Italian Truck Mounted Anti-Aircraft Gun

Good morning all,

Thanks for your kind and encouraging words.

Brian - only some 15% to 20% of the kit will actually be used.

As soon as I have the gun ready, I will turn my attention towards the driving cabin and the engine. This section is presented in one whole moulded resin part. Not bad looking, but upon closer study, I decided to rebuild the whole thing as well. This will of course give me the opportunity to construct the engine compartment as it really was with the engine bonnet open.
Another thing, is that the fuel tank was situated under the driver's seat, so my idea is to have the seat misplaced, in order to reveal the fuel tank and the filling cap.
I already have the solution to construct the radiator grille and the radiator itself. Not difficult at all - just a bit of patience.

I shall bring the model to the club this evening.

Hi Guys,

I am posting a picture of a surviving gun, just to let you know how the breech of the gun would be. The resin kit is nowhere close. Lots of details are missing in the kit, so I have to rework everything.

A side view of the gun. Just like the one mounted on the Lancia 3/RO.


The base mounting - lots of details.


Little details, which are missing in my model.


The rear side of the breech.


Another picture of the same calibre gun, but mounted on a trailer and equipped with electric powered hydraulic drive units, to elevate and traverse the gun. Will just use it to have a good idea of how the breech really was.

Roll up your sleeves Paul!!

Brian,

I have already rolled up my sleeves, washed my hands and dipped them in fine anti-sweat dust.

I have a big job on my hands, but am enjoying every minute of it.

Every piece, is giving me the pleasure of learning more about Italian guns and vehicles.

That's what modeling is all about, having fun and relaxing and of course, tons of satisfaction.

Good evening Brothers,

Some good news. I managed to source and purchase the workshop repair and servicing manual for the Auto carro Lacia 3Ro (Truck).
It's a collectible item, and shall have a prominent place in my technical library.
With this book in hand, I will be able to produce all the details required for the execution of the model.
Just cannot wait for the postman to ring our door bell.

Wow Paul, you have really gotten into this build, well done, it will be worth the wait.

Thanks Brian,

This is not the first time that I purchased manuals. For example I managed to fine the armourer's manual for the MG34 and Mg42, manuals for the German WW2 Opel blitz truck engine, and others. Unfortunately, these books are now considered as collectibles, and bloody expensive. While browsing the internet, I cam across the full set of service and repair manuals for the Panzer MkIVa, made up of four books, but beared the cost of 7,000 US Dollars. the advert was inserted a couple of days before. after a week the manuals were sold.
quite a lot of these manuals are being inserted in the internet for sale, and at very expensive prices. This is the new trend of collection.
I was chating with an guy on a forum, and showed me part of his collection - all the operating and maintenance manuals, which were on board the German light cruiser Koln. Apparently, the Government, wanted to scrap the old materials found in an laid warehouse, as this warehouse was intended to be used for another purpose. Nobody from the ministry wanted to waste time to see what was stored in the warehouse. They just wanted it empty, to start the refurbishing works. All the materials, files, books and manuals found themselves in a local rubbish dump, luckily to be salvaged by scrooge collectors, who left nothing behind. Incredible but true. Sometimes people are lucky enough to have such opportunities.

i think that these technical manuals are the ultimate reference for any vehicle or aircraft but as you are saying, it is damn expensive. Depends how bad you want it.

Keep it up Paul, good to see you at work

I recall this was to be a fun relaxed fastbuild up Paul ... You ended up still superdetailing Lol!

Such detail Paul.........

Good morning Brothers,

Thanks guys, your encouraging words boost up morale.

Ivan - Yes I have to admit that I fell into the trap of detailing. But then again, what is modeling without detailing. My only worry is the weathering itself, as in this field I am totally new and must say - a total flop.

some more progress pictures of the work carried out.

The new gun elevating gear worm plates - quite different from the ones included in the kit. Still have to do the bolt heads on the second piece, but ran our of both rivet and bolt heads, so made a good order from the usual Tichy Train Group in USA.


The new gun breech under way. Still more work to be done, but at least more realistic.


Today I shall have the newly constructed gun barrel ready, so more pictures this evening.

Wow Paul, that gearing is impressive. Would appreciate a small explanation on how you did it. Looks great and spot on. I sometimes do need to reproduce gearing and it is something i find quite difficult.

Thanks Brian,

Actually I did not do the gearing. With some patience and a collection of swear words, I managed to cut the original gearing from the gearing plate. Believe me, being a resin kit, I had to be very careful, as the material is very brittle.

Anyway, if you need to do a gear way, like the one above, just draw the lines on a styrene profile of the size you need, then start off with marking out with a surgical blade, continue with a fine saw blade (Typical of Tamiya), and finish it off with a knife file. That would enable you to get the feect you need.

Thanks for the pointer Paul, much appreciated and prosit once again, you are doing a fantastic job.

Thanks Brian.

Hi Guys,

Some more pics, showing today's work.


The start of the detailing of the interior side of the gun cradle.


The gun support sleeve.



Another view of the same piece.


The other main components.


Will post some more during the week.

Lestih tieh base coat u giebu l'hawn u intih kedda jekk trid nghamluha lecture il-club jekk trid u imbghad komplih ...

Lovely work Paul and super neat as usual.

Thanks guys

Ivan - make it a date. I will finish the model with it's final finish coat. That is the truck body and cannon in Italian desert yellow. The inner part of the chassis in Grey, and the engine, transmission, gearbox, drive shaft and differential in satin metallic grey.

Then my friend it's up to your lectures to help me out.

I am booking a front row seat

Paul Salomone wrote:Thanks guys

Ivan - make it a date. I will finish the model with it's final finish coat. That is the truck body and cannon in Italian desert yellow. The inner part of the chassis in Grey, and the engine, transmission, gearbox, drive shaft and differential in satin metallic grey.

Then my friend it's up to your lectures to help me out.

That is a fixed lecture then might be also not a one timer [surely will not finish this in one session ] but can be done as a workshop if the comittee like ... obviously no rush in the finish!

Just a small note Paul not sure about trucks but tanks were originally painted grigio verde, greyish green from factory [european theatre] and then over sparyed with Sabbia [sand colour] for tropical ... maybe they are refering to this as grey?

Ivan

iCocker wrote:

Paul Salomone wrote:Thanks guys

Ivan - make it a date. I will finish the model with it's final finish coat. That is the truck body and cannon in Italian desert yellow. The inner part of the chassis in Grey, and the engine, transmission, gearbox, drive shaft and differential in satin metallic grey.

Then my friend it's up to your lectures to help me out.

That is a fixed lecture then might be also not a one timer [surely will not finish this in one session ] but can be done as a workshop if the comittee like ... obviously no rush in the finish!

Just a small note Paul not sure about trucks but tanks were originally painted grigio verde, greyish green from factory [european theatre] and then over sparyed with Sabbia [sand colour] for tropical ... maybe they are refering to this as grey?

Ivan

I like the idea of a workshop, Paul and I will take it up with the rest of the committee. All we need is to tidy up the lecture room.

Thanks guys.

Ivan - Yes you are right, as a matter of fact all truck chassis, were finished in greyish green, and repainted when the equipment arrived in Tunisia and Libya. as a matter of fact all the Italian armour shown in the photos during the early stages of the North African War, were all finished in Italian green.

Once the guns is over and done with, I will have to deal with the challenge of the driver's cabin and engine bonnet. The driver's cabin was made from a mixture of steel and wood, as were all the trucks of that period.
This is part one of the challenge, but the real headache is the engine bonnet, as I want to create the engine side ventilation slits. to do this, the bonnet has to be made from aluminium foil. a jig has to be made as well.

Let's see - every piece will be dealt with bit by bit.