25-pdr done, but not dusted

[Michael Cecil]

It's been a while, but I've now got the 25-pdr to a near-complete stage. Just have to add the trail spike rack on the right side of the trail once the steel trail spikes come back from the machinist in a week or so, and complete an appropriate set of markings on the shield.

The barrel is the correct profile for an Australian Colonial Sugar Refiners (CSR) manufactured Mk.2, which Mark was not fitted with the Muzzle Brake, but included the thrust collars above and below on the barrel jacket.The absence of the Muzzle Brake also means the counterweight at the breech end is not present. The barrel was measured in Australia, drawn to scale in New Zealand, manufactured in England, and assembled to the model in the USA! My thanks to Alan B and Stephen W for their patience and assistance.

I added rivets along the sides and underside of the buffer & recuperator to simulate the riveting typical of most 25-pdrs, rather than leaving it bare like the later all-welded version.

Colour is the equivalent of the late-WW2 Australian jungle green. I refrained from adding disruptive camouflage, preferring to leave it overall green. Once the paint has 'off-gassed' for a couple of weeks, I will move it to the side-board in my office. It is certainly not up to the modeling standard of Dave D or Stephen W, but I only claim to be a novice, and on that basis, I think it has come together reasonably well.

Mike