Strelets Forum

Welcome to the Strelets Forum.
Please feel free to discuss any aspect of 1/72 scale plastic figures, not simply Strelets.
If you have any questions about our products then we will answer them here.

Strelets Forum
This Forum is Locked
Author
Comment
View Entire Thread
Re: French Guns of WW1

Hi RCD,

I appreciate your input. For the record, over the years, I have complimented Alan Buckingham's painting skills. Ever since his first Zulu War Brits in glossy colours and with conversions, beginning when he so humbly asked for support on the other forum. That hasn't stopped him from criticizing my preferences for soft plastic, authentic colours, and telling me where to go and what to do in my free time. At this point, we have an understanding to agree to disagree. PDA (whoever he is) doesn't like me commenting in his thread. Too bad. I gave examples of my position, and even agreed with his suggestion, still he wants to confront me. Again, I gave proof in my replys. This is a Forum. He's very clever with hurling his insults. But we are clear with each other also. I'm here to remind him his isn't the only position on plastics and colours.

Anyway, you've been more than kind and helpful when I've asked for assistance with questions about my hobby needs in the distant past and I've appreciated it. Thank you. I'm afraid retirement and enough free time is a long way off for me yet. Durn!

Happy Collecting and Happy Holidays - Dave

Re: French Guns of WW1

DaveHennen
...After 2 decades of hobby fun, I still don't know who you are...

RCD
Can you stop throwing out your toys out of the pram and stick to the subject of the theme! Strelet have commented that they are interested in producing more heavy artillery of different nations that is what this theme about - please stick to it!

Dave, what positive contribution have you made to this thread entitled, "French Guns of WW1"? Your first reply was about: plastic, colour, Crimean Russian cannons, pencil and paper design, "techy dudes", Romans, Roman catapults, Zvezda, LW's ancients, Evo's ancients, and the Boer Long Tom. As you can see, nothing at all about the theme of this thread.

It's not whether I agree or disagree with the opinions you've expressed here, it's just that they are irrelevant: you haven't said anything about French guns of WW1 and which ones you'd like to see Strelets make.

Re: French Guns of WW1

PDa,

DaveHennen
Gone Ice Fishing for the Holidays!
Please leave note thumb-tacked to door.
Merry Christmas & Happy New 2013 :-)

Happy Collecting Your Way!

Re: French Guns of WW1

Dear Dave,

we also like soft plastic, but it has limits of its own, for example when it chills out (once taken out of the mold) it distorts in the process. It's OK when we are talking about figures, because these distortions are relatively small and one can't always notice them but when we are are talking about bigger models, that require assembly, these distortions become crucial as the pegs may not fit the holes, etc. Also soft plastic isn't particularly good for glueing, that's why we decided to go for hard plastic at the end.
The catapults will be made in hard plastic as well and they should shoot. To be able to do so they also have to be quite precise, hence the hard plastic.

Best regards,

Strelets

Re: French Guns of WW1

My choice would be the Canon de 155 L Modèle 1877 with an early or late war crew...

http://www.landships.info/landships/artillery_articles.html?load=/landships/artillery_articles/Canon_155_L_M1877.html

Cheers

Re: French Guns of WW1

The old 120 looks cool, but it isn't going to be much use for late war. My vote would be for the 155mm howitzer, either 1915 or 1917 version.

Re: French Guns of WW1

Do Both, but both are old designs 1870s, did the French use more modern artillery ? sorry if thats a daft question WW1 French artillery is not a strong subject for me.

Re: French Guns of WW1

CG in 1914 the french relied heavily on the 75 which worked well enough in the open but proved ineffective in trench warfare... many older heavy guns filled the gap untill replaced by more modern designs but many saw service to the end of the great war and beyond.... much like the 6inch MKVII already done by strelets if you like this is the french equivalent...

Cheers

Re: French Guns of WW1

Bill N
...My vote would be for the 155mm howitzer, either 1915 or 1917 version.
Which 155 Bill? Have RCD or Ironsides named it?

Re: French Guns of WW1

ironsides
My choice would be the Canon de 155 L Modèle 1877 ...




I love the look and bulk of these de Bange type guns. There is a resin model of this one, available from Retrokit. It is very nice, but, it's resin not plastic.

Re: French Guns of WW1

Your choice would certainly be different and unique. It is worth serious consideration.

However I would still go for
Canon de 155 GPF and the Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider as there is the potential to use them with different countries gunners.

Please stick to the hard plastic as soft plastic is pain in the neck!. The amount of trouble I have had with the soft HaT WW1 artillery pieces - any suggest of a glue that ensures a quick permanant fix?

Re: French Guns of WW1

Thanks Ironsides, did a quick bit of research myself once I posted the question. RCD these guns have to be hard plastic, the soft stuff just would not take glue so well and its prone to bending etc,if done in soft plastic they would have to have less parts and a solid barrel,the result is they would look like cheep hong kong toys,not models.

Re: French Guns of WW1

RCD
...I would still go for
Canon de 155 GPF and the Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider...


Canon de 155 GPF, with American crew:


Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider:


Good choices because there are scaled plans available.

Re: French Guns of WW1

PDA-I believe the bottom pic is the 1917 model. Can't seem to locate the Canon de 155 C modèle 1915 but there are pics of a Finnish 152mm varient.

Re: French Guns of WW1

Please make these in hard plastic:

Canon de 155 GPF, with American crew.

Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider with American crew.

Those two pictured are the ones I want, with American crews and a choice of wooden and rubber tires for the Schneider so it can be used for both World Wars.

Both of these guns were used by at least three countries including France, the USA and Germany as well as others. I am sure they would sell well.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

Re: French Guns of WW1

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Please make these in hard plastic:

Canon de 155 GPF, with American crew.

Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider with American crew.

Those two pictured are the ones I want, with American crews and a choice of wooden and rubber tires for the Schneider so it can be used for both World Wars.

Both of these guns were used by at least three countries including France, the USA and Germany as well as others. I am sure they would sell well.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog


Great pictures PDA - I would go for all 3 French guns if possible! In the 'Anglosaxon' world we do not give the French the credit they deserve as far as WW1 is concerned.

I think it is important that at least one of the French pieces is manned by a French gun crew (ideally in casual rather than dress uniform as per most artllery sets!) as they were the principle player on the Allied side.There seems somthing wrong as in the case of the S-model H39 when you totally ignore the country that designed and first used the said piece of equipment just to keep the naziphiles happy.

If you have one crewed with American and the other with French it will keep most people happy and the fact is that the French were the principle users of these artillery pieces. Mike can always buy the 8" Mk VII which will be shortly available as this will also be manned by an American crew. The American Crews are very similar to the late Commonwealth sets so you have a large pool of gunners to mix and match. Compare this with the French uniform which is very different from the 'Anglosaxon' uniform.

Re: French Guns of WW1

Bill N
...Can't seem to locate the Canon de 155 C modèle 1915...
A good site to look on is:

http://www.passioncompassion1418.com/Canons/english_CanonsIndex_Nation.html

it shows guns that survive to this day. Looking at the list, though, it doesn't appear to have any 1915 models. And the modele 1915 is quite elusive in a more general web search. Hmmm. That's a conundrum!

Re: French Guns of WW1

The 1917 would be fine with me. My initial thinking was that 1915 might be better for early war, but I suspect that for the true "early war" fan that means only 1914. I guess the 120 would be a necessity for you after all. As I understand it the main difference between the 1915 and 1917 models was that the former fired a brass cartridge shell so there are minor breach differences.

Oh and I agree with RCD-we must have a French crew.

Does anyone know a good website for the organization of French artillery in the late war period? French language ok

Re: French Guns of WW1

Bill N
...Does anyone know a good website for the organization of French artillery in the late war period? French language ok
A bit late, but I just stumbled over this, Bill:

http://www.bulgarianartillery.it/Bulgarian%20Artillery%201/Testi/T_French%20guns.htm

Any use to you?

Re: French Guns of WW1

http://basart.artillerie.asso.fr/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=131

A french site only about artillery. The link above directs you to the 1st World War chapter. A very good site for research

Mathias

Re: French Guns of WW1

PDA
Bill N
...Can't seem to locate the Canon de 155 C modèle 1915...
A good site to look on is:

http://www.passioncompassion1418.com/Canons/english_CanonsIndex_Nation.html

it shows guns that survive to this day. Looking at the list, though, it doesn't appear to have any 1915 models. And the modele 1915 is quite elusive in a more general web search. Hmmm. That's a conundrum!


Theres a good reason why this is in effect there is little difference bettween the 1915 and 1917 versions, except for the breech the original used brass ammo the later model bagged charges, I think its highly likely that the majority of the M1915s were refitted with the M1917 breech to bring then inline..
Brass was in short supply, another reason why the old guns stayed in use.....
The actual difference would likely be in the activity of the crew at this scale...

There's allways the "155mm Canon court Mle 1904 Rimailho" and the "Schneider Canon de 105 L, Modele 1913 TR" for the early war... or have they already been mentioned?

French guns should of course have French crews these would double as Serbians and Belgians for the later stages...


Cheers