Artillery & Air Defence…

Tracked Rapier

L-118 Light Towed Gun

BAeDynamics Tracked Rapier Tracked Rapier was originally developed in the late 1970s for the Shah of Iran, but adopted by the British Army following the Iranian Revolution. Unlike the more common towed Rapier systems, this version can be ready to fire within 30 seconds of stopping, making it an ideal air defence companion for fast advancing heavy armour. It was retired from British service at the end of the Cold War, but then several units were re-instated for the first Gulf War. The launcher and its support systems sit on an M548 tracked carrier, a variant of the ubiquitous US M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier. Although towed Rapier saw intense combat during the 1982 Falklands conflict, the tracked version has never (yet) been fired in anger. This is a Cromwell 1/72 resin kit.

Royal Ordnance L118 Light Towed Gun

The L118 has been in UK service since the 1970s and uses similar ammunition to the Abbot SPG. When first introduced it was towed by the FC 101 Land Rover and was air-transportable beneath a Wessex or Sea King helicopter. Since 2002, a touchscreen controlled gun laying system has been fitted, that uses GPS and ring laser gyros to aim the gun accurately. L118s and the slightly different US L119 are in use with 23 nations plus India, who have produced their own variant based on the Abbot SPG. This is the JB Models 1/76 kit of the gun and the FC 101 Land Rover. Return to Artillery & Air Defence page Return to British Cold War page Return to Dark Side AFVs index page Return to Gengriz Modelling Index Page