This is my first artillery piece since a Tamiya’s vintage 7.5cm PAK40 L46 build done in the late 1990’s. It will be very close to an out of the box attempt. The Dragon kit is quite impressive in the box! General background info can be found on Wikipedia 15cm sFH 18
Picture from above source.
Reason for building, PanzerBiltz & Panzer Leader wargaming nostalgia! In the game, not too much survived if caught in open with an artillery barrage. The Allied 155mm artillery had better range etc and excelled at raining destruction too in the game. Pretty hilarious way to make an SS Panther platoon disappear from the game board.
What’s in the box looks fantastic! Turned aluminum gun barrel and other parts. Bit of PE but not excessive. Plus very nicely molded crisp plastic! The plastic is Goldie Locks & the Three Bear’s quality not too soft and not too hard!
There’s also a bag of parts that are probably made out of DS material that are weeping liquid . I purchased the kit several years ago but didn’t unwrap until yesterday. Probably should have separated those DS parts.
Here’s a couple of mine. The figures and additional ammunition are Trumpeter. Now I recall, I had assembled the Trumpeter sFK 10cm in action, then discovered that there were no suitable shells available! So I put the Dragon sFH 18 together as being towed and then swopped the carriages over - they are the same in real life!
@Hohenstaufen, that’s super sweet with the grass & gun crew! Inspiring!
I’m going for panzer grey. Definitely need to find a Trumpeter gun crew…(no wait I’d have to try to paint figures).
Step1
Started with cleaning these parts. Decided keeping time on this build will probably end in disaster, so won’t be doing that. A39 required multiple test fits plus sanding and filing to fit. Per Perth position isn’t correct in instructions.
Decided to leave the small parts of of the gun & breach from step 1 until all seams & sinks are filled. Working on parts clean up Step 2. Couple of crater deep punch marks to fill, mold seams, parts flash removed.
So, seeing as how I was having to paint the driver for a German truck I’m finishing I pulled out the rest of the figures I haven’t painted yet and found the crew set Dragon released for the sFH; #6461. Basically the guys on the box art of the howitzer.
@JRutman Gerald, thank you! I too like to see artillery builds. It’s different enough from another AFV with two dozen+ road wheels to be an interesting change of pace but still very much 1/35 military. The subdivisions of AAA, AT, Howitzer & Mortar give a nice variety.
In step 2 Terry Ashford’s (Perth Military link above) Dragon blooper list becomes very useful.
Wasted a little time huntung for A39 as shown on instructions before realizing I’d already installed an A39 and that A39 in step is a typo that’s supposed be A29. Very similar story with A58 that’s actually A9.
I enjoyed this kit quite a lot. My only comment is that the towing tongue on the limber is not hinged as it should be. I did manage to pin this delicate part and make it functional. I built mine in the “being towed” format and wanted the tongue to adjust to several vehicles with different height towing pintles.
@Lamb, indeed those are Kanone’s! Serious duty prime movers only! Very nicely done and I like the towing display, helps give a better feel for the scale.
Who were the kit manufacturer(s) for the guns? That 170mm just blows me away!
Finally had a little time for modeling late Sunday. Wrapped Step 3. Breech & breech box required a bit of sanding and filing to get a satisfactory slide & fit.
raining destruction too in the game. Pretty hilarious way to make an SS Panther platoon disappear from the game board.
that are weeping liquid 
for that Cincinnati VFW post!
