The M2 and upgraded M2A1 were 105mm towed howitzers that served well throughout WWII. In fact, more than 8500 of these workhorse field artillery pieces were produced during the course of the war. They served as the USA's standard light field howitzer, and one in five shells fired by the U.S. Army came from their muzzles. This weapon had a good reputation with soldiers thanks to its accuracy and hard-hitting punch. A typical infantry division had 54 such howitzers.

Dragon is pleased to announce its first ever kit of an American towed howitzer. The 1/35 scale Smart Kit features the M2A1, which appeared in 1941 with a modified breech. This kit is sure to be popular, with the weapon's widespread use in both the European and Pacific theaters by American troops.

The kit is a completely new tooling and is sold under the Smart Kit label. This means it goes together with minimum fuss and is easy to assemble. At the same time, superb engineering ensures there's no loss of accuracy or simplification of detail. The delicacy of the castings can be seen in elements like the hand wheels. The howitzer can be displayed in either travel or combat modes, and the aluminum gun barrel with fine rifling detail can be elevated at different angles. As a further bonus, the gun comes with four American crewmembers dressed in winter gear. This means the gun can immediately be displayed in action in a vignette - for example, in a Battle of the Bulge diorama.