M-12 and M-30

[reserve]

Next up, the older brother of the M-40 and companion

009 by Mark Hartig, on Flickr

These vehicles were based on the M-3 hull; the M-12 mounting a 155mm rifle that was capable of penetrating seven feet of reinforced concrete at 2,000 yards. Once they got the gun stuffed in the chassis however, they found room for only ten rounds of munitions. Accordingly, the cut up some more M-3's and turned them into M-30 ammo carriers that could carry 40 shots. The two vehicles were usually seen as a team in the field, and proportionally there were not many of them made...only about 300 units if I recall correctly.

A kind soul has done the conversion from a 12 to a 30, recorded it, and was good enough to give measurements for scratching the different parts. He gave metric measurements, but that's a minor annoyance given the trouble saved.

I have not yet figured out just how to display them; woods or open fields or whatnot. The only thing I'm sure of is it will not be in a town/urban setting given the nature of mobile artillery. It's OK, I've time to figure it out.

Commencing soon

Regards,

Mark

[JCON]

I'll gladly follow along Mark!!!

[BUCKY]

This is gonna be an interesting project! I'm in for this one!

[ARMORGUY]

I'm in, it's in my stash too.

[JEFF]

Bring it, Mark.

[tony]

Now that's TWO beef patties with special sauce.

Uncle Tony

[JCON]

Need some fries with that large size Unk???

[Beekster]

Actually, only 100 of the M12 were built, originally with the M3 Lee suspension, between September 1942 and March 1943 by Pressed Steel Car. Some were used for tests and most put into storage. In December of 1943 the Army decided it might need these in the ETO after all, and authorized the re-manufacture of 74 of them and a similar number of the M30. Baldwin did the work during February-May 1944, and this work included swapping the original bogies for the beefier M4 units.

[reserve]

Thanks gents and welcome aboard

So this is the soft but not too soft plastic that reacts wonderfully with LPC; very strong bonds quickly. The fit is not perfect but those spots that are gappy are easy to putty. The upper hull installation requires some filing/fitting to the two vertical interior walls to fit properly as does the transmission cover but they drop on without a ton of effort. I did not do the driver's compartment on the M-12 as if it were me I'd close hatches before firing the cannon, thus avoiding dirt, leaves, branches, turf and who knows what else blasted into said compartment by what surely had to be ferocious muzzle blast from a high velocity 155. I've not yet cleaned up the seam on the 155 tube yet here

001 by Mark Hartig, on Flickr

I will do open hatch and interior on the M-30 for which I discovered just last night there is a conversion set made. I think I'll be acquiring one of these since it includes the ring mount, projectiles, and charge tubes that I'd have to scratch if I went the do it myself route

Regards,

Mark

[BUCKY]

That looks like a major gun on that rig! Nice work, Mark!

[JCON]

Looking good so far!!!

[Beekster]

Excellent start, Mark. You have me looking at my own M12 project which has been boxed for ten years. Now that I have a spare M12 kit, I can replace that missing pulley for the spade cable that originally caused me to shelve the project. Might have to saw off the final drive covers in favor of Asuka covers & sprockets, but enough of hijacking your thread. As you note, Commander's Models, part of the Iron Shipwrights family, does make an M30 conversion that looks pretty good...less of the "keep a few bits, replace or scratch the rest" kind of project that characterizes a lot of their kits, especially the towed artillery. That said, the ring mount for the Ma Deuce is easily sourced from the Tamiya accessory set for the CCKW, and Legend Production makes resin ammunition. AFV Club anlso makes NATO 155 mm rounds in brass, which are probably identical. The projectiles themselves wouldn't have changed much.

[Dukemaddog]

Finally found this. It already looks impressive; I can't wait to see more. Following closely.

[JEFF]

Excellent start, Mark. That IS surely a large Gun on that thing.

[ogrejohn]

Nice start Mark! 

[tony]

I built one but never finished it:







Inspire me buddy. GO GO GO
Tony lee

[JCON]

Close Unk, take it across the finish line brother!!!

[dogfish7 (R.I.P.)]

Cool beans!

[reserve]

High end as usual Tony, and I can't say as I'm looking forward to threading the spade pulleys myself

Thanks Oz

The only whoops I found in the kit was with the optical sight base. Here's how they draw it (part 32)

002 by Mark Hartig, on Flickr

and here's how they mold it (installed)

001 by Mark Hartig, on Flickr

Not the right place nor the right configuration but I stuck together something plausible and happily my continue respirations are not contingent on this flaw

Ready for primer

003 by Mark Hartig, on Flickr

005 by Mark Hartig, on Flickr

004 by Mark Hartig, on Flickr

Perhaps you'll note the rear engine compartment vent cover has been left off; I filed it to a drop in width so as to be able to get a screw through the hull floor when fix to base time comes. This will also fix the track pulls up the front and rear roadwheel problem as well, and the screen can be installed post fixing. One of the melt the pin assembly tracks broke on install which forced me to get the stapler out but this is of no concern as it's an easy problem to hide. Pretty decent kit overall

Regards,

Mark

[JEFF]

Holy spit, Mark. That was fast.

Right spiffy, Dude.