Essentially the same as SMEB/VK01 but with `disc' rather than `spoked' wheels.

The Douglas was light and reliable - a favourite with despatch riders.

The ubiquitus 'G.S. Wagon' criss-crossed from bases, depots and railheads over the entire British sector to the front - piled high with bales of hay for the mule lines at Avuley, spools of barbed wire, sand bags, duck boards and timber for revetment of the trenches. In all weathers, on all condtions of road, on pave, corduroy roads, (half logs or old sleepers), they trudged and rumbled with loads of .303 ammo and mills bombs, bully beef and hard tack, plum and apple jam - night and day supporting the troops.

Our kit has 69 castings plus etched details, transfers and written and illustrated instructions.

These wagons were used extensively for the despatch of messages back to headquarters during the conflict and were often horse-drawn. We will be adding mules to our range later this year for those who prefer them.

A motorised loft based on the 'B-type' London Bus is also under construction.

This kit requires SMBDH/PB1 or SMBDH/PB2 plus up to four extra pairs of lead horses from SMBDH/PC-SMBDH/PF2.

The man power required for the 'G.S.' Limber and its team of horses was a driver, (SMB17B/G), plus a postillion rider for each pair of lead horses, (SMB17/G to SMB17E/G of your choice).

The MK IV weighed 28 tons, was 26'5" long, 8'2" high and was 13'6" wide, (male), or 10'6" wide, (female). Power was provided by a Daimler 6 cylinder 105 bhp at 1,000 revs engine. The tracks were 20.5" wide. In total 2624 tanks saw war service: MKI, MKII and MKIII totalled 200, MKIV =1220, MKV = 400, MKV* = 579, MKV** = 25, the medium MK A Whippet = 200.

Plans were in hand for an amoured assault in 1919 using Anglo-American 37 ton MKVIII tanks supported by hundreds of MKIX transport/troop carriers, with massive air support, but it was not to be.

We have been greatly aided by the tank museum, Bovington camp, Dorset and particularly by the unstinting help of David Fletcher, the librarian and author of many books on the subject. A visit is well worth while.

This superb kit is great, 'diorama' material and is designed to display every stage of operation - barrel drawn back on its trail and hitched on the carriage limber - 'on the march'. The gun can be shown with the breech open or closed, or in the position of elevation or recoil. Six bag charges, fused shells, unfused shells, shell fuse caps, ram and sponge are all included as per illustration.

Gun, Limber, 6 Horses, 3 Gunners.

The British 9.45" MKI mortar was evolved in June 1916, on the model of the French 240mm mortar.

Drawings of the French mortar were borrowed by the British government in September 1915, and after only eight months, the British version was introduced.

The MKIII mortar, introduced in 1917 fired a 179 pound bomb a maximum of 2265 yards, (2070 metres).