The howitzer is releasing late next week, and the remaining 2 kits in October & November. The new gun crew will be out in August. I've attached a pic of the howitzer , and as you can see it looks quite nice.
This kit is priced @ about 26pds( not including the 17.5% VAT )
Those not familiar with Scale Link WW1 kits should know they were all in the works decades ago by the original owner, and were all cast in white metal. Detail is very good, and these new kits are cast with some sub-assemblies to ease construction. Most Brits who have visited the National Army Museum have viewed John Piper's( Scale Link's original owner) work when seeing his 1914 Belgian canal battle diorama there. He built the same quality in all his WW1 kits he later produced.
Wow, didn't know he made the diorama - very VERY impressive. Unfortunately there's a lot of items i'd like in the Scalelink range, but way out of my price range
His work was always impressive to my eye. A skilled craftsman, he started with the Victorian era frets & follaige in the early 60s, and then began to dabble in figure releases. He was an adamant BEF appologist, and firmly believed they were they best professional army to ever take the field. He would not compromise on that tenant either. Correspondence with him on the Great War usually contained a element of passion for Tommy before the letter ended. Ironically, he died of a heart attack in the doctor's clinic after waiting months for his appointment ( about 6 years ago) .
Largely unknown; even in the UK, he never got the exposure other sculpters have enjoyed, but he certainly ranked with the best. I for one saw him as easily the equal of the late Bill Imrie.
He was certainly well known and much admired in the BMSS (British Model Soldier Society) when I had the honour of being a branch sercretary of that organisation.
I am pleased to hear that, Robert. Other Brits I've asked have never heard of him( albeit they were not in MM circles ) which surprised me; in view of his obvious master status in the scratch modeling world. His RR A/C for example, though more than 3 decades old, still holds up well against anything else out there today.
It's a delightful kit, but take care with those spokes; misalignments are unforgiving, and so easily done! You likely know he had planned years ahead for new releases. At the time of Scale Link's sale, he had prepared masters for a number of future kits. They not only included the 3 guns releasing now, but a 75mm Mle1897, and a 76mm FK16. One of his strangest releases would have been the Fokker D7; etched & brass framing with supplied fabric. His last ad in Military Modeling carried pics of the thing. The new owners decided not to release the kit afterall; perhaps rightly so. At any rate, I had hoped he empacted other's interest in modeling the Great War as he had mine.
Hi - just set the record straight the two dioramas in the National Army Museum were not made by John Piper. The Work was carried out by Bees Art Models (then based in Weybidge). John designed and commissioned the diorama.
How do I know?
I was the Modelmaker who created all the figures and the majority of the buildings.
The proof the pudding is the man hole cover on the Nimy diorama (it has Bees Art Models written on it) and the keystone on the door arch above the sniper (which has my initials on - REO).
