Russian 76.2mm Field Gun m.1900/O2P

Kit # 72257

This light field gun can be modeled in service with the Russian Army of World War 1, with the Red Army during the revolution, with the Finnish Army during the Winter War and the Continuation War, with the Polish Army in 1939 (recalibered to 75-mm) (*), and with the Romanian Army during WW2 as the 75-m model 1902/36. The weapon was a design common to it’s time with a recoil system under the barrel and a single trail, comparable to the French 75-mm M1897 and Krupp FK96. The gun and its limber came with wood spoke wheels and was horse drawn.

The above high quality box art shows the camouflage color, the top of the shield folded down, and the short L30 gun barrel (when compared to the later model 1902/30 with an L40 gun barrel). ACE’s gun designation puzzles me as all my references refer to this weapon as the m1902, not the m1900/02P. The ‘P’ likely stands for the manufacturer: Pulitov.
The exploded-view kit instructions are adequate in explaining assembly of the limber and the gun. There are no decal markings included. Painting is a monochromatic khaki/olive green. This kit is almost the same as ACE’s kit #72252, the m1902/30 field gun except for a few parts.
The kit parts come on three small sprues of hard, light gray polystyrene plastic. One sprue has parts for the gun limber which is the same as in ACE kits #72252 and #72265 and which is not shown here. The sprue at the top shows the gun barrel in the center, two trail parts at top right and left, and the gun shield parts in the top center. The bottom sprue has the 76.2-mm ammunition at the bottom, the various small gun laying and suspension parts.
Overall detail of the parts is good and reflects the quality of other ACE kits. Due to the limited run molding there can be significant flash on some parts. Some parts will need thinning and sanding off seam lines. The gun muzzle should be drilled out. I commend ACE for releasing models of important artillery such as this.

(*) Info from Grzegorz Mazurowski

Article Last Updated: 21 July 2009