M198 Howitzer Full Build Step By Step

This is one I have had sitting around for a few years. Quite an interesting looking model, a lot of parts, rubber wheels and a small sheet of photo-etch. Think I paid about £13 on sale. A lot of little pieces on this one took quite a bit of patience.

M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Late 1/35th by Trumpeter. In Box Complete Build.

M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Photoetch — M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Late 1/35th by Trumpeter. Photoetch And Rubber Wheels.

One thing I do like is the fact the pe is sandwiched between two pieces of tacky clear plastic. It means that when you cut pieces they don’t ping across the room. You can achieve this with tape, however, it’s just nice it has been made this way, to begin with.

M198 Howitzer Side View Of Gun Details — M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Gun Details With Photo-etch Fitted.

It seems that the main gun can be moveable but I decided to set it in position for painting. You can also set the model in 3 positions. Position 1. firing and positions 2 & 3 towing. Position 3 enables the gun to be completely strapped down. I assume the different towing configurations are to do with long-distance transport as opposed to transport during battle. I have opted for the more open looking transport configuration. This way you can still see the whole model but it takes up a bit less desk space.

M198 Howitzer stabilizing leg Completed — M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Late 1/35th by Trumpeter stabilizing leg Completed.

M198 Howitzer Second stabilizing leg Completed — M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Late 1/35th by Trumpeter Second stabilizing leg Completed.

M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Both Legs — Trumpeter 1/35th M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Both Towing Legs Ready To Be Connected To Base.

M198 Howitzer Base And Trail Legs — M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Late 1/35th by Trumpeter Base And Trail Legs
Attached.

M198 Fitted Together But Missing Wheels — M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Late 1/35th by Trumpeter fitted together and ready for painting.

This is one of the first models I’m playing around with the airbrush on. I gave it a black undercoat with a can of auto spray then tried out the AK interactive paint. This is still a learning process for me and I think I have thinned the AK paint out too much as it wouldn’t cover the black paint. So tried I Humbrol white to see what the coverage was like and seems to be fine so definitely, the AK paint is too thin. I did also use water to thin it so will see if that is also a problem, having read up it seems that it needs a specialist thinner. I might try and go with Tamiya paint.

M198 Undercoated In Matt Black — M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Late Undercoated in matt Black auto paint.

Thinned AK Interactive Paint Not Taking — AK Interactive Paint Thinned With Water Not Sticking To Black Undercoat On M198 Model.

So now I have given it a coat of Tamiya Desert Yellow XF-59, it came out a little dark for my liking but the undercoat has given a nice bit of depth. So back to the AF paint. I’m using number 122 which is the ODS OIF US colour. This time I mixed it with a little cellulose. Low and behold it worked perfect, a lot lighter and great definition. Hopefully should look good with a pin wash.

M198 Model Howitzer Painted With Tamiya Paint — Mixed Some Tamiya Desert Yellow With Flat White Thinned With Cellulose.

Now Painted With AK Interactive 122 — Gone Over The Tamiya Yellow With Ak Interactive US OIF ODS 122.

Painted Completely With AK Interactive Paint — Now That The AK Interactive Paint Has Been Thinned With Cellulose It is Taken To The Model Very Well.

One small problem is with all the airbrushing some of the holes on the photo-etched mesh have got blocked, once I have sprayed the first coat of gloss varnish I will get a little needle and poke them out.

Photo Etch Mesh Blocked With Paint M198 Model — So The Photo Etch Mesh On The Trumpeter Has Got Blocked With Paint, I Will Need To Get A Sewing Needle To Clean It Out.

Now The main colour is done I have painted in some of the details, just took a look at a couple of reference shots online. Finally, have joined the gun to the limber/base, now to connect the the transport barrel support and the last photo etch parts. Then a quick coat of gloss varnish and can start with the decals.

M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Detail Painting. — Painting In some Of The Detail On The !/35 Scale 198 Howitzer After The Base Coat Has Dried.

M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Gun And Base Connected. Need To Add The Barrel Support And Last Bit Of PE Before Gloss Varnish.

So now given it a coat of gloss varnish and applied all the decals and another coat of varnish over them. I think that all is left to do is the weathering then some matt varnish.

M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Late Painted First Coat Of Gloss Varnish And Decals Applied.

So I have applied gloss varnish over the top and done some weathering but I’m really not happy with the results after the matt varnish has gone. I have also fitted on the rear wheels and tyres. I have ordered some oil paints so will try a pin wash to bring out a little more of the detail. I also tried the matt varnish in a different airbrush. I will need to have a play around with it as the finish isn’t brilliant. So I will see what I can do to save it.

M198 Towed Howitzer Model Tyres And Rear Wheels Added — M198 Towed Howitzer This Should Be Finished But I’m Not Happy With The Weathering So Some More Work To Be Done.

So I have gone back over with a darker wash and it really has pulled some of that detail out. I just fear that is has made the model a little dark so may go over and do some highlights/dry brushing. I Also want to try out some pigment to see what they do to this one.

A Darker Pin Wash Over The M198 Towed Howitzer Model — So Tried Another Darker Wash On The Model To Bring Out Some Of The Detail.

I have also done a small bit of sanding and scratching in places, just to emphasize wear and tear. I have done through the black undercoat to the grey plastic. I think with the little bit of undercoat showing on the edges, it really gives it some depth.

M198 Model From Academy Darker Enamel Wash To Bring Out Some Details — So The Second Pin Wash And The Details Are Starting To Pop Out, I Have Also Added A Little Bit Of Wear To Some Of The Edges.

I’m not entirely happy with how dark the model has gone so I have got some white oil paint just to lighten it up. Then I have used a little white spirit to just thin out the paint to a level I want. I think it is starting to get back to a more realistic look and the weathering is looking more natural.

Howitzer Model Nearly Finished Been Lightened With Oil Paints — I Have Now Gone Over The Howitzer With White Oil Paint And White Spirit To Lighten It Up.

The last thing was to have a play with some pigment. This is something very new to me. I was just trying to make some shadows and dark areas, as well as get some sand into the tyre treads. All that is left to do is the reveal below.

Weathered And Painted Trumpeter M198 Howitzer — Finished The Scale Model Trumpeter M198 Howiter Painted In O.I.F Colour Scheme And Weathered.

Close Up Detail On M198 Howitzer Model Iraq War 2003 — Painted And Weathered Trumpeter 1/35th M198 Towed Howitzer

Finished Scale Model Of The U.S M198 Medium Towed Howitzer In Desert Camouflage — Front View Of The Completed Scale Model Howitzer Paint In Iraq War Colours

Scale Model M198 OIF Colour Scheme — This Is The Finished M198 Howiter Painted In The Operation Iraqi Freedom Paint Scheme

Weathering On Scale Model M198 Towed Howitzer — Front Of The Howitzer Showing The Detail And Weathering Including The Pigments on The Tyres.

Close Up Of The Details And Weathering On My Scale Model Howitzer — Details On The Body Work And Weathering On The M198 Howitzer’s Gun Carriage.

Details And Weathering Of The Rear Of The M198 Towed Howitzer — The Rear Wheels And Body Work On The M198 Howitzer Model

I have learnt quite a bit on this build. It was very enjoyable, however, the airbrushing problems were a real frustration. As was clogging the photo etch with paint. In the end, I didn’t poke all the pieces through. I did start but started splitting it, so left it as is. It’s all part of the learning process and overall it stands up as not a bad finished model at all.

BUY The M198 Medium Towed Howitzer Late 1/35th By Trumpeter HERE

Check out this little video I made to show off the details on this scale model kit.