French Artillery Position (1/35)

I have previously built several 1:35 models of wagons and one loco from the French artillery railways of World War I. As we are currently 100 years away from that historic conflict I had planned to build a WWI model each year between 2014-2018 to commemorate the war. I have been quite unable to keep that promise.

My scratch built 1:35 model of a Campagne petrol loco from the French Army. Here it tows a standard Pechot wagon built from a 13'me Dragon kit in resin and white metal.

Charmed by a Blitz kit of an antique looking French cannon and motivated by a friend in France, I am planning  to at least partially keep my promise. My friend in France gave me the chance to buy a kit from long gone 13'eme Dragon from Paris of a Pechot Citerne wagon. I will be making a little diorama with a gun emplacement, a length of track and some figures. The Pechot Citerne (or any French 600 mm. wagon) can be placed on the track.

Col de la Schlucht: a 120 mm Modele 1878 in position in a wooded area at the foot of the German strongpoint Lingekopf in the Vosges region. Image from the Academie de Strasbourg.

The 'de Bange 120 mm modele 1878' beginning to look like the prototype. I still have to fit the 'shoes' to the belts around the wheels.

The assembly of the gun is progressing well . The parts fit well and the 'shoes' on the wheels took much less effort than I had anticipated. Consequently it may be ready for priming and painting quite soon. The Pechot wagon is next on the schedule together with a base for the diorama.

Unpacking the Pechot kit. The water tank is a heavy lump of resin. Two cross members mounts underneath for bogie mountings. The majority of parts are for the bogies.