Small Scale Military Headquarters

I have been looking around for the local (eastern Nebraska) WM's to get the new "Heavy Artillery Emplacement" set with the 155 gun, and while looking I ran across the "M115" 8" howitzer in the 21C pre-painted kit version at the Wal Mart in Council Bluffs, IA. They also had a "kit" Firefly. Not bad for $14.74 and a little time spent on assembly.

By the way the designations "M115" for the howitzer and "M59" for the gun are NATO-era designations for the WW2 guns.

Gary

Interesting about the Nato designation ... Are you sure ?

I found the new S-2 , OD "Firefly" in a single box w/ 2-crewmen at TRU , for $5.99

Is the "Firefly" tank kit you found , the same camo'd version that's in the "Operation Cobra" mini-playset ? ... Just curious.

Another interesting note :

There is no "ColdSteel" or "die-cast" designation , on my new "Firefly" box either.

Hmmm , plastic now. ... "Oh well".

both the long tom and the 8 inch howitzer were designated m1 and m2 during the war. It wasn't til post war that the m115 and m59 designations came into use.

I've always thought the US army nomenclature system was very confusing and it must have lead to lots of administrative mistakes. Terms like M1, M2, M4, M16 applied to so many varied pieces of equipment, from rifles to tanks to huge artillery pieces. Why not just have individual, distinct numbers for each piece of equipment, like virtually all other nations used, rather than using the same numbers over and over and relying on the description of the item to identify what is being referred to? (eg M1 rifle, M1 Long Tom, M1 helmet etc).

Yes, the US Army in WW2 had quite a system. The "proper" WW2 nomenclature for the new howitzer would be: Howitzer 8" M1 on Carriage M2 with Limber M5". In WW2 the M-number (for Model) was assumed to be a descriptive add-on to the title, NOT the title itself.

Gary

[quote="MG-42"Is the "Firefly" tank kit you found , the same camo'd version that's in the "Operation Cobra" mini-playset ? ... Just curious.

I don't know - I haven't gotten to see the new playset. I passed on the Firefly as I don't have a plan for it in my US armor scene.

Interesting side note - the "kit" M7 "Priest" is all plastic - no diecast hull. Personally I was glad as converting the 21C M7 back to a 1942 version is MUCH easier with plastic.

The Firefly box shows it as the camo version, though after the Korean war face fiasco, we all know sometimes boxes lie..



Here's the Long Tom box for reference.


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grunt1 wrote:The Firefly box shows it as the camo version, though after the Korean war face fiasco, we all know sometimes boxes lie..

>>> HAHAHA !!! ,.. No doubt , I was pissed , when I opened that box. Only to discover , the ordinary OD one.

I returned it to WAL* MART. ... Due to "False Advertisement".

Well ,.. when some body opens theirs up ( kit ) , please be kind enough to let us know. .... Thank You !


Oh ,.. "aferg" & "Gary, binder001" :

Interesting about the M- story. I never knew that , gave it much thought. ... Thanks for the Intel ! ... =

Yeah, you have to wonder if at some point in Vietnam, some infantry unit ordered a couple dozen M16s only to have a convoy of trucks show up loaded down with halftracks that just happened to be stuck in some back lot somewhere. "The requisition says M16s. These are M16s. What's the problem?"

In the 6 WalMarts in my AO I have never seen any kits besides the old Chaffee, Sherman and 88. Never saw the trucks, the Priest, nothing. So I will have to say I will probably never see these either. At least I got the playset.

I made my Firefly kit a few days back, YES it is camo. Also made the 8" kit, I like them both.

Thanks "Bruzzer" , for the intel.

Seen all 3 new mini-playsets here , but passed on them. ... Found a new Dozer tank kit also , but took it with me instead.

I'll be waiting on the new ( kit ) and or single version of the KT w/ Porsche turret , too.

The Dozer, Firefly, Howitzer and Long Tom kits are slowly showing up at WM stores in my AO, but no sign of the playsets yet. As for TRU, they aren't exactly on every street corner around these parts, but the few stores I have been to had zilch, zip, nada... I mean nothing, not one single 21C product, disappointing to say the least.

ostketten wrote:As for TRU, they aren't exactly on every street corner around these parts, but the few stores I have been to had zilch, zip, nada... I mean nothing, not one single 21C product, disappointing to say the least.

There are several TRU's near me and it is odd that two have now had 21C for over a week, while others still show nothing.
All in time I expect.

Found one of these at a local Wal Mart, along with several Sherman Firefly, Sherman Dozer and M7 Priest kits. Nevertheless, I had to go through hell and high water to find the darn employee that had the key to open the case to get the model... Yet another reason why Wal Mart and its grossly ineficient methods are a curse to American capitalism and an insult to the American way of life

The howitzer, however, is a very nice artillery piece and probably one of the most complex model kits 21c has made to date

to find the darn employee that had the key to open the case to get the model...

They had them in a locked case...??? Yikes!! first time I've ever heard of that...

Really ! ...

What kind of neighborhood you live in ?

Could'nt be any better than mine.

Its really rather funny... This particular store is located on the north side of my town which is the wealthiest area. In fact, the Wal Mart is across the street from a BMW dealership and a Mercedes-Benz dealership Nevertheless, this store always keeps its model-related stuff locked up in the case. The regular 21c stuff is out on the shelf, however. The other three Wal Marts in my town keep their model kits out in the open on shelves and don't seem to have a problem with people vandalizing or stealing those goods.

I had to return my sherman dozer playset as the dozer arm was cracked and promptly fell apart. No more hedgerow playsets to be found.

I'm gonna check some other WalMarts tomorrow. I'd rather have the kit or the single tank anyhow.

Found another dozer playset today, hurray!

Other than that, no new armor or kits anywhere. a lot of the snake Stukas though.

Found both the Long Tom and 8" Howitzer
in my AO finally. Both very nice kits, very detailed highly recommended. Now if they could come with some sort of US artillery tow or 6x6

Now if they could come with some sort of US artillery tow or 6x6

I'll never understand why somebody doesn't make a deuce and a half, they were produced in the thousands and widely used in just about every theatre of operations.

ostketten wrote:

Now if they could come with some sort of US artillery tow or 6x6

I'll never understand why somebody doesn't make a deuce and a half, they were produced in the thousands and widely used in just about every theatre of operations.

Here,here! I'd be in for at least a couple of those!