"I'm the man who was worth 3 billion !"
The best self-propelled gun of its time! The first prototype came out in 1972, managed by an innovative automation system based on on-board electronics. At the time, the semi-automatic loading system enabled a "normal" rate of fire of 6 shots in 2 minutes.
The development of the self-firing cartridge case and the automatic loading system gave the AUF1 an ability to fire in NBC atmospheres that was virtually unique in the world.
After the production of six prototypes, a pre-series of six machines was released for testing in 1979. From then on, France possessed an artillery system without equal anywhere in the world, and one that would later be widely copied. But the system was expensive, costing 3 billion francs each at the time, hence the joke of the time: "The man who was worth an AUF1".
Firepower is impressive: thanks to the ATLAS (Automatisation des Tirs et des Liaisons de l'Artillerie Sol-sol) computerized fire control system, which replaced the ATILA system in 2004, the thirty-two guns of an artillery regiment (four batteries of two firing sections of four guns each) can be brought into battery in a minimum of 2 to 3 minutes. At command, the initial firing begins with a burst of 6 rounds/piece in 45 seconds; during this time, the regiment will have fired 192 shells with an average weight of 43.5 kg, i.e. a total of 8.2 tons on the surface of a crossroads at a distance of 23.5 km. By the time the first shell reaches the target, the last has already been fired, and the guns have already begun to leave the battery front.
A 12.7mm machine gun completes the turret armament.
The gun is based on the AMX 30 chassis (AMX 32 for Africa and the Middle East) and has a crew of four: 1 gun leader, 1 aimer, 1 radio loader and 1 pilot. Weight is 43T.
France sold parts to Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war in 1988. Something the Americans reproached us for in 1991 (which is frankly laughable when you consider the arms sales supplied to the whole world by the USA). By the way, in 1991, they were very lucky that most of the Iraqi army's officers were in disarray, because a single battery could have done a lot of damage, especially to the supply columns stretching endlessly across the desert...
THE MODEL
Major assembly problems with HELLER models in general. The kit is showing its age, particularly when it comes to assembling the running gear... It should be noted that the model has been re-released in recent years with a photoetched kit and lead parts. Meng recently released an excellent kit in the same scale...
The first five photos show a model whose turret interior and engine, as well as many of the details missing from the kit, have been scratchbuilt some twenty years ago.
The following diorama was inspired by photos of equipment abandoned by the dozens in Iraq in 2003 on a vast plot of land... whose surfaces the G.I.s had fun "tagging"... Incidentally, I don't know the place or town where these pieces are stored, so if anyone has any information...
This interesting, if not very aerodynamic, vehicle - but let's not forget that it's an artillery piece and not a tank - deserved to be showcased. What's more, models of French armored vehicles are in short supply... When will we see an AMX10 or ACMAT in plastic sprue rather than overpriced resin???
Both kits are completely re-detailed, especially the bodies, which are AMX 32 bases recognizable by their side protectors...
The turrets are not to be outdone, as everything had to be fitted - opening the doors, fitting a new hood grille - as these parts are entirely empty - and cutting out the turret and body for the second to house an engine... A multitude of parts are missing - or are too crude - at all levels on the whole tank, so we have to manufacture...
