17 Pounder SPG "ARCHER"

[sonofjim]

hey yawl

just got this kit and wow its a stunner i believe almost 1300 parts !

but before i nose dive into the box for several months (or years)

just wondered if anyone has any info on what british units used them (ww2)

and where ?

if anyone can help it'd be really apreciated !

jim.

Edited March 30, 2011 by sonofjim

[daz greenwood]

I dunno if this helps Jim?

Archer

[sonofjim]

thanks Daz

much appreciated

jim.

[daz greenwood]

No problem.

[jimbuna]

http://www.wwiivehicles.com/unitedkingdom/...oyer/archer.asp

In action/being tested against a Tiger:

http://wn.com/Archer_(tank_destroyer)

[sonofjim]

http://www.wwiivehicles.com/unitedkingdom/...oyer/archer.asp

In action/being tested against a Tiger:

http://wn.com/Archer_(tank_destroyer)

many thanks !

jim.

[Howard Moon]

Jim,

The Archer was operated by Royal Artillery Anti Tank Regiments that formed part of the assets of Infantry Divisions, (i.e. they came under the control of the Divisional Commander). The Infantry Divisions in NWE started to re-equip with them in late 1944, replacing the M10 3" SP Gun. British Infantry divisions in NWE during this time were 3rd, 15th, 43rd, 49th, 50th, 51st, 52nd, 53rd. The Canadian 3rd Inf Division were also equipped with them. Markings would consist of the Divisional Marking plus the Arm of Service sign representing a Div Anti tank regiment which was a white 46 on a red/blue square. I think the kit gives you an option for 15th(Scottish) Divn plus the AoS square. Other Divisional markings are available from Accurate Armour but it is best to try and photographic reference as I am sure not all Divisions received them before the end of the war.

I cannot help with their use in Italy however i would be wary of the kit supplied options as these are shown as Polish units in 1943. The Archer was still in development at this time so couldn't possibly be so.

Howard

[sonofjim]

thanks howard

thats great info sir ! i have a few different decals sets

and mixes of AA archer FT etc...

so i should be ok i could even print my own out if pushed

i agree about the kits italy options LOL

1943 someone had a time machine eh !

but thats the info i was looking for thanks again

jim.

[jimbuna]

Prototype

Firing trials of the Archer occurred in April 1943

Production

800 Archers were initially ordered.5 First Archer was completed in March 1944

•Total: 655 - 665

Usage

Northwest Europe

It first appeared in combat in NW Europe in October 1944. It went to equip anti-tank units in the armored divisions

Italy

A few were sent to the 8th Army fighting in Italy

[Howard Moon]

Jimbuna,

Armoured Divisions didn't use them. They used the 17pounder mounted on the M10, often referred to as Achilles. I suspect the website you have quoted from used George Forty's Handbook of the British Army as a source as he makes the same mistake.

best regards

Howard

edited for spelling as my headwand keeps slipping this morning

Edited March 26, 2011 by Howard Moon

[smuts]

http://www.wwiivehicles.com/unitedkingdom/...oyer/archer.asp

In action/being tested against a Tiger:

http://wn.com/Archer_(tank_destroyer)

bloody ell was that a through & through..........

Andy.

[daz greenwood]

Poor Tiger

[jimbuna]

Jimbuna,

Armoured Divisions didn't use them. They used the 17pounder mounted on the M10, often referred to as Achilles. I suspect the website you have quoted from used George Forty's Handbook of the British Army as a source as he makes the same mistake.

best regards

Howard

edited for spelling as my headwand keeps slipping this morning

I honestly wouldn't know Howard, I was simply quoting from my first link.

Regards

Jim

[sonofjim]

all been really helpful chaps MANY MANY TANKS (pardon the pun )

[Mike Starmer]

Two of the options in this kit are for the 7th Regt Polish Corpd in Italy, the year is late 1944. The Light Mud/black scheme is fictitious, notice the same pattern on the green /black one, also wrong. I have the photogrpahs that the kit scheme and markings were taken from. The vehicle was SCC 15 Olive Drab originally then has SCC 1A (dark brown) applied in a sort of dsiruptive pattern, the Poles did this a lot. But notice that all of the areas around hatches, catches, lids and openings have dark areas too. These are staining left when the waterproofing was removed after shippment. By 1943-45 waterproofing was extensive on vehicles destined for overseas as earlier experience had shown that seawater and salt air seriously damaged vehicles at sea however they were stored. In 1940-41 it was found in Egyptian depots that some vehicles and tanks were so badly affected that they were stripped of any remaining items worth salving and scrapped. And these were not deck cargo either.

[sonofjim]

Hello Mr Starmer, thee mike sarmer ?

thanks for posting i havnt been "doing" brit / commonwealth armour for long i'm normally one of the german armour "zombies"

but i'm interested in getting my models as accurate as possible

i was looking initially if there were some other markings i could use to diverisy from the kits markings

to make it a little different to whats going to be out there

built model wise , i initially liked the look of a camo'ed version but i suspected they were ..well ,suspect LOL

i'd like to do this model Royal Artillery towards the end of WW 2

so i presumed SCC 15 over all would be correct (I also have your suggested humbrol paint mix to hand sir )

i was wondering what units used the archer and what thier markings would be even if i have to print

my own decals and or make stencils i dont mind ,

were there any famous events these vehiles were used in ?

do you have any photos i could possibly see of the dark staining you mentioned as i think it would be very important to include this

and should be added therefore to virtually all vehicles as you mentioned operating anywhere but the U.K.

thaks again for posting

jim.

[Mike Starmer]

SCC 15 would have been the factory colour in 1944. As far as I know there are no famous actions involving these vehicles. I cannot help much with markings on immediate recall but I bekieve that there was an article some years ago in Tankette with sketches in. Additional disruptive painting was no longer maintained in NWE, sorry no fancy schemes. The those photographs showing the staining are on www.cultura.marche.it/cultura/mostguerre/default_sik.asp which has hundreds of pictures of Polish vehicles, places and soldiers so you will have to trawl through.

[andym]

SCC 15 would have been the factory colour in 1944. As far as I know there are no famous actions involving these vehicles. I cannot help much with markings on immediate recall but I bekieve that there was an article some years ago in Tankette with sketches in. Additional disruptive painting was no longer maintained in NWE, sorry no fancy schemes. The those photographs showing the staining are on www.cultura.marche.it/cultura/mostguerre/default_sik.asp which has hundreds of pictures of Polish vehicles, places and soldiers so you will have to trawl through.

With regards to option 4 in the kit, 15th Scottish Division ( I assume as part of the Infantry Divisional Anti-tank Regiment), NW Europe, winter 1944-45 it shows an overall sheme of SCC.15 with SCC.14 black "mickey mouse" pattern disruptive camo, is this correct as I have my doubts about the disruptive part?

Thanks,

Andy

Edited April 8, 2011 by andym

[sonofjim]

SCC 15 would have been the factory colour in 1944. As far as I know there are no famous actions involving these vehicles. I cannot help much with markings on immediate recall but I bekieve that there was an article some years ago in Tankette with sketches in. Additional disruptive painting was no longer maintained in NWE, sorry no fancy schemes. The those photographs showing the staining are on www.cultura.marche.it/cultura/mostguerre/default_sik.asp which has hundreds of pictures of Polish vehicles, places and soldiers so you will have to trawl through.

Many thanks Mr Starmer thats hugley helpful

now you mention the staining i have noticed it more and more on all sorts of vehicles

its something i will in future add to my models

thanks again for all the info and help

Jim.