76.2mm Gun Model 1902/1930

UM Military Technics, 1/35 scale

Reviewed by Cookie Sewell

Summary

FirstLook

Starting in 1898 the Russian Army began looking for a new design of field gun for its divisional artillery. After two interim models (Model 1898 and Model 1900) they arrived at the Model 1902 “Three Incher” of 76mm caliber with a 30 caliber long barrel. This weapon was accepted for service on 3 March 1903 and ordered into production at three factories - Putilov, Obukhov, and Perm. The initial order was for 4,520 of these guns.

When it went into service in 1904-05 against the Japanese it was found that the lack of a shield left the crew vulnerable to infantry rifle fire and thus in 1906 they were upgraded with gun shields but the last guns were only finished in 1912. During WWI more were produced but also more were lost.

In 1928 the surviving guns were taken in hand by the RKKA and upgraded with longer barrels for increased range, with the new weapon being designated the Model 1902/1930. The new 40 caliber long barrel now gave the gun a range of around 11,000 meters. While the gun was formally designated the F-10, it apparently was only called the Model 1902/1930 in official reports.

The guns left were in service on 22 June 1941 and served during the early days of the Great Patriotic War. Apparently none were converted for motorized drayage and remained as horse drawn weapons.

UM is a Ukrainian company better known for its 1/72 scale kits, but this one caught my eye today at the local hobby shop. So far none of the other manufacturers (Miniart or Trumpeter being the main ones) has done this early war weapon so this is the first time a company has offered it as a styrene kit.

Based on its extended developmental history and what is provided in the kit, it can be made in its original form as a Model 1902 with the 30 caliber barrel, the 1906 upgrade with added gun shield, or the Model 1902/1930 with the 40 caliber barrel. It also comes with an ammunition crate and six rounds of HE-FRAG ammunition.

But this is not a current technology level kit. The difference in the barrel lengths is made up by adding a new section to the end of the original barrel but no provision is made to ensure the addition is straight or solid. This will take using some sort of rod or sprue brace inside the barrel tube to attach the longer barrel and then putty and sanding to blend them together. If UM had been smart about this, they would have provided a full length barrel extension and simply cut off the old one flush to mount a new plug-in tube.

There are two options for the top of the trails, but they are not well defined. I think they are trying to indicate that the oval area in the top of the trail can be removed (this would permit higher elevation and a place for the barrel to recoil) or flush but the directions are totally befuddled about what they mean.

The styrene parts are a bit on the crude side but it does come with a nicely done sheet of etched brass that provides the full gun shield in two sections and many of the finer details of the gun.

The finishing directions for the model only indicate a gun on the Western Front, Winter 1942. This is 4BO green with whitewash overlay and black, silver, and brass details picked out.

Overall, this is a nice weapon to match with any of the towed sets of figures such as the ICM one with four horses and a limber.

Sprue Layout:

– 42 Wheels, barrel, trail, carriage
– 31 Etched brass