Kit Review: UM Military Technics 1/35 scale Kit No. 625; 76.2mm Gun Model 1
902/1930; 73 parts (42 in green styrene, 31 etched brass); retail price US$ 22.99Advantages: first model of this gun in this scale in styrene
Disadvantages: somewhat crude molding of styrene parts
Rating: Recommended
Recommendation: for early war Soviet "red legs" and artillery fans in gener al
Starting in 1898 the Russian Army began looking for a new design of field gun for its divisional artillery. After two interim models (Model 1898 and Model 1900) they arrived at the Model 1902 "Three Incher" of 76mm caliber w ith a 30 caliber long barrel. This weapon was accepted for service on 3 Mar ch 1903 and ordered into production at three factories - Putilov, Obukhov, and Perm. The initial order was for 4,520 of these guns.
When it went into service in 1904-05 against the Japanese it was found tha t the lack of a shield left the crew vulnerable to infantry rifle fire and thus in 1906 they were upgraded with gun shields but the last guns were onl y finished in 1912. During WWI more were produced but also more were lost.
In 1928 the surviving guns were taken in hand by the RKKA and upgraded wit h longer barrels for increased range, with the new weapon being designated the Model 1902/1930. The new 40 caliber long barrel now gave the gun a rang e of around 11,000 meters. While the gun was formally designated the F-10, it apparently was only called the Model 1902/1930 in official reports.
The guns left were in service on 22 June 1941 and served during the early days of the Great Patriotic War. Apparently none were converted for motoriz ed drayage and remained as horse drawn weapons.
UM is a Ukrainian company better known for its 1/72 scale kits, but this o ne caught my eye today at the local hobby shop. So far none of the other ma nufacturers (Miniart or Trumpeter being the main ones) has done this early war weapon so this is the first time a company has offered it as a styrene kit.
Based on its extended developmental history and what is provided in the ki t, it can be made in its original form as a Model 1902 with the 30 caliber barrel, the 1906 upgrade with added gun shield, or the Model 1902/1930 with the 40 caliber barrel. It also comes with an ammunition crate and six roun ds of HE-FRAG ammunition.
But this is not a current technology level kit. The difference in the barr el lengths is made up by adding a new section to the end of the original ba rrel but no provision is made to ensure the addition is straight or solid. This will take using some sort of rod or sprue brace inside the barrel tube to attach the longer barrel and then putty and sanding to blend them toget her. If UM had been smart about this, they would have provided a full lengt h barrel extension and simply cut off the old one flush to mount a new plug
-in tube.
There are two options for the top of the trails, but they are not well def ined. I think they are trying to indicate that the oval area in the top of the trail can be removed (this would permit higher elevation and a place fo r the barrel to recoil) or flush but the directions are totally befuddled a bout what they mean.
The styrene parts are a bit on the crude side but it does come with a nice ly done sheet of etched brass that provides the full gun shield in two sect ions and many of the finer details of the gun.
The finishing directions for the model only indicate a gun on the Western Front, Winter 1942. This is 4BO green with whitewash overlay and black, sil ver, and brass details picked out.
Overall, this is a nice weapon to match with any of the towed sets of figu res such as the ICM one with four horses and a limber.
Cookie Sewell