Ostmodels 1/76 7.5cm Gebirgskanone M.15

Perhaps the best mountain guns used by any country during WW1 was the Austro-Hungarian 7.5cm Gebirgskanone M.15 (made by Skoda). The Austro-Hungarian Army was quite pleased with the M15. 

The soundness of the design is proved by the fact, that it was kept in production well into the 1930-ies, equipping not only the Armies of Austria and Hungary - of course - but also those of Czechoslovakia and Italy, and other countries as well. It was used in the early years of WW2 as well, and even after WW2 by the Italian Army. The German Army also aquired the M15 during WW1, using it as a Infantry Gun in close support. 

For more info on this gun, including photos of surviving museum pieces, click here.  

Ostmodels market a 1/76 scale kit of this gun. It is cast in the light grey resin typical of Ostmodels, and, also typical of Ostmodels, it comes with it's share of falsh and some air-bubbles. But these fault are generally easy to rectify.  

Note however, that like many other gun kits, this one also lack some crucial parts, like elevating and traverse wheels, and the dial sight (my pet peeve). These are, however, easily added by yourself. One really tricky bit is the wheels, that should be simple spoked wooden wheels, so you will have to find a substitute, which should be easy, at least if your spares-box, like mine, contains quite a number of White Metal spoke wheels from different wargaming artillery pieces, bought in anticipation and then discarded in disappointment and disgust... 

I only have one gripe, and that's I think that it's underscale. At least the carriage is a bit too short, and my impression is, that the shield is a bit too small as well. 

The Ostmodels kit portrays the version of the gun used by the Italians in WW2.

There is a lot of detail work to be done, but that can be said about most smallscale Arty kits out there on the market today! But the too short carriage is really problematic, as there is no easy fix for that problem. And that forces me to give the kit only two stars...