M109 155mm L23 howitzer

The M109 was produced from 1963. This first version had a 155mm M126 howitzer with 23 caliber lengths in an M127 craddle.
The combat load was twenty-eight 155mm shells. For close-in defense she was armed with a .50cal M2HB machine gun with 500 rounds of ammunition.
With the short barrel and double muzzle brakes with a large smoke extractor just behind it, it was easy to spot.
The maximum firing range was 14,600 meters.
The M109 experienced its baptism of fire in the Vietnam War. the U.S. Army used the howitzer for fire support of their own and allied troops.
When in May 1966 the 1st Field Regiment Royal Australian Artillery moved to Vietnam as part of the Australian Task Force, considerations came up to increase the firepower of this unit.
As a solution, some M109s were "loaned" to the Australians.
A US M109 medium battery (Battery A, 2/35 US Artillery) was placed under the command of Captain Glen Eure of the RAA in July 1966.
These were used with great success in this theater of war.
The Austrian Armed Forces also used the M109 L23 from 1970 - in a modernized version it still forms the backbone of the Austrian artillery troop today.

Plastic model kit for building a M109 in the basic version
 

• including metal barrel and working suspension
• Decals for the US Army in Vietnam, Australia in Vietnam and the Austrian Armed Forces

1:35 scale

unbuilt / unpainted