NOTE: Tiger Model Designs has reported that they will re-master this set in the immediate future to represent the correct configuration.  Contact TMD for information.


This set from TMD is meant as a companion to their new M10 ammunition trailer.  It represents a “standard” load of three-round 105mm cartridge bundles and associated dunnage taken from a diagram in the trailer’s technical manual.

In 1935 the US Army began bundling 75mm and 3-inch cartridges to improve handling over the heavier wooden boxes.  Bundling of 105mm ammo started in 1941 and continued until 1944 when two round wooden boxes were re-introduced because the bundles were too heavy and bare fiber tubes were not able to protect the shells on their own.  Because of the huge amount of materiel in the logistic pipeline this packaging configuration would be seen throughout World War II and into Korea.

In the bundle, individual cartridges were packed inside asphalt impregnated paper tubes with metal ends.  Each tube was sealed with a strip of tape color coded to indicate the ammunition type.  Three tubes were held together by lobed, pressed metal endcaps called “cloverleafs” because of their shape.  A threaded rod ran between the tubes and clamped the cloverleafs together with wing nuts.  Finally, a triangular wooden crate was built over the bundle for overseas shipment.  The crate would normally be removed at the overseas port and the bundle broken down when the ammunition was issued by a depot.  (See illustration.)

The model pieces are all resin and include six sprues of three bundles (54 total cartridges) and three sprues of wood dunnage.  It also includes a single sheet of instructions with assembly, painting, and reference information along with the diagram from the TM.

The tubes are well molded and have nice detail on the metal ends but there is some "webbing" around the binding straps.  Also, the joint between adjacent tubes is ragged.  It looks like the master was made of three tubes and the RTV flowed between them, tearing on removal or leaving a hair thin web that won’t mold parts cleanly.  The dunnage blocks have amazing detail reproduction; unfortunately it’s the detail of 1:1 balsa and basswood.  

All of this is really moot because the set has a fatal problem: it doesn’t accurately portray how 105mm ammunition was packaged during WW II.  

This set has three tubes wrapped together with two steel banding straps rather than with the cloverleaf/rod arrangement.  Perhaps TMD has some information on this configuration but I can’t find any reference to this arrangement being used by the US during the war.  Additionally, the dunnage looks exactly like what it is -  1:1 wood blocks and sheets - rather than fillers and spacers that were to be locally made from “lumber, discarded wood frames, or boxes” according to the TM.

This is a good idea for an accessory but it just wasn’t executed properly.  The configuration problem just kills this set for me.  Nevertheless, I still gave it one star because it’s useable for those who want something – anything – to put in their trailer.