I Love Kit 1/35 M53 155mm Self-Propelled Gun Plastic Model Kit

The M53 155 mm self propelled gun was designed to procure long-range fire support to allied positions while keeping pace with mechanized formations cross-country. It was adopted in 1952 for both the Army and Marine Corps, all made by Pacific Car & Foundry Company.

As the M55 was the same vehicle designed around a 155 mm howitzer, M53s were stadardized as M55s, but production stopped in 1956 and use mantained in Vietnam by the USMC until around 1969, but many more years with NATO countries such as Belgium and Turkey.

• This kit consists of over 850 parts
• Multi-directional slide moulded lower hull and turret
• Photo-etched parts included
• Model measures:
  • Length: 266.2mm   Width: 105.5mm   

US M53 155mm Self-propelled Howitzer, 1950s-60s.

In the late 1940s the US military tendered for a new postwar atomic era 155mm self-propelled gun capable of operating independently in areas contaminated by nuclear fallout for brief periods of time.

The Sherman-derived M40 155mm large-calibre artillery piece was mounted on a reversed and much-modified M46/M47 Patton tank chassis.

The sprocket wheel was at the front and idler wheel at the rear lowered to ground level.

Designated T97 and built by Pacific Car & Foundry, an 8in (203mm) variant was also specified, designated T108.

The T97/T108 were renamed M53/M55 respectively. A relatively large enclosed turret housing the crew of six was located at the rear with the driver's forward-facing gyroscopically-stabilised seat mounted front-left of the turret.

At the rear a recoil spade helped transmit the massive kickback to the ground. M53 production was from 1952 until 1955.

After 1956 most M53s were converted to M55 with the larger M47 howitzer. A total of 550 M53s and M55s were built.

They were incredibly powerful vehicles and saw service in Vietnam. M53/55s were replaced by open-top M107/M109/M110 types. 9 sprues, lower hull & turret. L: 266.2mm, W: 105.5mm, Total parts 850+. 1:35 scale plastic model kit from I Love Kit, requires paint and glue.

Key Specifications

• Scale: 1:35

Full Specifications