1:35 Gun barrel 2A31 122 mm SP Howitzer 2S1 “Gvozdika” (for Zvezda)

The 122 mm 2A31 howitzer of the self-propelled 2S1 system

This replacement barrel in 1:35 scale from Pimp My Miniatures is intended for a model of the Soviet self-propelled howitzer 2S1 under the code name Gvozdika. The gun is among the most conspicuous elements of the whole machine and the plastic part from the kit tends to be the weakest spot of the finished build.

A carnation from Kharkov

The 2S1 system came about at the close of the 1960s at the Kharkov tractor plant and entered service at the start of the 1970s. The weapon itself carries the designation 2A31 and ballistically derives from a proven towed howitzer, with which it also shares its ammunition. The range with an ordinary high-explosive fragmentation shell exceeds fifteen kilometers. The chassis is a lengthened version of the well known armored personnel carrier and has seven road wheels on each side instead of six. The vehicle is fully amphibious, in the water it is driven by its tracks, and the width of the tracks could be changed to suit the ground. The howitzer became a standard part of the divisional artillery of the Warsaw Pact states and spread to dozens of armies.

Building tips

Before gluing, check whether the barrel sits crooked in its mounting, as on a long part a deviation is noticeable at first glance. Spray the surface thinly, so that the transition between the body of the weapon and the muzzle is not lost. Artillery machines tend to be markedly dusty in photographs, so do not spare the pigment on the lower surfaces and on the tracks.

Who the part suits

• builders of Eastern Bloc artillery equipment
• modelers who are not happy with the barrel out of the box
• those interested in the armament of the Warsaw Pact
• makers of dioramas with a firing position

You are buying only the weapon, and neither the howitzer as a whole nor painting materials are enclosed.