index_German 7.6cm Minenwerfer

The Kit:
This is another product from Scale Link. Very nicely cast in pewter, this 1/32nd scale kit was a joy to build. The castings were very nicely done and required only the minimal amount of filing and sanding to clean the minor mold parting lines. The detail present is well depicted, and my subject here is built mostly straight from the box. The two adjustment wheels are made of photo etched brass and these were provided in the kit.
A very enjoyable kit to build of the standard German Light Mortar of World War I.

The Details:
I did replace the kit's lanyard and firing mechanism with twisted sewing thread dipped in white glue and attached to a photo etched part from Aber. The ammo boxes and the four bombs were provided in the kit. The weapon's carriage (not shown) was also included in the kit, but I had opted early on in the construction of this subject not to show the weapon mounted on the carriage. There was also a small amount of drilling with a pin vise required to open up the various eyebolts found on the baseplate.

The Figure:
Is also a 1/32nd scale product of Scale Link. Cast in pewter as well, this was a really enjoyable figure to build with only minor filing and fine sanding of the parting lines and also around the shoulder joints once the arms were attached. There were a few very small pits and these were filled with a drop of super glue and sanded smooth. He consists of four parts and was assembled by using a two-part adhesive epoxy.

The Base and Groundwork:
The base is made from scrap wood (pine) and is cut to 3-1/2 inches in diameter. The edge routing was done by a Dremel Tool routing bit. The wood was sealed with multiple coats of Polyurethane.

The groundwork is my usual mix of Sculptamold mixed with water (25%) and white glue (75%). Once the Sculptamold had cured, I primed the groundwork with an earth tone acrylic paint, and after that paint had dried, I lightly coated the surface with diluted white glue and then sprinkled dirt from my yard, sifted through a nylon stocking for the ground covering. I also added a touch of Verlinden Static Grass patches. Various earth tone shades of acrylics were then used to paint the groundwork. I used Bragdon Enterprises pastel weathering chalks for the final shading.

Painting, Weathering and Finishing:
PollyScale and Model Master Acrylic paints were used throughout as well as a small amount of Testors Enamels to complete this project. Washes were applied with Winsor and Newton Oils thinned with Loew-Cornell Odorless Brush Cleaner and Thinner.

Weathering was achieved by dry-brushing with various shades of gray acrylic paints, also adding a touch of Berol Prismacolor colored artist pencils in shades of gray and silver.

PollyScale Acrylic Flat Coat was then applied to the overall subject prior to removing the masking tape that protected the wood from any paint over spray. I then applied a light dusting of Bragdon Enterprises pastel weathering chalks to finalize the weathering of the model.

The nameplate is made from .005 thick x 1/2 inch wide K&S Engineering brass stock that was buffed up with a fine steel wool. The numerals and letters are dry transfer lettering from Letraset, and were applied with a burnishing tool. Once the lettering was in place, I airbrushed Future Floor Wax straight from the bottle over the dry transfers as this will keep the brass from tarnishing and will also protect the letters from damage during handling.

Actual Data:
Ammo Types: High Explosive, Gas.
Crew: 4 + 2
Weight: 100 kilograms (221 pounds).
Elevation: 45° to 74°.
Traverse: Normal firing was approximately +/- 45° from the centerline forward. The turntable was capable of a full 360° traverse.
Rate of Fire: 20 Rounds per minute.
Range: 300 to 1,300 meters (328 to 1,422 yards) with up to five powder charges.

General Info:
Also developed as a light artillery piece, the 7.6mm Light Minenwerfer was initially transported on a carriage, and this combination was pulled by either horse or vehicle. This weapon could also be dismounted from the carriage and placed on the ground to fire. This ground firing method providing for a much more stable firing platform and afforded a slight increase in maximum range. Later on as the war settled into static trench warfare, the weapon was more commonly set up as shown and used in the high arc firing mode. Eventually discarding the carriage as a means of transport, the weapon would then be transported by three of the crew simply by adding the carriage wheels to the axle on the baseplate and securing shoulder straps between the weapon' baseplate and the three crew members and then man-pulled from position to position.

Each Minenwerfer Company was assigned two 7.6cm mortars. There was one Minenwerfer Company per each Infantry Regiment.

References:
"World War I Trench Warfare (2)" - Dr. Stephen Bull and Adam Hook, Osprey Elite Series.
"German Stormtrooper 1914-1918" - Ian Drury and Gerry Embleton, Osprey Warrior Series.

Unless otherwise specified, all models built, painted, photographed and are owned by the author.
Mortars in Miniature, Created and Maintained by Kevin Robert Keefe, Copyright © 2001 - 2008.
All Rights Reserved.

	German 7.6cm Leichte Minenwerfer Comments, suggestions, additional info?