by George Grasse

TAKOM BOX ART

 

21cm MORSER with MODEL CELLAR MORTAR CREW AND EMPLACEMENT COMPONENTS

 

21cm MORSER 10/16 IN BATTERY

This image is taken from a recently acquired French book entitled "L'Artillerie Allemande - Organisation, Armement et Equipment" by  Ricardo Cardona published by Editions Heimdal, 2017.  This is a large book and the publisher took advantage to show a great number of striking images spread over two pages.  This accounts for the blur in the where I joined the two pages.  What struck me were the five 21cm Morsers Model 10/16s in battery being so close together, the artillery men are not wearing helmets, and the mortars in various stages of firing and loading.  This was the photo that prompted me to adopt the three-color scheme I used on the model.  It is quite possible that the mortars are well to the rear and apparently not concerned about aircraft.  This suggests that it is a training exercise or probably on the Eastern Front.

 

PHOTO #1

THE BEGINNING: I followed the instruction folder all the way through steps 1 thru 7 which results are shown above.  The kit was imposing at first sight but working through the steps the kit proved to be somewhat difficult but only because of the number of detail parts.  For example, the brass PE 'step ladder' visible at the front right (and also on the left) had to be assembled using four PE parts but that went quicker than expected.

 

PHOTO #2

ABOUT HALF WAY - LEFT SIDE: The instructions up to this point literally "propelled" assembly.  I could find no fault with the clarity of the diagrams or the fit of the parts.  There were just a few PE parts and they also went together quickly and fit into place nicely.

 

PHOTO #3

ABOUT HALF WAY - RIGHT SIDE:   You would think that the size of this artillery piece with its myriad of detail parts would be difficult but I found it to be one of those kits you dream about with regard to assembly.

 

PHOTO #4a

ASSEMBLY NEARLY FINISHED - LEFT SIDE:  The 1:35 scale figure is a French artilleryman by Blitz and shows the relative size of this large mortar.  The kit has an slight alternative   configuration:  plain wheels and a short mortar barrel.   The girdles that cover the outside rim of the wheels were attached without any problems

 

PHOTO #4b

ASSEMBLY NEARLY FINISHED - RIGHT SIDE:   This view shows the seemingly complex detail of the loading tray and breech area.  These components went together without a problem.

 

PHOTO #5

PRIMED AND READY FOR PAINTING

 

MODEL TO BE PAINTED

Krupp 21 cm Morser 10/16, Artois Sector, Western Front, 1914-1916 (source: Takom Painting and Marking Guide included in the kit)

 

Color Table

Overall Color	Andrea ANAC01 Field Gray
Brown Spots	Vallejo VC0984 Flat Brown
Beige Spots	Vallejo VC0912 Tan Yellow
Wheel Girdles	Vallejo VC0874 Tan Earth
Exposed Metal	Vallejo VC0864 Natural Steel

PHOTO #6

 

PHOTO #7

 

PHOTO #8

 

PHOTO #9

 

PHOTO #10

 

PHOTO #11

 

PHOTO #12

 

PHOTO #13

FRENCH CANON DE 75mm MODELE 1897 (by Commander, left) and the GERMAN KRUPP 21cm MORSER 10/16 (by Takom, right)

 

REFERENCES:

Bishop, Chris (General Editor).  The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War I.  London, UK: Amber Books Ltd, 2014.

Cardona, Ricardo.  L'Artillerie Allemande - Organization, Armament et Equipment 1914-1918.  Bayeux, France: Editions Heimdal, 2017.

Romanych, M. and M. Rupp.  42CM "Big Bertha" and German Siege Artillery of World War I, Osprey Vanguard 205.  Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2013.

Strong, Paul and Sanders Marble.  Artillery in the Great War.  Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword Books Ltd, 2013.

GO TO?