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WW2 US 105mm Ammunition Crates
WW2 US 75mm Ammunition Crates
WW2 US Fragmentation Hand Grenade Crates

Kit #: 72101, 72102, 72103 Preview by Rob Haelterman

72101 WW2 US 105mm ammunition crates

This set represents four boxes used to store two 105mm rounds (for the M2 and M2A1 howitzer, M7 Bishop, or M4(105) and M4A3(105)).
Three boxes are closed; one is open (which you can't see in the pictures above as they open on the narrow side).
Dimensions according to Modeling the U.S. Army in WWII varied during the war, with long and short boxes being used. This set clearly doesn't represent short boxes, but at least two types of long boxes existed.
The first type of long boxes was 38-1/4 x 12-11/16 x 6-15/16 in, which translates to 13.5 x 4.5 x 2.4 mm in 1/72.
The second type of long box appeared in January 1944 and measured
37-1/4 x 12-1/8 x 7 in, which translates to 13.1 x 4.3 x 2.5 mm in 1/72.
The dimensions of the boxes in the set are 13.5 x 4.5 x 2.6 mm, which is close enough for me to represent the first type of box.

Casting quality is faultless, with nice detail all over and a very delicate wood grain texture.
The open box is only partially hollow, but deep enough to be convincing.
I feel that the steel banding should not have been recessed as it represented in the set, though.
Purists will want to create decals for the stencilling and add lifting ropes to the ends of the boxes.
(Note that these boxes were originally unpainted with black stenciling. In March 1943 boxes were ordered to be painted or stained brown with yellow stenciling but the requirement to color the boxes for artillery ammunition was dropped in September 1944.)

72102 WW2 US 75mm ammunition crates

This set represents four boxes used to store two 75mm rounds (for the Sherman, for instance).
Three boxes are closed; one is open. Tow lids are given for the open box and, if you look closely, you will see that they represents lis of two subtly different types.
Dimensions according to Marshall's Arsenal are 31 1/2 x 9 3/4" x 6 1/2 in, which translates to 11.1 x 3.4 x 2.3 mm in 1/72.

The dimensions of the boxes in the set are 10.5 x 3.7 x 2.6 mm, which is close enough for me.

Casting quality is good, with an occasional air bubble, with nice detail all over and a very delicate wood grain texture.
Purists will want to create decals for the stencilling and add lifting ropes to the ends of the boxes.

72103 WW2 US fragmentation hand grenade crates

This set represents four boxes used to store 25 Mk2 hand grenades. Three boxes are closed; one is open.
Dimensions according to International Military Antiques are 17 x 17 x 7 in, which translates to 6.0 x 6.0 x 2.5 mm in 1/72.
The dimensions of the boxes in the set are 6.4 x 6.8 x 2.7 mm, which is close enough for me.

Casting quality is faultless, with nice detail all over and a very delicate wood grain texture. Purists will want to create decals for the stencilling.
The interior of the open box is convincingly done and the walls are thin enough to be semi-translucent.
Unfortunately, the open box doesn't come with an (optional) load of grenade canisters, which I don't think are available in this scale yet.
Care will have to be taken to remove the lid from the casting block, though.

Preview sample kindly provided by AGN Modelworks.

This model can be purchased from Tracks & Troops

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Article Last Updated:
02 August 2019

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