M-7 Priest WIP(new question 8/6)

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

Hey guys, I’m working on the Priest from Academy. Pretty nice model with no real build problems as of yet. Please let me know what you think.

The hull

Diver and transmission area

The howitzer

And how it looks together. (No sub-assemblies glued in place yet.)

-Stephen[C):-)]

2

Looking good so far Stephen! [tup]

3

Stephen - The chassis and engine/drive look fine. The howitzer…on the right side the panoramic telescope (the part on the side sticking up above the tube) is a problem.

If you are going to show this in travel mode, the sights would be removed for travel.

If you are going to show the model in firing mode, then the panoramic telscope is always perpendicular to the ground or in this case the floor, no matter where the tube is elevated.

Keep up the good work

Rounds Complete!!

4

Here’re a few more tweaks for you:

  1. the MG barrel travel clamp is always mounted directly in front of the MG pulpit. Acad’s directions are wrong about its placement

http://svsm.org/albums/m7/P1140784.jpg

  1. Acad does a poor job w/the 105’s breech opening lever. Have a look here:

http://svsm.org/albums/m7/P1140849.jpg

  1. the placement of the four short rods in their rack is variable. Directions say to place them on the left hull wall. Not always. Check your refs.
5

Redleg-Thanks for the tip. I plan on showing this in the firing mode so I will correct that. One question, Can the panoramic view finder be on either side of the gun? The one good reference that I have shows it on the other side.

T26E4- Thanks for the heads up. I already did the third warning, but I can watch out for the other two. Also appreciate the pictures, helps to understand what you’re talking about.

Bill- Thanks for checking in.

-Stephen[C):-)]

6

Here’s the URL for the entire gallery:

http://svsm.org/gallery/M7_priest_family

Here are images from the Tech Manual too

http://www.ferreamole.it/images/priest_man/m7_priest_01.htm

7

Thanks again, those will help tremendously. Although both of those are later models than academy’s offering it should still help to understand some items.

Well, I’ve got the upper hull pretty much finished. I left off the grab handles as my hands have a tendency to knock those off during handling.

here are the pics.

I think most of those ejector pin marks will be covered, but I’ll test fit to be sure. Hopefully tomorrow I can start painting.

-Stephen[C):-)]

8

On the M2A1 Howitzer the panoramic telescope mounts on the rights side (if you are behind the breech) and mounts on the right side on almost all US howitzers. The left side mounts the quadrent and elbow telscope.

Before we ask…The panoramic telescope is used to set the howitzer deflection (left/right traverse) using a known point as a reference (usually aiming stakes placeed 25 and 50 meters away…funny looking candy cane poles)

The quadrent is used to set the elevation of the tube.

The elbow telscope is used in a direct fire mode to look through to the target and determine elevaion.

you can also check the manual from Roy.

Rounds Complete!!

9

Thanks for the clarification Redleg.

-Stephen[C):-)]

10

Nice work! I bought M7 kit from Hobby Town few weeks ago using 40% coupon. I will be following your work as I hope to do mine later this year. I was looking at the pictures and I noticed that one of the parts has a hole… I wasn’t sure if it is supposed to have a hole or it needs to be filled?

11

Andy: Here’s what it’s supposed to look like:

Fill the hole

12

Yer 3200 mils out, Redleg… [:D] The pantel (and gunner) is on the left as you’re standing behind breech, quadrant and direct fire elbow (and assistant gunner) is on the right, although you’re correct about the pantel being used to set deflection. BTW, the gunner can also set the QE from his side with the wheel located on the left side of the gun cradle and a Gunner’s Quadrant… Also, the aiming posts go out either to the left front or right rear… I still haven’t found out if the collimator was in use in WW2 though…

13

That Priest is coming a long nicely. I thought Italeri was the only one who made, can you tell I’ve never built a green thing.

Rob

14

Hans…Duh…I was bas ackwards [:O]…hummmm…3200 mils…I must have slipped the scale on the pantel with the little door closed…I will have to do 20 over the high angle pit[banghead].

The XO owes the gun chief a six pack!

Thanks for the correction…nothing like screwing up left and right.

As far as the collimator, I found one patent which dates after WWII. I have never seen any pictures of one used. None of the old manuals reference it. I think it began used around the Korean war. I need to pick up and old collimeter manual.

Sorry to hijack the thread,

Rounds Complete!!

15

Hi Rob,

Yes, for quite a long time, the Italeri kit was the only one available. Academy released theirs about six months ago.

16

Andy- Thanks for the good eyes! I’ll fill that before painting.

-Stephen[C):-)]

17

Nuc, love yer build man. More, More I say!

Now…will you cannon cockers speak the King’s english? Slowly and loudly, for us grunts? Please?

18

Thanks Agentg, I plan on getting some painting done this weekend and then I’ll post more pics

Okay Redleg and HVH, let me see if I have this right.The Pantel which is the same thing as the Panoramic view finder (sets the deflection) is on the left side of the gun if you are standing behind the breach.This, on the model, is the tallest sighting device (just for my understanding) and should be vertical with the ground or floor of the vehicle, correct?

-Stephen

19

That’s the risk you run with M12-Series sights… M100s’ll spoil ya…

Yup, the Pantel (PANoramic TELescope) is that tall thing on the left and is always straight up and down when the gun’s in a firing position…

3200 mils is artillery-speak for 180 degrees… Arty works in mils, 6400 mils to a circle… Deflection is windage, quadrant is elevation, a collimator is an optical aiming point-device (looks kinda like a spotting scope) that has a buncha numbers iniside it that the gunner can see through the Pantel, and the high-angle pit is a hole you have to dig under the gun cradle (the thing that the gun tube slides on) of a split-trail 105mm in order to allow the gun to be elevated to the max…

20

Thanks Hans for translating…I hope this is clear to the non-artillery people.

G - We all digress back! It just comes out!! [:O]

XO owes the gun chief two cases now[;)]

PS…the M7 could not elevate as high as its towed brother (M2A1) since you could not dig a “pit” in the floor. [banghead]

Newer wepons like the M102, M119 or M198 have a variable recoil system so when elevated, it recoils less and therefore does not need a “high angle pit”. Only us “old timers” had to deal with it.

Stephen - I hope we have not confused you but rather helped you with all of our “redleg” jargon.

Rounds Complete!!