G’day all
I’m starting to plan out a future build, involving at CAT dozer and came across film of one towing a heavy artillery piece through some New Guinea mangroves, but for the life of me i cannot identify the gun!
I’m leaning towards it being a 60pndr on an updated carriage but am unsure as it was fazed out of service a little earlier.
Any ideas on what this might be?
Lae Landings, 9th Australian division, New Guinea 1943
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What about a M1918 155mm Heavy Howitzer (US-built M1917) ?
The tractor pictured above is a International TD-18.
The Australian Army had some M1917/M1918s in WW2
An M1917-18 gun being towed outside All Hallows School in Ann Street, Brisbane during a WW2 military parade.
https://fortlytton.org.au/?page_id=1276
H.P.
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Cheers mate!
I think that’s the one!
About 15 minutes after posting the original question, i found a reference in the Official history of two 1917 model 155’s being bought ashore near Lae.
so the idea for the model has transformed into a couple of purchases 
a mini art D7 tractor as that appears to be whats hauling it in the video
and a commander models M1918 gun
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M1 series tractors used as artillery prime movers were often fitted with a front winch (like the TD-18 in my post). I just wonder if this was the case for the Lae one…
More M1918s in Australian service
https://fortlytton.org.au/?page_id=1276
H.P.
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May the force be with you on the Commander M1918. I keep pulling it out of the stash, looking over the parts, and deciding “not today”, and putting it back on the shelf. Lots of casting issues that have to be fixed before you can even start to assemble.
I did complete Commander’s WW1 version. It took a lot of work to fix the casting defects. I replaced a bunch of very vague details with scratch built. I had to add missing details. It turned into a good-looking model but it was a lot of work.
This reminds me of the discussion some time ago where a member complained (actually asked a very provocative question) that scratch building was dead.
Some kits can best be described as partially started raw materials for scratch builds.