Field Gun & Limber WW1 18pdr Quick Firing – Horse Drawn Models (1002)

These all wooden model kits comes complete with all parts and fittings and comprehensive full colour English written building instructions.

The 18 pound QF Field Gun, or simply 18-pounder Gun, was the standard British Empire field gun of the World War I era and was used on all fronts during the First World War. It was produced in large numbers and formed the backbone of British, Australian, Canadian & New Zealand artillery forces in all the main theatres of the First World War. Australian and New Zealand forces employed the 18-pounder Gun on Gallipoli and the Western Front.

Its calibre (84mm) and hence shell weight were greater than those of the equivalent field guns in French (75mm) and German (77mm) service.

The 18-pounder was a quick-firing horse-drawn field gun designed to be towed behind a limber and six horses. The gun barrel was wire bound nickel-steel with a single-motion screw breech with a cartridge extractor.

It fired a fixed round of shell and cartridge fixed together, which was known as “quick firing” in British terminology. The lower carriage comprised a single hollow steel trail fixed to the centre of the axle-tree. The limited traverse saddle supported the elevating mass and a shield.

Traverse controls were on the left and elevation on the right of the saddle. Recoil was by a hydraulic buffer with telescopic running-up springs to return the barrel to its firing position.

The limber was towed between the gun and horse team and carried 24 rounds of ammunition. Each gun was accompanied by a wagon and limber carrying the gun detachment (none were carried on the gun limber) and 48 and 28 rounds respectively.

In action the limbers were placed beside the guns and their steel bodies provided an extended shield to protect the detachments against small arms fire.

The towed weight of the gun and loaded limber was 40 cwt, the wagon and its limber were about 37 cwt.

Each battery also held a second wagon and limber per gun, giving first line ammunition stocks of 176 rounds per gun.

The first versions were introduced in 1904 and later versions remained in service with British forces until early 1942.

During the interwar period the 18-pounder formed the basis of early versions of the equally famous Ordnance QF 25 pounder, which would form the basis of the British artillery forces during and after World War II, in much the same fashion as the 18-pounder had during World War I.

The Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company is restoring a field gun and limber see – www.artilleryhistory.org/ad_18_pound_project.html