Yes it would. The Latil TAR was a popular heavy towing vehicle in the French Army mostly because it was tough and reliable. Other possibilities are the Renault EG and the Panhard (can't remember the model). Also the 155 GPF could transported (en portee) by the Renault FB or towed by the Schneider CD.
Regards,
Charlie
Guess I should find an image of a Latil TAR towing a 155mm GPF (attached).
-- Edited by CharlieC on Thursday 31st of May 2012 04:20:15 AM
The Renault EG is a definite - I've just come across a photo on a Yahoo search (not yet checked it out) of one towing what is said to be a 155GPF. The website is colleurs-de-plastique.com, but I've not yet tried it as I can't access McAfee Siteadvisor in my present accommodation.
Yes, quite expensive but still very tempting. I guess that the subject wouldn't attract too many sales and I'm wondering if this kit won't become a ridiculously "collector priced" kit soon. So I guess it's better to take the plunge now while it's available! I assume that once finished it'll be quite impressive by its size and colour (with that jazzy camouflage scheme).
Of note is that the factory- built model pictures on the site show that the RPM overlooked some obvious mold seams in the smaller parts! Even though, the molding looks first rate, much in the Mack Bulldog truck league. Just imagine if someone would also release a PE set to go with this kit!
Finally, I got the kit! It's smaller than I thought it to be, but very nicely moulded. Some minor omisions, like the brake line, can be added without hassle. There are some parts that could well use a PE detail, like the handwheels for elevation, the brake lever mechanism and perhaps the aiming device (anyway, I suspect that this instrument might have been covered on transport, like the muzzle). The gun spades are complex assemblies due to molding issues. I wonder if it would be too difficult to make from bent brass sheet (wich would made them more accurate regarding to scale thickness). Many options and very very small parts, this would keep me researching for a while! Thankfully, there seems to be many online photos of this gun. Painting must be done in stages before assembly, because on the finished model some surfaces will get near impossible to reach.
-- Edited by d_fernetti on Monday 11th of November 2013 02:43:52 AM
-- Edited by d_fernetti on Monday 11th of November 2013 02:46:48 AM
Still, that price must be more than I paid for the whole kit!
Looking at pictures of the real thing, shows that it wouldn't be so difficult to do even with the most basic of the moulds. The main this is to achieve a well defined set of indentations and that the size would be precise enough to cover the whole circumference of the wheels.
Curiously, none of the 155 GPF cannons exhibited around the world nowaday seems to have the set of tracks installed.
-- Edited by d_fernetti on Monday 11th of November 2013 05:55:25 PM
-- Edited by d_fernetti on Monday 11th of November 2013 05:56:00 PM
Thanks for the link! In fact there are ten pages devoted specifically to this type of gun, with some drawings and pictures too.
One interesting modification to the kit would be adding "caterpillar shoes" to the wheels. If done plastered wth mud, the conversion seems quite straightforward, but if one wants to add the small surface details on each shoe that would require a casting. The kit already provides the correct holes between each tyre for installing these shoes.
I have kept cleaning up and gluing subassemblies for this kit. It's very good, even if there are some hair-fine mold lines to clean up and some faint ejector pin marks that need erasing to improve fit. If you check carefully that review model photos I posted before, you can see where that builder missed some of the lines or went a bit too heavy with the sandpaper. It's very small, and take into account that these things are unnoticeable to the naked eye... we're cursed with digital macro photography! One of the things that get very clear on building this kit is that you need to paint some subassemblies before you can join them all in the final build stage, or else you would never reach some areas. The instructions give Humbrol 145 as the base French Artillery light grey-blue. I feel that's a bit dark for the purpose. What's the group wisdom on French artillery colours? Which Humbrol number should I choose instead? TIA!
-- Edited by d_fernetti on Thursday 28th of November 2013 01:14:54 AM
Here's a few shots of the work in progress. I'm still undecided on how to pose the gun, if in transport or prepared to shoot. Both have their own requirements: a tractor for the transport mode and shells and earthworks for the firing one...
I kept building this kit (sorry no photos yet) and arrived to one of the most complex subassemblies, the cradle with the aiming mechanism. The worm mechanism is made up of three pieces that must be glued to a base, and this needs a the trunnion supports glued aroud it. However fiddly, the finished piece must have been impossble to cast accurately in fewer pieces. The worm should engage the gear of the gun barrel cradle. However the parts seem to beplaced near but not touching, which is fine, since the worm and the gear have minute mold parting lines which must be cleaned up and surely they won't fit too accurately...