Revell/Renwal 1/32 SP Howitzer SSP

This is the old Renwall 1/32 scale "Big Shot" kit from the 1950s. It is supposed to be the M53 8" HMC which was a nuclear capable howitzer, but it was pretty much out of the inventory by 1970.

There may have been a few in the National Guard which got the new paint schemes (Post 1974) but most of them were OD with white trim. The US Army used them but I think the Marines only used the M55 155mm SP Gun version.

Check Wim Vink's (search on his name) for what you can do to correct it.

Cookie Sewell

what are the official names numbers? i don't know enough now to help.

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Original issue was part of the Renwal Blueprint Model set. The parts were a bit thick - and could have used some seam fill, but it was one of the better issues as it had a complete interior for the turret that could be viewed with the doors open. Accuracy compromised to allow doors to open etc, but given the quality of the time it was fun to built at the time. Many of the Renwal crew members suffered from frequent reuse and sink holes in the stomach or chests. The blueprint series had individual springs on the roadwheels which made them fun to push around the rug - good way to destroy descent models. It was a fun build though - so I pre-ordered 2. This will turn into another that I built over a weekend as a kid and will spend two months on today,

Val Kraut

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote in news:07419ae2-d543-457f-9a63-140c22de53d4 @q40g2000prh.googlegroups.com:

FYI I searched on your info and I think you have it reversed, M-53 appears to be the 155mm and M-55 the 8", at least according to Vink. And boy is he nuts!

This is supposed to be a fun hobby and I'm trying to go back to that concept. OOTB for the most part, though I may cut off the muzzle break.

Well, I'll decide later on the paint.

Thanks, Frank

"Val Kraut" wrote in news:4d895beb$0$10125$ snipped-for-privacy@cv.net:

That's what appeals.

The "sucking chest wound", well that's what putty is for.

My audience is 17 and 7, they are easily impressed. 8)

Frank

Gray Ghost wrote in news:Xns9EB0CD517BA92Wereofftoseethewizrd@216.196.97.142:

Crap, review point one. The tracks with the connectors that don't connect anything. Vink says the AFV Club tracks will work. 35005 the chevron type I expect. Already have a set put aside for my Mono M48.

Big sigh.

yes, OOTB is the only way for me. I'm the only one who sees them (the family could not give a rats ass) Never had an invisible seam, and after 40 or so years of building I ain't gonna start now. Dioramas and mud can fix any tank...hang a plane from the ceiling and you can't see all the rough stuff....

Just build baby...

Craig

Musicman59 wrote in news:19688380-c769-4d17-88a6- snipped-for-privacy@v11g2000prb.googlegroups.com:

Amen brother. It's ... just ... tracks ... with ... the ... end ... connectors ... on ... the ... link ... not ... connecting ... them.

Something about that REALLY irritates me. I can pass on almost everything else. But that really bugs me.

Gray Ghost wrote in news:Xns9EB1B78079FDAWereofftoseethewizrd@216.196.97.142:

Oops, sorry about the political signature, it was an accident.

OOPS! Think you are correct -- same chassis, different barrels, and they both look nearly the same.

Use a chunk of fishing pole for a new barrel -- they're tapered and can be made to provide a good fit. (A tip from the late Dave Lockhart).

Cookie Sewell

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote in news:13865452-f024-4520-93e2-dff84ddf1c44 @n1g2000yqm.googlegroups.com:

Interesting thought.

That three color camouflage pattern with black stars is possibly a nod to the Revell History Maker's series when this kit was first reissued in the 1980s. It came with a very nice sand color camouflage pattern and black stars as the box art; probably to compete with the Testors/ Italeri M108/M109 series SPH kits released around the same time. The Testors yellow box versions of those kits incorporated nice build up photos of the kit as box art. Slap some updated camouflage paint on an ancient kit and presto! modern looking armor model.

RobG

Rob Gronovius wrote in news:2ec0b016-8ff4-43f6- snipped-for-privacy@34g2000pru.googlegroups.com:

ah-ha! Makes perfect sense. Marketing camo!

it's sad that ROB'S don't collect assembled kits. i would give then away happily if they had a shot at surviving.

i suspect most of us would. probably motivate better builds, too.

An OT but related thought - I can remember going fishing with my Dad as a kid, and he had a fishing rod he'd made from a tank radio aerial. I wish I still had it, it would provide a completely authentic colour match for at least one British WW2 green...

Cheers,

Moramarth

Used to be common in the 50s and 60s to snap car aerial off for fishing rods. Eventually some were sold with locks so they couldn't be broken off. Then the automatic car aerials came around, problem solved, or people didn't fish anymore, not sure which.

Would be nice is other Renwal kits were put out. I'm not going to argue if it was a perfect kit, just fun to build. I remember the Skysweeper, only model dad ever built that I looked at as a young kid and thought, its not a real item..

Seems model building was a big hobby in the SAC alert facilities.

I remember the Skysweeper, only model dad ever built that I looked at as a young kid and thought, its not a real item.

That was actually one of my favorites with the guys loading ammo etc. One I'd buy again.

Dumb Off Topic story - The Sky Sweeper was real. One of the older guys, when I first joined Grumman, had worked on the project at another company. When they scrapped the remaining parts, a friend of his took home one of the Radar dishes - figured it would make a barbecue that would last forever. Not sure what the material was - but the jokes revolved around what color antlers his kids would have after eating many burgers. Make an interesting diorama. The guy is barbecueing with his company shirt on and tthe kids with antlers and extra eye balls are lined up for burgers. Title - I got it from the stockroom.

Val Kraut

Catch anything?

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.