1/72 12-pdr 3"/45 (76.2 cm) 20cwt Gun 45º

1/72 Scale Royal Navy 12-pdr 3"/45 (76.2 cm) 20cwt Gun set at 45º elevation
Highly detailed gun modelled from plans and many reference photographs.

Detail Includes:

• Accurate Training and Elevation Gear
• Barrel printed separately
• Accurate Breech loading mechanism
• Non slip pattern on Footplates
• Riveting and Hex nuts
• Gun set at 45º elevation, other elevations can be requested.

12-pdr 3"/45 (76.2 cm) 20cwt Gun
Britain's first designed-for-the-purpose AAA weapon. Developed under Royal Navy sponsorship just prior to World War I, this gun was widely used by both the Navy and the Army and was employed to protect many British cities during that conflict. First mounted afloat on HMS Iron Duke and subsequently used on most major warships and on some submarines. Replaced in the 1920s by the 4"/45 (10.2 cm) Mark V on larger warships.

During World War II this weapon was used on many destroyers in place of a set of torpedo tubes as well as on small warships and submarines.

The Mark I consisted of A tube, full length wire, jacket, breech ring, and a vertical sliding breech-block with semi-automatic action. Mark I* had different rifling. Mark IB had loose liner, full-length jacket and a removable breech ring. Mark IC was similar to IB but differed in details of the loose liner. Mark IC* was given to four guns with a muzzle bush instead of a loose liner sealing ring. There was apparently no Mark ID. Mark IE had a monobloc barrel and a screwed and shrunk breech ring. Mark SIE was a Mark IE but with the semi-automatic fittings removed, a balance weight added, a slightly different chamber and some parts were made from stainless steel, probably to allow its use on submarines. Mark II had different breech ring lugs for mounting purposes and no semi-automatic gear. Mark III was an emergency First World War design with parallel screw breech block and a two motion breech mechanism. Mark IV was similar to the Mark III but used a Welin block with an Asbury breech mechanism. Mark IVA was given to two Mark IV guns converted to use a loose liner. All marks fired fixed ammunition.

The Navy had a total of 596 Mark I, 198 Mark II, 44 Mark III and 144 Mark IV in service. Of these, 553 Mark I, 186 Mark II, 27 Mark III and 111 Mark IV remained as of September 1939.

Cleaning Information
Some part cleanup will be necessary. The 3D printing process uses a waxy substance to support certain part features during the printing process. Although the parts are cleaned by Shapeways, some waxy residue may remain.  It can be safely removed with water and a mild aqueous detergent like "Simple Green" using an old, soft toothbrush, Q-tips or pipe cleaners. During the printing process, liquid resin is cured by ultraviolet light. Microscopic bits of resin may remain uncured.

Let your parts sit in direct sunlight for a few hours to fully cure the resin.  
Water-based acrylic paints meant for plastics is strongly recommended. Other paints, especially enamels, may not cure on Frosted Detail 3D-printed plastics.
Use dedicated model sprue cutters to remove parts to minimise the risk of damage to parts.
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