HäT's 1/72 10.5cm leichte Feldhaubitze 98/09
(plus Ottoman figures)

The 10.5cm Field Howitzer 98/09 was one of the most numerous and important guns in the arsenal of the German artillery during WW1, but is paradoxically unknown, at least if compared to it's brother, the 7.7cm FK 96 n.A. Field Gun.

In the organization of 1914 the Artillery Regiments consisted of two battalions, most of which were equipped with the 7.7cm Field Gun. (And each having 18 pieces.) In some Regiments, however, the second battalion was equipped with the 98/09 (again 18 pieces) and the idea was that each Army Corps should dispose one of these "mixed" regiments as an extra resource. At the outset of the war, the German Army was equipped with 1.260 of these Light Field Howitzers.

Like the 7.7cm Field Gun, the 10.5cm Field Howitzer 98/09 started out as an old type of gun with rigid carriage. In 1902 work started on modernizing the howitzer in the same manner, mating the old tube to a modern type of recoil mechanism and carriage. This work was completed in 1904, but it was not recommended to be accepted until 1909, thus the designation.

For more info on this gun, click here!

The kit, painted an built, as is:

Click on the pictures for an enlarged version!

It is in one sense logical that this important but paradoxically unknown gun should never have been kitted before - except for some VERY poor wargame models, that are best forgotten. Until now, that is, when HäT continues their impressive WW1 effort with this Ottoman Artillery set. It's a smart choice: the carriage can be used for two other types of German field Arty types, and it was used by the Ottoman Army as well - see the photo on the top, showing Ottoman Artillery at Gallipoli.

I will not review the figures that much (which contain not only crew members, but also two HMG Maxim 08 groups, a sniper, a volunteer grenade thrower boy and a German officer/advisor) other than stating that they are well sculpted, detailed and easily painted. And also that they lend themselves easily to conversion work: with new heads they could easily go for Germans.

The material is SOFT plastic. It's of a new kind that takes glue pretty well, but it's still hard to make paint stick, so once painted they have to be handled with care...

The gun itself comes in five parts: two wheels, carriage, shield and gun  tube. The basic shape is accurate, and so is the size. It IS simplified. (It is, like most of HäT's products, aimed at the Wargaming Market. I have no beef with that.) Obviously, if you want a modellers replica, it will need detailing. The good news is, that it is a very fine basis for such detailing work! In my book, a good kit is not one that is perfect, very few are, but one that lends itself to this kind of work. And this one does that, very well!

The kit has not been released yet, but when it will, you will be able to buy it from most well-stocked firms, including Hannants, Jadar and Tracks & Troops.
 

Well, the WW1 effort of HäT has really started to gather momentum now. This is the first of a series of WW1 guns to come. Like all HäT kits it is basic in shape, and cries out for detailing. But this detailing effort has a very nice base to start with. This kit comes highly recommended, provided you enjoy such work! I know I will get a load of them!