Archer self-propelled anti-tank gun by Rik Thistle - FINISHED - Tamiya 1:35 - 1945

[Rik Thistle]

Hi all,

 

Here is the introduction to my build of the Tamiya 1:35 scale Archer vehicle.

 

 First some box artwork.

 

The version I will build is centred on the 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, which used the Archer in North-West Europe early 1945. There is also available in the kit, markings for a 7th Anti-Tank Regiment Polish II Corps, active in Italy early 1945.  I expect I will build a scenario/diorama around the Archer.

 

The contents of the box.

 

The Canadian markings.

 

Strangely enough, the Tamiya blurb inside the box says the Archer was used by the 1st Canadian Infantry Division's 3rd Anti-tank Regiment....rather than the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division's 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment? Any thoughts anyone?

 

Over the past couple of weeks I have also built 5 British Infantry figures...I'll try to use them in any scenario I come up with plus, perhaps, some German road signs (probably made by MiniArt).

 

So I'm now off to do a bit of reading up/research on what part of the Canadian forces using the Archer were active in North West Europe 1945, and where and what they were doing. Andy (realworkingsailor) on MSW had already provided some references during my Churchill tank build.

 

Back soon'ish,

 

Richard

 

[ccoyle]

Ha! Take that, all you Wespes and StuGs!

[realworkingsailor]

1 hour ago, Rik Thistle said:

 

Strangely enough, the Tamiya blurb inside the box says the Archer was used by the 1st Canadian Infantry Division's 3rd Anti-tank Regiment....rather than the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division's 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment? Any thoughts anyone?

 

Over the past couple of weeks I have also built 5 British Infantry figures...I'll try to use them in any scenario I come up with plus, perhaps, some German road signs (probably made by MiniArt).

 

 

Regarding the 2nd or 3rd Anti-tank, it’s possible that an earlier issue of the kit contained markings for the latter, they just neglected to update that part of the instructions.

 

And just to note regarding your figures, the Canadian uniforms, while they followed the same pattern as the British ones, the material was more of a greenish colour. If you do a couple of google searches for Canadian or British battledress there are lots of colour photo examples.

Anyway, can’t wait to see this build!

 

Andy

[Rik Thistle]

Chris,

 

I confess I had to Google Wespes and StuGs! but now I get it...17 Lbs of visitor incoming.

 

Andy,

 

2nd and 3rd....yes, a typo is most likely. Just had a re-read of your Churchill links - very useful. But the downloadable .pdfs do take a while - however , I'm not going anywhere so time is not an issue.

 

I kinda guessed the British Army uniform colours may have been different from the Canadian ones. But I'll figure out a way how their paths crossed in the Archer scenario 😉

 

Richard

 

[realworkingsailor]

29 minutes ago, Rik Thistle said:

 

Andy,

 

2nd and 3rd....yes, a typo is most likely. Just had a re-read of your Churchill links - very useful. But the downloadable .pdfs do take a while - however , I'm not going anywhere so time is not an issue.

 

I kinda guessed the British Army uniform colours may have been different from the Canadian ones. But I'll figure out a way how their paths crossed in the Archer scenario 😉

 

Richard

 

From what I’ve been able to dig up, the 3rd Anti Tank didn’t receive their Archers until much later in the War. Photos of them after D-day show them using American M-10s or Universal (Bren) Carriers towing 6 pounders.

As for when they may have crossed paths, the most plausible would be Operation Totalize, Aug 7 - 10 1944. In that operation 2nd Can Infantry Div And British 51st H Infantry Div broke out over Verrieres ridge along the Caen-Falaise highway.

 

And from the looks of it, Tamiya really botched the instructions as 2nd Anti Tank RCA was attached to 2nd Can Infantry Div, not 3rd. So far all that means that the Division identifier on the Archer should be a gold maple leaf on a blue background as opposed to a gold maple leaf on a grey background.

 

Andy

Edited February 2 by realworkingsailor

[Rik Thistle]

Andy,

 

the most plausible would be Operation Totalize, Aug 7 - 10 1944.

 

I'll have a read up on period. And what happened thereafter whilst I assemble the Archer.

 

It might be that my scenario/diorama is just the Canadian and British soldiers having a brew-up near the end of the war. Mind you, the Tamiya supplied figures look like they are in the middle of sending out some shells...so the brew-up would have to wait.

 

Richard.

 

[ccoyle]

2 hours ago, Rik Thistle said:

17 Lbs of visitor incoming

 

Exactly! The Germans weren't the only ones who could field effective self-propelled anti-tank guns.

[Rik Thistle]

Firstly, and as usual, thank you for the feedback and likes.

 

Now a brief update on the Archer hull, wheels and tracks.

 

Below - The build starts off quietly with fitting a seat and some end plates.

I had painted all the sprues primer matt black, knowing I'd probably have to scrape the paint away from mating glued surfaces. I think it's a 50:50 decision whether to wait till the sub-assemblies are ready before priming, or priming the bare sprues. I did wash the bare sprues in warm soapy water first.

 

Some more interior panels and bulkheads being fitted, plus the shell racks.

 

Now getting on to the slightly more tricky (for me) stuff...the suspension and wheels. Apart from the sprocket wheel at one end and a metal wheel at the other end, the middle wheels all have black rubber 'tyres'...in the kit there are no separate tyres....I just need to paint the wheel perimeters black to simulate tyres.

 

Another pic of the suspension and wheels.

 

Now the that the undercarriage is done, next is the tracks.

 

The tracks are a bit fiddly - made of numerous single links, small groups of links and two long lengths of links. A middle guide runner, one each side of the hull, has a single locating pin on it.....a specific locating hole on the top long length of track fits onto the that pin.

 

Below - the instructions showing how the single links wrap around the end wheels.

 

Finally, the tracks are completed. I gave them a base coat of silver paint, then filled in the gaps with some mahogany brown paint and then later went back over the outer part of the tracks with gunmetal grey paint.  Also, earlier, I had started laying some dark green paint onto the hull surfaces. I'm only using Acrylic paint.

 

I haven't recently thought too much about the final scenario/diorama, although incorporating a Bailey Bridge in to the layout was investigated.

 

However, the bridge will be quite long so that will make the footprint of the layout a bit on the big side. On the other hand, Bailey Bridges did have walkways to their side for infantry to use...so it might be possible that the British Army figures I have could be passing in one direction whilst the Archer moves in the other. Thing is, the Archer crew are in the act of firing and I doubt they would draw enemy fire on to a vital piece of equipment such as a Bailey Bridge. Still thinking.

 

All for now,

 

Richard

[Rik Thistle]

Hi all,

 

Some more build pictures etc on the Archer self propelled gun.

 

There are a lot of parts to it, much more than the Tamaya Churchill tank, so I'm only posting pics of significant stages.

 

Below, shows how the Upper Hull is fitted, plus some of the hull parts.

 

The paint is mostly drab olive, applied with brushes. I've started adding a bit of weathering but lots more to come.

 

Below, some of the internal fittings installed eg moveable gun mount, seats etc. I'm not sure if the seats would have had padded brown leather upholstery, or just be plain sheet steel. But to add a bit of colour contrast I've given the crew the the benefit of brown upholstery, and added some shiny (worn) metal highlights.

 

Another pic of the above, from a different angle. The change of colour is due to me using the Flash on my phone, or not.

 

A good look inside an actual Archer is available here....  'Inside the Chieftain's Hatch: 17PR SPM Archer, Pt 2'

Above - As you can see, everything has been painted drab olive green. This may have been part of a 'refresh' for the museum, but I suspect the paint job isn't that different from what was used in WWII.

 

Talking of paint, I have moved away from the AK Interactive 'wet palette' to a small mixing dish. The palette was prone to the colours running in to each other if moved....otherwise, it's still a useful tool.

 

Now preparing the Fighting Compartment sides for fitting to the hull. The shells should be a shiny brass colour, but the closest I had was a dark yellow.

 

Instructions on how to attach the sides.

 

And now it is beginning to look a bit more like a self-propelled gun.

 

And a final pic from above.

 

I still haven't figured out a compact scenario for this Canadian Archer.... but there are a couple of wartime pictures here that might give me some inspiration.... https://tank-afv.com/ww2/gb/Archer_17pdr_SPG.php ie ...in amongst a few comrades and some supplies - 'The Archer conducting fire support. Goch, Febuary 1945.' and in a treeline - 'An Archer near Nutterden, 9 February 1945'. 

 

Any other suggestions gladly received.

 

Well, that's it for this week, back soon,

 

Richard

[realworkingsailor]

How about this:

 

 

Lots of interesting pictures of QF 17 pounder guns here, including numerous pictures of Archers: https://www.silverhawkauthor.com/post/17-pounder-qf-anti-tank-gun

 

Andy

[Rik Thistle]

Andy,

 

That's a good picture and I have seen it. It tells a reasonably peaceful story.

 

The slight issue with the Tamya Archer is that the three man crew are in the middle of firing off shells. I have toyed with maybe re-modelling them in to more passive positions but that could be a hassle.

 

So I need to come up with a scenario where the Archer is engaging the enemy, but with some kind of side story(s) and in an interesting setting.

 

I do have some 'brick wall' left over from the Churchill build, and Tamiya's Oil Drum and Jerry Can kit. ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tamiya-35026-Jerry-Cans-Scale/dp/B000WNCDLO )  And a decent amount of hedge material, grass etc. Also,  I have a thought about getting some model critters that one would see in the countryside.

 

Anyway, plenty time to get my head round this, but any further thoughts....then keep 'em coming.

 

Thanks,

 

Richard

[Egilman]

On 2/9/2024 at 10:28 AM, Rik Thistle said:

.... although incorporating a Bailey Bridge in to the layout was investigated.

 

However, the bridge will be quite long so that will make the footprint of the layout a bit on the big side. On the other hand, Bailey Bridges did have walkways to their side for infantry to use...so it might be possible that the British Army figures I have could be passing in one direction whilst the Archer moves in the other. Thing is, the Archer crew are in the act of firing and I doubt they would draw enemy fire on to a vital piece of equipment such as a Bailey Bridge. Still thinking.

Bronco makes two versions of the Bailey Bridge, A single/triple three bay, (kit # CB-35012) British style and a double/double three bay, (Kit # CB-35055) American style... The British style was a bit different in the details, and although the parts were built according to the same plans, they could not be intermixed... Something about manufacturing standards... The British built theirs to very exacting standards and the American's built theirs to a bit looser mass production standards... the two couldn't mix parts...

 

The Canadian Army used British issue baily bridges.... (although most wouldn't know the differences)

 

Both kits build a fairly decent Baily Bridge, The Kits are for small versions of two distinct types of baily bridge and can be combined to produce larger types if one would want to... But one thing is true, they are expansive to say the least... 

 

Each bay is the equivalent of 10 feet, 3 bays 30' for the bridge proper with two on/off ramps for the approaches, which in real life were 20' (the kit represents this configuration) So, each kit represents 70' of bridge, ie. 24" in 1/35th scale... 

 

Like I said, expansive...  There are a number of Bailey Bridge dioramas out there, usually partial bridges... Since the standard Bailey Bridge was a class 40 bridge, the largest (read heaviest) object you can place on a standard bridge is a Sherman tank or equivalent, (35tons) and only one at that... Bailey Bridges were usually usage limited to one vehicle at a time as well.... There were several instances of Bailey Bridges in Europe collapsing during WWII, this was invariably caused by drivers ignoring the usage and speed restrictions... sometimes they had to place MP's at the bridge approaches to prevent any more collapses....

 

The average length of a Bailey Bridge erected in the European theater? 150 foot span Triple-Double, (without the approaches)

 

The two main features of the Bailey Bridge? the above 150' bridge could be erected in 12 hours, and from one side only, you didn't need to possess the opposite bank to install it... (although it made it a lot easier)

 

I have three of the kits from the days of planning an expansive bridge diorama until my research revealed that the bridge would dominate anything else I added to the scene...

 

A Bailey Bridge Diorama is an interesting idea, until one starts to examine what the actually were and how they were used...

 

Personally, I would pass, the bridge would overwhelm your Archer.... I think the only thing that could be put on a Baily Bridge and still be authentic would be a 155mm gun pulled by it's M-4 HST, the gun and tractor would share the attention and the bridge wouldn't overwhelm it...

[Rik Thistle]

Egilman,

 

Thank you for all that - great info.

 

I agree that a Bailey Bridge would make a good setting but the size would not work with my 10" deep shelves.

 

As part of my re-education of WWII events (last time was at school, a long time ago) I had read that the USA had been quite pernickety about standards, especially interoperability between similar USA made equipments, but that would have held for only within the USA itself. Seems a bit of an advantage was lost with the UK and USA building Bailey Bridges to different tolerances. 

 

Anyway, as you mention, I have moved away from the idea of using a Bailey Bridge. I've probably got a shelf footprint of about 10" x 12" to play with...much the same as the Churchill tank.

 

When I bought the Tamiya Archer kit I did so because it looked quite detailed and unusual. It also had an interesting development history, and was used by the Brits, Canadians and Poles. But I hadn't yet finished my Churchill scenario so didn't quite appreciate the enjoyment that designing and building 'scenarios' gives.

 

With 20:20 hindsight I might have chosen a different kit. But now that I am part way through the Archer kit I don't really regret that decision....the Archer could just be positioned on the shelf without a scenario, and then look for another kit but this time with the end-scenario in mind.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

[realworkingsailor]

You may have seen this already, but if not:

 

Andy

 

[Rik Thistle]

Andy,

 

Yes, I've watched it...some useful info in there.

 

I was going to say 'neat reversing'...over the logs on to the  pontoon boat (4.57 mins)....but of course he is in a Forward gear.

 

I wonder where all the logs came from... they pop up in a lot of different settings...was there a dedicated 'tree felling & supply division'? Hmm... I guess it would be the Royal Engineers.

 

Richard

[realworkingsailor]

10 minutes ago, Rik Thistle said:

Andy,

 

Yes, I've watched it...some useful info in there.

 

I was going to say 'neat reversing'...over the logs on to the  pontoon boat (4.57 mins)....but of course he is in a Forward gear.

 

I wonder where all the logs came from... they pop up in a lot of different settings...was there a dedicated 'tree felling & supply division'? Hmm... I guess it would be the Royal Engineers.

 

Richard

If that was in certain parts of Holland, or proximal areas of Germany, I believe there were a lot of pine forests in the region. A fair number of Canadian soldiers enlisted right out of the lumber camps, so chopping trees was a familiar activity.

 

Andy

Edited February 17 by realworkingsailor

[Rik Thistle]

Hi all,

 

Another short post, that actually covers a fair bit of work but since most of it is adding small details etc there weren't many pictures taken.

 

Firstly filling in some gaps etc with AK Grey Putty.

 

Then on to the exhaust system. I've tried giving it a bit of weathering/rust and it looks OK, from a distance.

 

Clamping together two halves of the exhaust.

 

I've bought some Tamiya 1:35 scale livestock. It is actually quite lifelike although the join round the neck needed a bit of filling.

I had wondered how French farms had kept functioning during the war - it must have been quite challenging. It seems horses were nabbed to be used as beasts of burden by the military forces. But cattle etc were probably left alone?

 

Below - a possible scenario. The Archer has just pulled up to the side of the road in support of the quickly advancing Infantry.

Marguerite suspects this is the daily hay delivery, Muffin is wandering over to have an investigation also ... as soon as the first shell departs neither will be seen for dust.

 

Meanwhile a foot patrol passes by along the country road. The fuel drum is empty. I'll make up some decent looking trees, and I'm trying to figure out a way to use another French road sign :-)

 

I'm aware the Archer is Canadian and the troops are British. But I guess each supported the other as required?

 

Thanks for the Likes and suggestions in the previous post - much appreciated as always.

 

Richard

[Old Collingwood]

Very  nice work  - really   tidy  work.

 

OC.

[Rik Thistle]

Thanks OC.

 

The scenario is still at the 'not sure where it is really going' stage but I feel I may be homing in on something suitable. I like showing how everyday life tried to coexist with the surrounding strife.

 

Still lots to do though 🙂

 

Richard

 

[king derelict]

Great idea for a diorama. Its going to look very good

Alan

[Rik Thistle]

Thanks Alan,

 

Since posting I've decided the Archer position is inside another field accessed via a field gate. The Archer is approximately 9 feet wide, so should fit within a typical French field gate (TBC).

 

This is a developing story, so don't touch that dial 😉

 

Richard

 

 

[Rik Thistle]

Hi all,

 

Another update on progress on the Archer, and where I've sited it.

 

Firstly, adding the final parts to the Archer.

 

The gun mantle was slightly difficult for me to locate on the fighting compartment...there are a couple of alignment slots on the compartment/breech and I eventually got the mantle settled in the correct position.

 

The two tow cables wind their way round the front of the vehicle, held in position by some very tiny hooks. A couple of them did fly out of the tweezers but were found.

 

Below, the tow cables in position. Judging the cut length had to be done carefully.

 

Below, the Archer pretty much assembled. The Canadian marking transfers still to be added plus some more weathering.

 

A quick look at the crew, awaiting assembly

.

 

I've decided to locate the Archer on the way to the Verrieres Ridge, as mentioned by Andy (realworkingsailor) in post #5. I wandered through Google Maps to find a suitable location that matched how I already envisioned the scenario.

 

Whilst doing that, this came to my attention. During WWII the Germans made an art out of 'hedgerow warfare'.  A great read on that subject is here 'Combat in Normandy’s Hedgerows' -https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/combat-in-normandys-hedgerows/   A couple of extracts follow..

 

"Pushing inland, the 26th primarily encountered open fields, and from June 7 to 12 they marched 20 miles, plowed through moderate resistance, and bagged POWs. But deeper inland enemy-occupied hedgerows abounded, freezing the American momentum on June 13 at Caumont le Repas. Locked in a 30-day stalemate, the GIs soon discovered that the terrain fostered a glaring paradox. They could not see the Germans, but the Germans could see them. The hedgerows reduced visibility and precluded mobility, forcing both sides to exchange mortar fire and conduct reconnaissance patrols.

--------

Cattle, living and dead, were abundant across Normandy and delivered vital information in their own right. A dead cow cautioned that a field or trail might contain mines and acted as a landmark, giving GIs a sense of direction in the confusing twists and turns. Grazing cows were often a sign that an area was free of mines. American and German soldiers monitored the behavior of cattle. Those that stared at a hedge might be indicating that an enemy soldier was hiding in or near it."

It would seem that French farmers divided land in to fields by using very thick hedgerows planted on raised banks.  The Brits were probably a bit more used to hedgerows (and dry stone dykes) but even then the French ones would still be quite a challenge to navigate.

 

Below, a picture of a typical modern French hedgerow in the Verrieres region. I'm not sure if back in WWII days the farmers had got round to using fence posts and wire to keep animals confined. More later. Also ditches seems to be a very common feature at the edges of these French fields.

 

The pic below is close to the scenario I had imagined, and is in the Verrieres locality. The black box outlines the Archer position. The metal gate is modern - a wooden one will replace it. The raised hedges are still apparent but now, I suspect, reinforced by wire fencing.  The road would not be Tarmacadam back in the day....it would likely still be dirt.

 

A sketch of my scenario. I'm now thinking about whether or not I need to replace the fencing with banks and hedges.

 

Preparing the scenario base.

 

A quick check to see if the Archer fits and the layout makes sense. Not sure about the gun sticking out though :-# ?

 

A quick layout check with some of the main players.

 

Lots more still to do. But I was glad to have found 'Combat in Normandy’s Hedgerows' - https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/combat-in-normandys-hedgerows/  ... it has opened my eyes and added new dimensions to the scenario.

 

All for now ,

 

Richard

 

Edit: Fencing wire was invented long before WWII, and with barbed wire being used in WWI and WWII prisons. Whether it was yet cost effective for French farm widespread usage around WWII time I'm not 100% sure, especially since they already had quite effective hedges (for containing livestock). However there are images on the web showing some fenced French fields during WWII eg https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/07/world-war-ii-axis-invasions-and-the-fall-of-france/100098/

10. The Royal Irish Fusiliers of the British expeditionary forces come to the aid of French farmers whose horses have been commandeered by the French Army. A tank is hitched to a plow to help with the spring tilling of the soil on March 27, 1940. #

 

 

Edited March 1 by Rik Thistle

[realworkingsailor]

Compared to the countryside that the Americans faced, the area of Normandy that the Canadians fought was comparatively wide open. 
 

 

If I’m not mistaken, Mr Robertshaw is standing just above St. Martin de Fontenay. 

If you have “Breakout From Juno” by Mark Zuehlke, you can see the map for “Operation Spring”. Otherwise, let me know and I can pm you.
 

Andy

 

[Rik Thistle]

Thanks Andy.

 

I am assuming that on the way to Verrieres (before the fighting started) the Archer did pass some farms. The 17Lb gun may have been accurate up to about 1 mile range (?), so perhaps was used to slow down German tanks headed towards reinforcing the ridge?

 

The Verrieres Ridge itself does, as you note, look out over some open countryside, from what I see on that video.

 

I can find Operation Spring maps on the web eg .... https://valourcanada.ca/military-history-library/operation-spring-1944/

 

 

If I need more I'll drop you a PM.

 

Thanks again,

 

Richard

 

[realworkingsailor]

Not just at Verrieres ridge, but on the other side of Caen:

 

 

It’s very fun, as a Canadian, to hear an American describing what the Canadians did. 
 

Andy

 

[Rik Thistle]

Hi all,

 

Thank you all for the Likes and advice.

 

Now, an update on my 'fencing' construction etc.

 

Below, fence posts, hinge/latch posts and the field gate.

Above - I bought some matchstick blanks to use as fence posts, and gave them a grey undercoat. During the WWII era I suspect many fence posts were made using tree branches, but I think some probably used sawn timber.  On the left are wooden strips wood-glued together to form the end supports for the gate. And finally the gate, based on images from the period.

 

Below - Fixing the fencing wire to the posts caused a bit of head scratching....normally staples would be used but at 1/32" (0.75mm) across I couldn't see how I could make them that small yet strong enough to press in to the wood.  So 0.35 mm wire (...same as the fencing wire) was used to form a 'hook' that had the long leg glued in to a drilled hole in the post.  That worked as well as I could hoped.

 

Laying out the posts on the raised banks to check I had the right number to look right. I also added braces to the two support posts. The posts were slightly tapered to give the impression of being made from actual tree trunks or large branches. The semi-circular groove on the right is caused by the sweep of the gate dragging on the ground.  I also added some farm tractor tyre ruts. Finally I added two shades of AK grass. I don't have a Static Grass Applicator, but grass in farm fields, that hold livestock, tends to be flattened and bumpy anyway.

 

Trying to catch a 'staple' in focus....the paint bottle was positioned to assist the camera find focus.

 

Gate mounted in position. I suppose I could have made miniature metal hinges for the gate, but made do with tiny blocks of wood to simulate the hinges.

 

Another view of the gate.

 

And finally, Marguerite still patiently waits for the hay to be thrown over.

 

Next is probably painting the Archer crew, finding the makings of a suitable tree for the left side of the scenario, and adding the hedge rows, There's also dirt to be added on the road, small rocks in the ditches and more weathering of the vehicle and landscape.

 

That's it for this week, all the best,

 

Richard

Edited March 8 by Rik Thistle

[king derelict]

The fencing and gate looks great.

Alan

[Rik Thistle]

Thanks Alan,

 

I was brought up on a farm - dairy, beef and crops....therefore have climbed over many gates and wiggled through many fences as a child. So have some vague recollection of how they looked.  But most recent info has come from the web.

 

As with many things, close examination soon reveals the flaws but from a distance it looks OK...and Marguerite and her herd seem to cope with it.  But once the shells start going off, I hope she scarpers away from the fence rather than through it!

 

Richard

[king derelict]

1 hour ago, Rik Thistle said:

Thanks Alan,

 

I was brought up on a farm - dairy, beef and crops....therefore have climbed over many gates and wiggled through many fences as a child. So have some vague recollection of how they looked.  But most recent info has come from the web.

 

As with many things, close examination soon reveals the flaws but from a distance it looks OK...and Marguerite and her herd seem to cope with it.  But once the shells start going off, I hope she scarpers away from the fence rather than through it!

 

Richard

My family were all farmers in North Wales; mostly dairy with a few sheep and pigs. I have happy memories of getting tangled up in the barbed wire fences or crawling under them and finding the nettles

Alan

[Rik Thistle]

Alan,

 

Yes, run-ins with nettles was part of growing up ... Docken Leaves helped reduce the sting a bit.

 

And barbed wire was just one of the many challenges we learned to navigate ...wish I could turn the clock back 😉

 

Just Googled it, and it seems you have nettles in Florida...I guess they grow just about everywhere. 

 

Richard