ain't it the way!

[Loose nut]

I have been building a 1/6 scale model of a WW1 18 PDR artillery piece (single cylinder,single stroke engine with a disposable piston) and for the last five or six years have been looking for a full sized example to take detailed photos of, without any luck. There are few examples left here in Canada, most were shot out and after the war were scrapped, a few survive in museums, and they won't help at all.

Today a friend and I were at a local antique farm equipment and steam show and wouldn't you know there right in front of me was the elusive 18 PDR and me without my camera.

Quick as I could I drove the 45 miles home and back, it was now pouring rain of course and when I returned the piece was gone. I quickly looked all over to try and find it but soon gave up and headed out when I looked into a building and saw it sitting there, the owner didn't want it out in the rain.
It has been nicely restored and I took 109 close up pictures which will give me a lot of detail for the model.

Some times things do go right.

 

[Brass_Machine]

;D great find! Did you talk to the owner at all? Any history of the piece?

Eric

 

[Loose nut]

I talked to him for quite awhile, he restored the weapon, the wheels were gone and had to be rebuilt, and he has replaced damaged and missing parts with original equipment.

The previous owner had it for 40 years and before that it sat in front of a Legion hall, no history before that other than it was made in 1906. It's actually a 18 PDR mark 1 (modified).

He also has two 25 PDR's, a 2 PDR anti-tank gun and a 40mm anti-aircraft gun, all restored plus a lot of small arms, a Thompson, lewis gun, sten, smle's, M1917 .30 cal machine gun and a M2 .50 cal machine gun all deactivated.

I asked him if he let people into see it but he doesn't want visitors.

 

[marchof73]

I have been building a 1/6 scale model of a WW1 18 PDR artillery piece (single cylinder,single stroke engine with a disposable piston) and for the last five or six years have been looking for a full sized example to take detailed photos of, without any luck.

Have you tried the Museum of Artillery At Woolwich Outside of London.
They have the guns and also a vast collection of related documents
The last time I was there the access to documentation was excellent,and I believe they have a good retrieval service for foreign nationals ,if you know what to ask for-
Hope this helps
Ian

 

[joe d]

Loose nut

The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa has at least one of the 18 pdrs on display in the lower floor artillery/vehicles area. They didn't fuss at me at all about taking photos. I suspect that if you spoke with the on-duty curator (as opposed to the rent-a-cop security guys that circulate on the floor) permission would be forth-coming to take measurements, they seem to be really user-friendly since they moved to their new location. Just in case you need more.....

Cheers, Joe

 

[Loose nut]

I thought about contacting them but I think that I now have most of the info I need to finish drawing up the plans for it. Some museums don't want to help much unless they can make a buck off of it . Pretty sure the artillery museum at CFB Shilo, Manitoba has one but they didn't forward any help.

P.S. This guy also has 2 25 PDR's (WW 2) and a 40 MM Bofors AA gun all restored along with an impressive small arms collection but he won't show it to any one because he's afraid the wrong people might find it. I not sure if he means the police or the criminals.