WW1 French 75mm Gun and Limber Arrangement and use (2 Viewers)

[Krieglok]

Hello all. I am working with some pewter models that are marketed under the name "Atlas". They are around 1/30 or larger in scale.

I have painted a set of horses, a Limber, cannon and a ammunition wagon(caisson?) in the French artillery blue WW1 scheme. See the images below.

I am trying to determine what a correct configuration would be, for a cannon under tow. I am guessing the limber and cannon would be drawn by one team of horses and the caisson drawn by another team, also possibly with a limber.

I am kind of lost on how the additional ammunition wagons were handled as they appear in photos being place near cannons while photos of cannons being drawn are with limbers only. There doesn't seem to be too much information on the web about this. I would certainly appreciate hearing from any artillery/military people about my question. Thank you.

Tom



u

 

[thebritfarmer]

The bottom one looks correct, I think the top one just needs the cannon removing. Also usually the mounted riders are all on one side.

 

[villagehorse]

Always love horse drawn anything, this layout looks great. Robin.

 

[Artillery_crazy]

Hi Krieglok,
Congratulations on the sets!
I my self did a similar project....but not the horses.
These Atlas artillery and cassion sets are very nice indeed...full of details.
They work very well with JJD French soldiers..so here is a nice hint for new projects:salute::^&cool
I myself found the same complicated situation that you are in now, that is the lack of literature ( at least in English ) of the 75mm Mle 1897.
As to your question the answer is both!
Let me explain...the full complement in matching order would be the picture you have the gun limbered to the ammo cassion that is then limbered to the general use wagon, but then you are missing one extra pair of horses so as to pull the full gun complement.
The second set up, the one you have the gun and the general use wagon, would be used only when accompained by a second section of two ammo cassions drawn by three sets of horses.....
These were made in such a way that the configuration would be determined by the battlefield requirements.
The great thing about this gun is that it was used by many countries .... during the War USA, after the war all the way to WW2 by not only France but many Eastern European countries as well as Holland/Belgium and many countries in Latin America.....So opportunities to build sets for exotic battlefileds are many...In the pictures I am sending here, you have a Britains made one being manned by American soldiers, then one made by a Newzealender Company called International Soldiers ( not sure if I wrote the name correctly ) and manned by US Marines wearing gas masks....And finally the Atlas one manned by an Atlas garrison...will send the FFL in a follow up note...You will see that the gun, when in action, is always set next to the cassion ( the cassion is tilted down and opened so as to allow the garrison can access the rounds and the fuse set up....in the Atlas set it is nice for it tilts out ) when the gun is in action....
I my self focused on FFL and WW1...Attached are some pictures of my sets, but not of the Atlas one, just a few...as I am waiting some new JJD French sets...
Cheers
Luiz

Hello all. I am working with some pewter models that are marketed under the name "Atlas". They are around 1/30 or larger in scale.

I have painted a set of horses, a Limber, cannon and a ammunition wagon(caisson?) in the French artillery blue WW1 scheme. See the images below.

I am trying to determine what a correct configuration would be, for a cannon under tow. I am guessing the limber and cannon would be drawn by one team of horses and the caisson drawn by another team, also possibly with a limber.

I am kind of lost on how the additional ammunition wagons were handled as they appear in photos being place near cannons while photos of cannons being drawn are with limbers only. There doesn't seem to be too much information on the web about this. I would certainly appreciate hearing from any artillery/military people about my question. Thank you.

Tom



u

 

[Artillery_crazy]

The FFL Artillery sets as mentioned....{sm0}{sm4}..these are Mountford and Henchliffe guns and cassions, manned by scalelink garrisons...

 

[Krieglok]

Thank you all for the nice comments. Thanks to Luiz for explaining my limber question. I have six horses painted so far. They needed a little seam filling and then filing and sanding before I painted them.

So the combination of the three implements would require eight horses while the general use wagon could go with either the cannon or ammo wagon and have six horses drafting? Do I have that correct?

I also painted a general use limber and ammo wagon in a US Army camouflage scheme. The cannon is next!

Tom

 

[Artillery_crazy]

Hi Tom,
That is correct! And congrats on the US Artillery version, just great!
To get a garrison for the guns would be the trcky part due to the scale....As mentioned earlier your best bet are the JJD offerings they would fit ok.....
Cheers
Luiz

Thank you all for the nice comments. Thanks to Luiz for explaining my limber question. I have six horses painted so far. They needed a little seam filling and then filing and sanding before I painted them.

So the combination of the three implements would require eight horses while the general use wagon could go with either the cannon or ammo wagon and have six horses drafting? Do I have that correct?

I also painted a general use limber and ammo wagon in a US Army camouflage scheme. The cannon is next!

Tom

 

[Artillery_crazy]

HiTom,
A quick note that I did not refer to earlier, the set up of the horses, always a saddled horse next to a non saddled one, it is assumed that a rider is responsible for one pair of horses.
Cheers
Luiz

 

[Krieglok]

Thanks Luiz! I had figured out some things with horse placement and riders, looking at some historical photos. Your confirmation helps greatly!

The set scale is rather large. The original figures are giants compared to K&C and other 1/30 scale men.
I comb EBay looking for more at cheap prices, but they are not easy to come by.

Here are some more pics of the set on the display I have for it. I will see if I can work some JJD figures into it. I reposed and painted a couple figures that came with the equipment. I have a third I am cutting up to make into a horse rider. Man, that pewter is hard stuff!

The last big part of the project will be placing the draft gear connecting the horse together and to the limber. A bit more manufacturing needed on my part. I had to install hitches on the wagons and a lunette on the gun in order to hook them together.

Tom

d

 

[Artillery_crazy]

Hi Tom,

It is coming out extremely nice indeed....wow....^&grin
The two gunners on the wagon look great! The early WW1 French Artillery uniform is just right on the spot :salute:::salute::
All the best on getting the riders.....Looking forward to seeing the final project...
The USA version is also very nice and would come along to be a great set.......

As to other Altas soldiers, try the ebay under Atlas or sometimes under 75 french field gun....you may strike luck on the soldiers, they were issued some time ago as the gun´s garrison .... ( the ones I showed in my pics )

Cheers

Luiz

Thanks Luiz! I had figured out some things with horse placement and riders, looking at some historical photos. Your confirmation helps greatly!

The set scale is rather large. The original figures are giants compared to K&C and other 1/30 scale men.
I comb EBay looking for more at cheap prices, but they are not easy to come by.

Here are some more pics of the set on the display I have for it. I will see if I can work some JJD figures into it. I reposed and painted a couple figures that came with the equipment. I have a third I am cutting up to make into a horse rider. Man, that pewter is hard stuff!

The last big part of the project will be placing the draft gear connecting the horse together and to the limber. A bit more manufacturing needed on my part. I had to install hitches on the wagons and a lunette on the gun in order to hook them together.

Tom

d

 

[Artillery_crazy]

Hi Tom,

I laid out my Atlas 75 with the Atlas garrison and the JJDs so that you can see how they go well together....even one Interantional Army set ( machinegun ) could in a way be used....{sm4}{sm4}

 

[Krieglok]

Hi Tom,

I laid out my Atlas 75 with the Atlas garrison and the JJDs so that you can see how they go well together....even one Interantional Army set ( machinegun ) could in a way be used....{sm4}{sm4}

Very nice arrangement! I have one more Atlas 75mm gun that I am painting to match the US camouflaged limbers I painted.

Thanks for the nice photos. Really impressive!

Tom

 

[BHogan]

Luiz,

Wonderful gun line! It looks really good when the gun is coupled up with its limber and other gunners going about their duties on the position.

Cheers,

Brendan

 

[Krieglok]

Always love horse drawn anything, this layout looks great. Robin.

Thank you! I want to work out a drawbar and leads setup too! A bit Moore work yet

Tom