YEEEEEES! Thank you so much for this news.... I can't wait! How many FWD's can I fit in my house and where can I find the Bull Models 6 inch howitzer ASAP?!
It mentions Russia ordering these trucks as well. Elsewhere I read that 82 were delivered to Imperial Russian forces. If anyone knows any details about this, and about later service up to 1945, I would be most interest to learn about that. Regards, Pat
They get a fairly significant mention in the Official history of the Ministry of Munitions which I'll write up at some point. I also highly recommend the book 'London Gunners' which is the history of the Honourable Artillery Company's Royal Garrison Artillery Siege Battery during the war, equipped with 6 inch 26 cwt howitzers. It's very well written and so far in the top two artillery books I've read (top place goes to 'Field Guns in France' by an Officer in a 4.5 inch Howitzer battery - he certainly enjoyed his job). The FWD's the Battery was equipped with get mentioned frequently, perhaps most memorably when describing 1918 from March onwards in the retreat and then advance
Looking at the wooden box body and what you can see of the wheels, looks to be suitable for British? Time to get myself a Bull Models 6 inch 26 cwt howitzer to go with it!
Interesting choice of artillery pieces, I'd have thought the 8 inch howitzer would be too big and only hauled by the Holt, I've only seen 6 inch howitzers towed by FWD's
Image here, definitely looks like the 8 inch howitzer and limber, FWD looks like the U.S. ammunition body? Missed opportunity not to do the 6 inch howitzer, no one does one in 1/76 or 1/72 (not counting the awful Matador one) and that was their main/only use in British service
http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235008222-roden-172-ground-vehicles-news-fwd-model-b-3-ton-w8-inch-howitzer-mkvi/
Think on the positive side at least they are producing more and more WW1 products unlike the leading manufacturers. For my part it would be a 60pdr instead of the 8" howitzer.
Thanks for the update. A 6" howitzer would be all I need to complete my British WW1 artillery. Rob, may I ask what's wrong with the Matador kit, the review on Landhips is pretty positive?
I thought the FWD towed the 6ins Howitzer,would have thought the 8ins would have been too heavy.The pictures I have seen of the 8ins is that they were towed by Holt Tractors.Please tell me if I am wrong.
The other thing that puzzles me is the scale.I have just built the Vauxhall,a really nice kit,but it seems nearer to 1:76th scale.I used the figure sets from my W^D range,W^D46,the Driver and Passengers for my Crossley staff car and these are 1:76th scale and they just about fit.
Has any one compared the Rolls Royce kits to 1:76th plans????