BL 7.2 inch Howitzer

The BL 7.2-inch howitzer was a British heavy artillery piece used during the Second World War, with origins dating back to the First World War.

In 1940, the British Army found that its only available heavy howitzer was the First World War-era 8-inch howitzer, whose range was inadequate for modern warfare. As a replacement was urgently needed, it was decided to reline the existing 8-inch barrels to a smaller calibre and develop a new range of ammunition to improve their performance. As armies had become considerably more mobile during the intervening decades, the original steel wheels were also replaced with modern wheels fitted with pneumatic tyres. Some barrels and carriages were also supplied from US First World War stocks.

The converted weapon was effective but rather crude, and its tremendous recoil when fired at maximum charge could endanger its own crew. To help control the recoil movement, ramps were placed behind the wheels, allowing the howitzer to roll backwards up them before returning to its firing position. The guns were towed primarily by British Scammell Pioneer R100 artillery tractors.

The first converted howitzers entered active service in 1942 and were used extensively in North Africa and later in the campaign following the Normandy landings. The model depicts one of these howitzers in France in 1944.

More about the model and its construction can be found at this link

Model: 1:35 Thunder Model 35211, British 7,2 inch Howitzer