Minor Project - QF 13-Pdr Model, 05/11/18

Continuing the model the gun, there has been a significant amount of detail added to various parts of the gun further bringing it to life. Alongside this there have also been a number of continuous discoveries surrounding the weapon. One such fascinating fact that does not affect the way it is modelled is that the 13-pdr fired the first British shot of the war. With the 100th anniversary celebrating the end of the war coming up soon it makes it interesting that it was with this gun Britain made its debut but also ever more meaningful. In terms of the model detail was added to the trail pole, gun shield, barrel and front of the recoil tube. 

Model with added detail

As mentioned above the trail pole received additional details including a lever and catch for it to rest on. While there is far more mechanical detail on the lever epically around the base it has been simplified for ease of modelling. The wheels have received some detail giving the sense of a metal rim. The back of the gun is still yet to be modelled and so has collapsed but will be fixed soon enough. It is also this area that has added a significant amount of difficult with the process.

Model from behind

The ground spade has remained the same however I am not entirely sure what the lever is for, with the other details found on the gun I presume it helps to hold the gun in placed during firing. When the gun is packed the lever is thrown forwards and the hoop can be attached to a carriage of horses. 

Pole Trail with added lever and catch

With the modelling of the actual gun it became difficult to understand how the weapon worked from a mechanical standpoint. Due to the lack of information surrounding the weapon there was no real footage of it being fired with its full charge, instead with blanks that did not fully recoil the barrel. Luckily the QF 18-pdr functions on the same level being a larger version of the same gun and has garnished enough fame to have plenty of information and footage. I wanted to have a good idea of how the weapon worked as it was essentially one of the stars of the animation with a lot of focus and camera time on it. Difficult arose when understanding that the recoil tube was essentially a precisely machined jacket that surrounded the barrel. This meant that the model had to be well fitting to appear like it functioned properly. The recoil tube has also revieced a bumpy look to simulate the rope the was wrapped round it to reduce the damage done.

Modelled muzzle and recoil tube

Gun at the IWM, notice the white rope around the tube (although not easy to see due to lighting)

Examples of how the gun fits together can already be found around the front of the gun with guide rails on the barrel that would keep it parallel to the recoil tube. While frustrating at first to model it only represents the beginning of the mechanical challenge the gun provides. 

Rails guiding the barrel along the recoil tube

(The footage below is a QF 18-Pdr but is still invaluable as it shows how the gun is properly operated and how it works mechanically)