Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 1 - rear view

Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 2 - close-up

Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 3 - front view

Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 4 - close-up

Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 5 - close-up

Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 7 - close-up

Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 8 - close-up

Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 9 - close-up

Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 10 - close-up

Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 11 - close-up

Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 12 - close-up

Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 13 - close-up

Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 14 - close-up

Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 15 - close-up

Plastic models of the sWS vehicle towing the sFH 18 heavy howitzer in the WWII diorama - photo No. 16 - close-up

sWS Tractor and sFH 18 Howitzer Diorama

The diorama represents a scene from the Second World War recreated from the photograph. It was made in 1:35 scale.

The diorama features two plastic models. They were built from two different kits. The first is a miniature of the German sWS half-track tractor built from the Great Wall Hobby set. A tarpaulin on the truck was made of thin lead sheet. It wasn't in the set. The other exhibit is the model of the sFH 18 howitzer from the Dragon set, with photo-etched parts from Voyager Model.

The SWS vehicle was being produced between 1943 and 1945. It never received the designation of the "Sd.Kfz." (special purpose vehicle), typical of German military vehicles. About 1000 copies of these trucks were built.

The sFH 18 heavy howitzer had a caliber of 149 mm (5.87 in). It was being a widely used gun in German artillery during the Second World War. Production started in 1933. By the end of the war, several thousand copies of this weapon were built.

The ammunition consisted of two parts. The howitzer used 8 types of different propellant charges. The projectiles were also different depending on a purpose the gun was used, from anti-tank armor-piercing projectile weighing 15 kg (33 lb) to high-explosive ones weighing 43.62 kg (96 lb). The rate of fire was 4 shots per minute. The cannon staff consisted of 12 peoples.

The Polish Army Museum in Warsaw has the sFH 18 howitzer in its collection, probably captured in the Praga district of Warsaw in 1944.

Specifications (sWS):

Length: 6.68 m (21.92 ft),
Width: 2.5 m (8⅕ ft),
Height: 2.83 m (9¼ ft),
Mass: 10 t (22 046 lb),
Speed: 27 km/h (16.78 mph),
Fuel tank capacity: 240 l (UK-52.8 gal, USA-63.4 gal),
Range road/terrain: 300/100 km (186/62 mi).

Specifications sFH 18:

Mass: 6304 kg (13 898 lb),
Barrel length: 4.44 m (14½ ft),
Maximum projectile speed: 520 m/s (1706 ft/s),
Maximum firing range: 13 325 m (8¼ mi).

Sources:

https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwerer_Wehrmachtschlepper
http://www.muzeumwp.pl/emwpaedia/ciezka-haubica-polowa-s-f-h-18.php

29 Mar 2020

Modeler: Artur Stańczyk

Photographer: Ender

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