In Box Review of ESCI 1/35th Scale
2cm FLAK 30 Anti-aircraft Unit
Kit no. 5013
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1976
Out of production
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1976
Out of production
HISTORY:
The Flak 30 (Flugzeugabwehrkanone 30) and improved Flak 38 were 20 mm anti-aircraft guns used by various German forces throughout World War II. It was not only the primary German light anti-aircraft gun but by far the most numerously produced German artillery piece throughout the war. It was produced in a variety of models, notably the Flakvierling 38 which combined four Flak 38 autocannons onto a single carriage.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Anti-aircraft gun
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: April 1934–1945
Wars: World War II
Manufacturer: Rheinmetall-Borsig, Mauser, Ostmarkwerk
Unit cost: 3500 Reichsmark
Produced: 1934–1945
No. built: more than 144,000: (Flakvierling count per barrel): Flak 30: 8,000+, Flak 38: 40,000+
Variants: 2 cm Flak 38, Gebirgsflak 38, Flakvierling 38
Mass: Flak 30: 450 kg (990 lb.), Flak 38: 405 kg (893 lb.)
Length: 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in)
Barrel length: 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) L/65
Width: 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Height: 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in)
Crew: 5
Shell: 20×138mmB
Caliber: 20 mm (.79 in)
Elevation: -12°to ±90°
Traverse: 360°
Rate of fire: Flak 30: 280 rpm (cyclic)/120 rpm (practical), Flak 38: 450 rpm (cyclic)/180 rpm (practical)
Muzzle velocity: 900 m/s (2,953 ft/s)
Effective firing range: 2,200 m (2,406 yds) (anti-aircraft)
Maximum firing range: 5,783 m (5,230 yds) (ground range)
Feed system: 20 round box magazine
The Flak 30 (Flugzeugabwehrkanone 30) and improved Flak 38 were 20 mm anti-aircraft guns used by various German forces throughout World War II. It was not only the primary German light anti-aircraft gun but by far the most numerously produced German artillery piece throughout the war. It was produced in a variety of models, notably the Flakvierling 38 which combined four Flak 38 autocannons onto a single carriage.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Anti-aircraft gun
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: April 1934–1945
Wars: World War II
Manufacturer: Rheinmetall-Borsig, Mauser, Ostmarkwerk
Unit cost: 3500 Reichsmark
Produced: 1934–1945
No. built: more than 144,000: (Flakvierling count per barrel): Flak 30: 8,000+, Flak 38: 40,000+
Variants: 2 cm Flak 38, Gebirgsflak 38, Flakvierling 38
Mass: Flak 30: 450 kg (990 lb.), Flak 38: 405 kg (893 lb.)
Length: 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in)
Barrel length: 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) L/65
Width: 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Height: 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in)
Crew: 5
Shell: 20×138mmB
Caliber: 20 mm (.79 in)
Elevation: -12°to ±90°
Traverse: 360°
Rate of fire: Flak 30: 280 rpm (cyclic)/120 rpm (practical), Flak 38: 450 rpm (cyclic)/180 rpm (practical)
Muzzle velocity: 900 m/s (2,953 ft/s)
Effective firing range: 2,200 m (2,406 yds) (anti-aircraft)
Maximum firing range: 5,783 m (5,230 yds) (ground range)
Feed system: 20 round box magazine
THE KIT:
ESCI was based in Milan, Italy when this kit was released. They have gone out of business.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps of the box to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows a color illustration of the gun and a 4 man crew, posed against an all-white background that has outlines of squares all over it.
The crewmen are all dressed in dark--grey jackets and steel helmets.
Reading left to right:
The 1st man I believe is an officer, because he is wearing field-grey jodhpur pants, bloused into black jack boots. He is standing and pointing with his right arm and holding a pair of binoculars in his left hand. Laying by his left foot is a spent 2cm round and ammo case.
The 2nd man is bent over at the waist and pulling ammo rounds out of an ammo case. He has his field-grey trousers bloused at the bottom over low brown shoes.
The 3rd man is sitting on the seat of the 2cm gun and operating a hand wheel on it. He wears tan trousers, bloused at the bottom over low brown shoes.
The gun and its wheeled trailer are both Panzer-grey.
The 4th man is standing at the side of the gun and holding a 2cm round ammo clip in both hands. He wears tan trousers, bloused at the bottom over low brown shoes.
Under the carriage, on the ground, are 4 ammo boxes.
A sticker on the box says: Imported by Scale Craft Models of Northridge, CA.
Both side panels of the box are identical. They call out the name of the kit and there is a color illustration of the 1st and 3rd men on the box art.
ESCI was based in Milan, Italy when this kit was released. They have gone out of business.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps of the box to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows a color illustration of the gun and a 4 man crew, posed against an all-white background that has outlines of squares all over it.
The crewmen are all dressed in dark--grey jackets and steel helmets.
Reading left to right:
The 1st man I believe is an officer, because he is wearing field-grey jodhpur pants, bloused into black jack boots. He is standing and pointing with his right arm and holding a pair of binoculars in his left hand. Laying by his left foot is a spent 2cm round and ammo case.
The 2nd man is bent over at the waist and pulling ammo rounds out of an ammo case. He has his field-grey trousers bloused at the bottom over low brown shoes.
The 3rd man is sitting on the seat of the 2cm gun and operating a hand wheel on it. He wears tan trousers, bloused at the bottom over low brown shoes.
The gun and its wheeled trailer are both Panzer-grey.
The 4th man is standing at the side of the gun and holding a 2cm round ammo clip in both hands. He wears tan trousers, bloused at the bottom over low brown shoes.
Under the carriage, on the ground, are 4 ammo boxes.
A sticker on the box says: Imported by Scale Craft Models of Northridge, CA.
Both side panels of the box are identical. They call out the name of the kit and there is a color illustration of the 1st and 3rd men on the box art.
The bottom of the box shows large color illustrations of each of the 4 men in the box art poses.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 2 very dark-grey trees in a sealed cello bag.
The trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions.
Very dark-grey tree letter A holds the parts for the gun and wheeled carriage (47 parts)
This kit holds 2 very dark-grey trees in a sealed cello bag.
The trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions.
Very dark-grey tree letter A holds the parts for the gun and wheeled carriage (47 parts)
Very dark-grey tree letter B holds: the parts of the figures (divided into separate torsos, lower bodies and arms. Also on the tree is the gun base frame and rotation wheels, 4 steel helmets, a pistol holster, 2 shovels in pouches etc. (40 parts)
There are no decals included.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet, that is accordion-folded into 8 pages in 5” x 8 ½” page format, in slick-coated paper.
Page 1 begins with a black and white wartime photo of the gun and crew beside a demolished building.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet, that is accordion-folded into 8 pages in 5” x 8 ½” page format, in slick-coated paper.
Page 1 begins with a black and white wartime photo of the gun and crew beside a demolished building.
Below that is specifications of the gun and a list of colors to use, in multiple languages, including English. Made in Italy.
Thirteen assembly steps are shown for the gun, but none for the figures. Odd!
The detail is very good.
Recommended.
Thirteen assembly steps are shown for the gun, but none for the figures. Odd!
The detail is very good.
Recommended.