Artillery Collection

[Claymore]

My father was a Gunner in the Royal Artillery during WW2 (India and Burma mostly) but was by trade a Graphic Artist.  After the war he became a school teacher.  He really enjoyed scratch building scale models and decided to build a collection that would illustrate the history of Artillery in 1/35 scale - from Ancient Greek Oxybeles c375 BC all the way through the major innovations to the modern day M109 and SCUD launcher.  Sadly, he is no longer with us but he left me a huge collection of truly inspiring models.  There are so many that I have space to display only about 1/3 (some 45 models!) of his collection - the rest are boxed up in the loft.  It seems such a shame that I am the only one to enjoy his work and therefore it seems only fitting that I post some pictures on this fine site.  I can only apologise for my photography which is pants but hopefully you will get the idea and get some enjoyment.  :)

My starter for 10 is a British WW1 12" Railway Howitzer.

 

[Claymore]

You know what's coming... bombardment by photos! 

A captured German 21cm Howitzer cWW1

[Claymore]

British Thunderbird SAM 1958.

[Claymore]

German 25cm Minenwerfer WW1

[Claymore]

British Rapier FSB1 1985

 

[Claymore]

British (Home Guard) 3" Smith Gun WW2

[Jeffry Fontaine]

“The Mission of the Artillery is to give some class to what would otherwise be merely a vulgar brawl.” -- Fredrick the Great, King of Prussia

Very nice work by your father.  That Rapier launcher looks excellent.  A shame that is not available for a "reasonable price" in plastic. 

[Claymore]

British 2 pdr Anti Tank gun WW2

[Claymore]

“The Mission of the Artillery is to give some class to what would otherwise be merely a vulgar brawl.” -- Fredrick the Great, King of Prussia

Very nice work by your father.  That Rapier launcher looks excellent.  A shame that is not available for a "reasonable price" in plastic.

Thank you.  I'm sure he would have been a great fan of sites like this. Sadly, all too many of the really good subjects are not yet available in kit form. 

[Dr. YoKai]

Marvelous work! I guessing your Dad was scratch-building much of his stuff-I certainly don't remember
 anyone doing a Smith gun ( wow! The only thing that could top it would be a Bates Eight-barrelled
 Bottle thrower! )

 I look forward to seeing more of his work.

 EDIT: We posted at nearly the same time, I think.

[Claymore]

German 42cm Howitzer (Big Bertha) WW1

[Claymore]

Marvelous work! I guessing your Dad was scratch-building much of his stuff-I certainly don't remember
 anyone doing a Smith gun ( wow! The only thing that could top it would be a Bates Eight-barrelled
 Bottle thrower! )

 I look forward to seeing more of his work.

 EDIT: We posted at nearly the same time, I think.

One or two of his collection are bought kits but the majority are scratch built.

[Doom!]

Wow, these would make a great exhibit in a museum!  :)

[GTX_Admin]

Your father truly deserves many thanks for this work.  You should be proud of him...which you obviously already are. :) :)

I also agree with the Museum comment - in fact, I would highly recommend something such as the Firepower Royal Artillery Museum.  I am sure they would be only too happy to give your the father the recognition he deserves and to display the models in the most appropriate setting. 

BTW, having been there, I highly recommend anyone interested in this field pay a visit to the museum.

[Claymore]

Funnily enough he did consider bequeathing his collection to a museum but unfortunately none could guarantee that they would diplay them permanently and the last thing he wanted was for them to be shut away in some storage vault.  At least this way I can post pictures for all to enjoy.

[Claymore]

US Parrott Gun c American Civil War

[Claymore]

British 13" Mortar c 1856

[Claymore]

British 8" Howitzer WW1

[Logan Hartke]

I've been fortunate enough to see the bigger brother of that Parrott Gun in operation at Fort Pulaski.  Impressive to say the least.  You can see a few dozen videos of the Fort Pulaski cannon firings on YouTube, but they don't quite do it justice.

Cheers,

Logan

[Claymore]

I've been fortunate enough to see the bigger brother of that Parrott Gun in operation at Fort Pulaski.  Impressive to say the least.  You can see a few dozen videos of the Fort Pulaski cannon firings on YouTube, but they don't quite do it justice.

Cheers,

Logan

Nothing quite says hello like heavy artillery 

[Claymore]

Austrian 30.5 cm Howitzer "Schlanke Emma" WW1

[Brian da Basher]

The "Schlanke Emma" is a wonderful diorama, Claymore! Gotta feel sorry for anyone on the receiving end of that gun!

Brian da Basher

[GTX_Admin]

Fair enough comment.  I think the Firepower museum would be the most likely to display them though given it matches exactly what they are about.

[Claymore]

Brian da Basher,

Thank you kind sir.

GTX_Admin,

Fair one.  But that museum's down in Englandshire and I'm up here in the Highlands, its snowing and I like having them around...

[GTX_Admin]

 

[Claymore]

ANcient Greek Oxybeles c 375 BC

[Claymore]

Pot de Fer, 1325

[Claymore]

British naval guns c 1815

[Claymore]

French QF 75mm WW1

[Claymore]

British 40mm L/60 (Bofors) AA gun WW2

[Claymore]

British 5.5" Howitzer WW2

[apophenia]

Amazing collection Claymore. Thanks for sharing your Dad's work!

...But that museum's down in Englandshire and I'm up here in the Highlands, its snowing and I like having them around...

   Ah, the internet is the only museum that most of us can visit anyway 

[Claymore]

Amazing collection Claymore. Thanks for sharing your Dad's work!

It's a pleasure.  :)

[arc3371]

An amazing variety of artillery, thank you for sharing

[Feldmarschall Zod]

Thank you for posting these wonderful models. :)

[Jeremak]

Great looking dioramas Claymore. What materials your father used, because most of them have just a "different look" than modern plastic models. Wood, clay?

[Claymore]

Thanks to all.

Basically, he used what ever was to hand and best suited the shape he was after - metal, wood, plastic padding but mostly good ol' plastic card.  The greatest difference perhaps is that he painted them all in enamels colours as the modern range of acrylics weren't readily available - some of his earlier pieces go back to the 1960s! 

[GTX_Admin]

do you have photos of every model along with details of what it represents?  Have you got them catalogued in order?

I ask since, we could conceivably create a gallery showing the models in chronological order of where they fit in in history and thus show the History of Artillery in an appropriate timeline.  This might be a good way of recognising your father's work.

[Claymore]

do you have photos of every model along with details of what it represents?  Have you got them catalogued in order?

I ask since, we could conceivably create a gallery showing the models in chronological order of where they fit in in history and thus show the History of Artillery in an appropriate timeline.  This might be a good way of recognising your father's work.

Wow that sound really interesting and parallels an idea I wanted to follow through but really didn't have the IT skills for.  I don't yet have pictures of all of his models (those posted so far have litterally just been taken) but I have dates, names, nationalities, etc for all of them.  :)

[GTX_Admin]

Compile a list, take the photos, let us know when you are done...

[Claymore]

Compile a list, take the photos, let us know when you are done...

Will do and many thanks