romanians could make use of them.
(edit- I haven't been able to confirm the Honved used this gun yet; but Romania did.)
Now the Italians want 'em too...
Contents is indeed 2-70mm, 2-75mm, and half a dozen Hmg's.
Still studying what to do with the rest. Probably best to just buy the 75mm casting...
Oddly, the crews are molded onto the guns. Haven't tried cutting them off...

I have a source that says the Italians had 51 of the origional Krupp pieces in service in 1939, and shows 2 photos of them on the russian front at that.
(edit- that being why I said they weren't too numerous; meaning in origional form)
Regards,
Jim

OK-My last edit on this one..I'm getting "off-course" a bit, but-
I've been looking at those Japanese Hmg's...
Ya know, in this scale they might just pass for Czech ZB-53's.
With a bit of work on the caps; maybe add an observer and a helmet or two...
It might be more palatable than those captured russian MG's in the Romanian pack...
And make the price for the Krupp "75" a little bit more palatable too.

I would be willing to buy the little 70mm battalion guns off anyone who does not want them.

kiasutha wrote:Thanks Mk1; I was pretty sure that Japanese piece was a Krupp...

Ah, but thanks to you!

I had gone looking for a Type 38 gun under the Japanese, but there is no artillery listed, and the "Individual Heavy Weapons" pack only goes as far as MGs, so I gave up.

I bought a pack; thinking my Hungarians & Romanians could make use of them.
(edit- I haven't been able to confirm the Honved used this gun yet; but Romania did.)

C'mon now, how many of the blasted things you gonna make me buy! For my Romanians too!

Actually I have already bought Schneider (French M1897) 75's for my Romanians. And some extra Skoda 100mm howitzers. So I think I'm covered. But hey, if those Japanese guns wind up looking OK ....

Now the Italians want 'em too...

Want? Who said anything about "want"?

"GOTTA HAVE" is a bit more like it. Gotta have. My Italians NEED some 75's!

Oddly, the crews are molded onto the guns. Haven't tried cutting them off...

In the "old style" for GHQ.

If (when) I get some, I'll just leave 'em on and not worry about 'em.

Contents is indeed 2-70mm, 2-75mm, and half a dozen Hmg's.
Still studying what to do with the rest. Probably best to just buy the 75mm casting...
...
I've been looking at those Japanese Hmg's...
Ya know, in this scale they might just pass for Czech ZB-53's.
With a bit of work on the caps; maybe add an observer and a helmet or two...
It might be more palatable than those captured russian MG's in the Romanian pack...

I might use the HMG's as French. The Nambu was modelled on the 8mm Hotchkiss IIRC. If I can see it correctly in the image the Japanese crewmen are wearing visored caps. Maybe I'll paint 'em up as Legionaires or something.

The French had a LOT of HMGs in their battalion TOE. 4 HMGs for every 60mm mortar -- I'd never get enough buying the support weapons packs.

As to my Romanians -- I'm gonna try a flip-flop on that. I have some "French" HMG figures from a UK provider. Don't know what they were thinking -- they modelled water-cooled HMGs in their French kit, and the French infantry NEVER used a water-cooled HMG (not even in WW1). So I'm going to use them as Romanians with "Schwartzloss" HMGs. Maybe. Just took them out of my French forces on Sunday and moved them back to the "to be painted" box. Except that the figures are awefully "blobby" and suffer from big head syndrome. I'll see how well they fit in / stand out when (if?) I get my GHQ Romanian infantry painted up.

Hi Mark-1:
Yup, agreed. The Italians just HAVE to have their "75's"...Priorities...
Thank God I don't do French too...
My Romanians are getting Schneiders too; the cavalry will probably get the Krupp.
Really need more Czech ordinance & vehicles...

I'm looking for some kind of wee-tiny mountain gun the "70" might be good for...

Yes; the Japanese crew have visor caps.
I'm thinking of "hollowing" the cap across the middle to give the fore & aft "peaked" effect. It will look much like a Romanian field cap then. Add a prone spotter...I'm OK with that for now.
I really should find a Schwarzlose stand-in too.
GHQ- how about some Hungarians; at least weapons...?

BTW-anyone have the Romanian "47" pack yet?
I wrote GHQ a while ago, but haven't received a reply about the tractors.
Regards,
Jim

Does the newest Italian Item fit this thread? GHQ Stock # IT28, "75mm Cannone with SPA TL 37" Just wondering. Remembered this thread from the last year and I have been working on building up an Italian army.
___________________
Live Long and Prosper
Vince

Vince:
Yes. It is the 75/27 modello 11. (updated version for motor towing) French designed.

http://www.italie1935-45.com/RE/photosc ... od.11.html

Sorry, the site is in French; but a fine resource for the Italian stuff...
Please, can I have the horse drawn version? I want to die with the CSIR...