Soviet B4 howitzer - raising/lowering trail

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

Like most heavy mobile guns I’m certain the B4 had some way to raise and lower the trail. The 155mm/8" us gun originally had a capstan to raise and lower the trails from the limber (later models used the winch on the M4 tractor). There had to be some system to allow the limber to be detached, the spade repositioned, and then the trail lowered to the ground - I can’t see them just dropping it with a crash. More importantly - how was it raised off the ground to reattach the limber and stow away the spade for travel. - it was too heavy to lift by hand alone.

One the trail sides there are 2 crank handles and underneath a round plate that isn’t identified. was this some system that lowered a shaft to stabilize the trail once the limber was gone and then lower/raise the trail.

I haven’t ever seen any discussion about how these units were emplaced - there is a picture in one of my books showing the barrel being mated to the mount, but that is it as far as setting one of these monsters up.

Any ideas or information?

Thanks

Mike

2

I seem to have found an answer to my own question

At this link, http://modelclub.gr/joomla/images/kit_reviews/k_ab/alan/th_alan_b4_91.jpg , is a picture I’ve found nowhere else. It shows the round stabilizer disk lowered on the end of a post. The post appears to be articulate and may both retract and fold into the trail for stowage.

Mike