Dragon 1/35 s.10cm Kanone 18

The 10 cm schwere Kanone 18 (10 cm sK 18) was a field gun used by Germany in World War II. The German army wanted a new 10 cm gun as well as 15 cm howitzer which were to share the same carriage. Guns are heavier than howitzers due to the longer barrel. This also led to the 15 cm sFH 18. As such both weapons had a similar weight and could be carried by a similar carriage. By 1926 Krupp and Rheinmetall had specimen designs, and prototypes were ready by 1930, but was not fielded until 1933–34. Both Krupp and Rheinmetall competed for the development contract, but the Wehrmacht compromised and selected Krupp's carriage to be mated with Rheinmetall's gun.

It sometimes equipped the medium artillery battalion (with the 15 cm sFH 18) of German divisions, but generally was used by independent artillery battalions and on coast defense duties. Around 1,500 guns were produced until 1945. After the war it served with the Albanian and Bulgarian armies.

As you can probably guess, this new 10cm howitzer is based on the earlier 15cm version released a few years back. In fact, most of the kit is exactly the same right down to using the same carriage as the larger gun. However, there are new items specifically for this boxing and those are listed in the features below. This kit also has a superbly done aluminum gun barrel, something I think all big gun kits should have. Here is a list of features:

- Brand new s.10cm K18 Kanone
- Gun breech is newly designed
- New breechblock intricately represented
- Newly tooled recoil track cover with crisp detail
- Either combat or travel modes can be selected for assembly
- Gun can elevate to different angles
- Gun recoils like the real one
- Slide-molded recoil system
- Beautifully detailed slide-molded gun trails
- Crisp nut and bolt detail incorporated
- Two options for assembly of trail spades - combat or travel mode
- Photo-etched components for gun that allow it to elevate
- Traversing gear realistically represented
- Fully detailed trail spades
- Rifling inside gun barrel realistically rendered
- Aluminum gun barrel w/hollow end
- Lathed brass parts to upgrade details
- Highly detailed gun cradle mount is slide molded
- Slide-molded wheels with weld detail
- Nuts sharply represented on road wheels
- Two types of ammunition with separated parts included as bonus
- Suspension for K18 with steering mechanism
- Includes toolboxes on gun trails
- Detailed hand wheels replicated
- Periscope gun sight in clear plastic
- OVM on K18 fully reproduced
- Firing lanyard
- Cleaning rods for K18 are supplied
- Ranging poles included

You can basically paint this one in any of three schemes. There is the overall panzer grey scheme, the overall panzer tan/yellow scheme and one with a base of panzer tan/yellow with khaki green mottling over everything. The molding of the kit is superb and thanks to a relatively low parts count (260 parts), should go together with some speed.

It is a great addition to Dragon's growing collection of artillery pieces and one that will look great either by itself or in a diorama.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10_cm_schwere_Kanone_18

November 2010

Thanks to www.dragonmodelsusa.com for the preview kit. Get yours today at your local shop or on-line retailer.

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