Thought I'd post a pic of the latest RetroTracks kit...
Even by 1914 standards, this artillery piece did look old-fashioned, but it was a very modern weapon when designed, after the Franco-Prussian War. So much so that the French army tasked engineer de Bange to design other similar weapons of various caliber, giving birth to the so-called 'Systeme de Bange'.
In the early 1910s, about 1,500 155L were removed from service but the lack of heavy artillery in the early days of the Great War led the French to take them all out of retirement and they became a normal sight in fortified places as well as in the field.
Several other countries did use this weapon during WWI, including Russia, Belgium & Italy. Others fielded the weapon in the inter-war period and although the French had placed their back in retirement after WWI, they saw some more service during the Phoney War and in May-June 1940. The last know use was in 1944 in Finland.
The kit comes with the wooden platform and hydraulic brake associated with this weapon when in use from fortified positions as well as cingoli belts and wheel blocks seen in the field, plus an extra lifting 'ring' to turn the barrel into the 1877/1916 variant.
