DAK SPG from The Rat Patrol - Construction

As I indicated in pt. II of the introduction, this project--by necessity--will be mash-up of two 1/35 scale kits. Fortunately, both kits are by Italeri, thus providing a commonality of parts and an inherent "scale compatibility". The two kits in question are the M7 Priest (#206) and the M36B1 90mm GMC (#6538). 

Given that there are very few "sessions", per se, in my approach to scale modelling, I believe that the best way to present the project is a progressive list, with annotations as deemed necessary. Here goes. . .

As of 1 February:

• The basic gun is assembled. 
• The lower hull structure is assembled. . . suspension, sprockets, and wheels await.
• The interior is permanently attached to the lower hull.
• The gun has been tentatively vertically-relocated within the fighting compartment.  
• The upper hull "box" (fighting compartment) of the M7 is assembled and fitted. The sides of the rear portion (see below) removed.
• The first 'ring' of the pulpit has been permanently attached to the "box".
• The rear portion of the upper hull (engine deck, etc.) of the M36B1 has been culled, and is now being prepped and fitted. 
• Reduced length of front fenders.

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Rat Patrol and the DAK SPG, pt.II

THE PROJECT: The project was engendered from a most enjoyable discussion I had with a dear friend and colleague; however, I had been thinking about an AFV project--specifically, an Italeri AFV project--for at least a week before we got together. Back in the day, Italeri was my favourite AFV model manufacturer. I can't really tell you why. Tamiya was in its infancy, and Monogram was, shall we say, relatively 'crude". Italeri was THE company for straight, OOB fun that was challenging as well!

A model that I had always wanted to build was that of the M7 Priest--a SP 105mm howitzer on a M4 chassis. And I was actually thinking about that kit when TRP discussion blossomed. . . Less than a fortnight later, I had my Italeri Priest in hand!

Italeri kits were known for their innumerable sinkholes and significant amount of flash, but I lucked out with my acquisition! Flash was minimal and largely insignificant; and the number of significant sinkholes was eminently manageable. 

As we established in pt. I, my reference for this project is, exclusively, the show! This is good--and bad. There are simply not enough decent shots of the few Priests used during S1 to make very definitive conclusions. As I said. . . good and bad. And for all its ongoing popularity, there are not any publications, to the best of my knowledge, devoted to the show. That leaves me with the internet and dvd's of the show to reconstruct this vehicle. 

The biggest, fundamental change is converting the stock M7[B1] to a post-war M7B2! Astonish- ingly, there are no conversion kits, etc. to effect such a conversion. Fortunately, since the fighting compartment will be enclosed per the series, much of the critical operational detailing can be glossed over. On the down side, no commercial 1/35 scale kit of the Priest comes with the ap- propriate lower hull and corresponding engine deck for an M7B2. Thus, this conversion will actu- ally be a mash-up of two Italeri kits. . . More on this when the time comes. The other noteworthy change involves replacing the stock rubber band T51 tracks with Bronco's masterful T48 Worka- ble Track Link Set (individual links). 

More to follow. . .   

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Rat Patrol and the DAK SPG

For those of you who are too young to remember TV programming of the 60s, in 1966, ABC pre- miered a 30 min action/adventure series very loosely based on the exploits of the SAS in North Africa during WWII. It was one of 6 war dramas on broadcast TV in the 60s, and though not in the same ballpark as its sister series (not even close!), Combat!, or Twelve O'Clock High for that matter, it was a successful series that captured the imagination of at least this 10 yr-old.

A dear friend and colleague is a fellow fan, and we were discussing our favorite shows in the 60s one day. It wasn't long before we got to The Rat Patrol (TRP). After a considerable amount of reminisc- ing about everything about the show, and the merchandising of the same--who can forget the Au- rora diorama set?--we came to the conclusion that "there was very little love for TRP in our little world." Which brings us to the first project in our "Hollywood" category. . .

TRP was set in the North African theatre of operations during WWII. Hollywood at the time did what it always did: take the vehicles that were available to it, paint them 'Sand Yellow', slap some Balkenkreuz on them. . . eh voilà, instant DAK! Lest we judge the TRP too harshly, let us not forget Patton (1970). . .

In TRP, American vehicles such as M3 half-tracks, the M4 Sherman, the M47 Patton, the M8/ M20 Greyhound--and the M7 Priest, amongst others, were 'disguised' as German vehicles. The one that always intrigued me (I was a SPG fan even then!), was the M7 Priest 'disguised' as a German. . . what?

This is the first hurdle to be overcome--or is it? Most believe that it is meant to represent a Mar- der. I personally lean more to a Sturm-Infanteriegeschütz 33B; however, to the best of my know- ledge, the StuIG did not see service in North Africa. Soooo. . . the answer to our question above is. . . who cares? 

[To be continued in pt. II]

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003