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Archer


fatfingers

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To me, that is a classic example of good box art. I was never tempted by Bronco's Archer, but that definitely appeals to me. That's going on to the Telford list.

 

John.

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.

 

Not a simple question to answer.   The "problem" with the Archer was the way the driver was crammed in as it was a conversion.  The driver was sat directly behind the gun breech meaning that the gun could not be fired whilst he was in position.  This meant that the gun had to be fired in a static position, however if the gun wanted to move then the driver just slipped in and off they went, facing the right way.

 

The gun was the very powerful 17-pounder and as a defensive/covering anti-tank weapon the Archer was superb, but advancing it was more like a towed weapon, it had to turn around to fire.   As a system it was quite small with a low profile and was relatively easy to hide.  As the British and Commonwealth forces were mostly attacking by the time the Archer was deployed it was not playing to its strengths, but they provided a really useful mobile anti-tank screen, and weren't tempted to fight a mobile tank-v-tank war as with some of the US, less well armed, "tank destroyers".

 

"Horses for courses" springs to mind  -  but that 17-pounder can't be ignored.

 

Some suggested diorama possibilities ;

 

My favourite ;

 

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205203018

 

(Probably being used as a bombardment gun ;

 

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205203044

 

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205203022

 

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205203214

 

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205207083

 

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205203053

 

And one I'd like to have the skill to do ;

 

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205203052

 

(By the way, did I tell you I like the Archer ?)

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On ‎5‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 6:49 PM, Panzer Vor!!! said:

Are we going to need mesh screens for those engine grills ??

 

Bet theirs none in the box

 

No, I don't think so as there were no fine screens on top of the engine grills.

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On 05/08/2017 at 9:49 AM, Panzer Vor!!! said:

Are we going to need mesh screens for those engine grills ??

 

Bet theirs none in the box

I think it'd be a tamiya special where you'd have to buy it separately if they did any etch

 

Can't wait for this though! The figures do it for me alone

 

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Great, been looking at the Bronco one for some time but have been put off by the complexity and the lack of a crew.

 

This could fit the bill very nicely.

 

When is it coming out?

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

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On 04/08/2017 at 9:20 PM, Jbbusybee said:

I'm intrigued by this kit, were the Archer's successful?

Further to earlier comments.

In the Kew Archives there is a report compiled by the Royal Artillery of user comments on equipment. The towed 17pdr gets a hammering as it's 'a bloody coastal defence gun not a field piece'. The Valentine 17pdr is universally praised for the speed it could get into and out of action and also for the fact that the vehicle wasn't 'tank-like' and so crews weren't always being asked to do tank work as was the case with the M10. 
 

The figure outside the tank is the driver BTW not the commander. He'd get the vehicle into position then jump out to give the gun crew room. That was the Post-War drill in any case. He acted as a spotter usually.

 

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I haven't seen the instruction sheet for this model, but bear with me.  If you are advised that these were 'bronze green' they were not.  They were SCC.15 Olive Drab.   Disruptive painting was not usual on these vehicles.  A previously issued kit instruction showed fancy black or brown  patterning, in the same design, which is actually adhesive staining from the waterproofed fabric that covered all apertures during shipping to Italy.  I have several pictures of that one.  The notorious 'Mickey Mouse' patterning was not usually applied to AFVs  but I have seen artwork showing it, but never photographs to back it up.   This is not to say that some sort of disruptive colour wasn't applied locally but by late 1944 it wasn't formal having been cancelled by an August 1944 ACI which may have been issued up to 6 weeks after an actual instruction to cease application of disruptive painting to certain vehicles.

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Looking forward to this new kit,..... here is an interesting dio scene,....and Egyptian one knocked out by the Israeli`s in 1956;

Image result for archer polish italy

 

I`ll be doing a few in British markings from NW Europe and Italy myself,

Cheers

          Tony

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On 8/5/2017 at 09:30, Phil Gollin said:

.

Quote

 

 

... The driver was sat directly behind the gun breech meaning that the gun could not be fired whilst he was in position.  This meant that the gun had to be fired in a static position, however if the gun wanted to move then the driver just slipped in and off they went, facing the right way. ...

 

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.

 

I  LIE !!!

 

(In my defence I was relying on many, many books.)

 

According to a newly released book ("British Battle Tanks - British-made tanks of World War II" by David Fletcher - the recently retired head of The Tank Museum) ;

 

"Some sources have reported incorrectly that the driver was obliged to leave his seat during firings but the recoil was arrested at 14.5-in by a hydraulic buffer and two steel springs, and the driver was needed to realign the vehicle if the target moved outside the limits of the gun's traverse, to drive the vehicle out of  trouble, or to operate the radio in an emergency."

 

.

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