In Box Review of Tamiya 1/35th Scale
Military Miniature Series
German 20mm Flakvierling 38 MIT Sd.Ah. 52
Kit no. MM-191
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1977
Available in later-dated-issue of the kit at Squadron for $7.00 or at 1001 Hobbies for $12.99 or at Kit Lincs for $6.99 and at 5 locations over-seas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1977
Available in later-dated-issue of the kit at Squadron for $7.00 or at 1001 Hobbies for $12.99 or at Kit Lincs for $6.99 and at 5 locations over-seas on the web.
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:
Tamiya is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Shizuoka, Japan. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. It is 2 ¼” too long. 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 FLAK 38, off its two-wheeled carriage, posed against one of Tamiya’s SIGNATURE all-white backgrounds, that they use for the majority of their box arts.
The gun and carriage are overall Panzer-grey.
The bottom of the box shows two 2-view profiles of the gun on the left side.
Tamiya is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Shizuoka, Japan. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. It is 2 ¼” too long. 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 FLAK 38, off its two-wheeled carriage, posed against one of Tamiya’s SIGNATURE all-white backgrounds, that they use for the majority of their box arts.
The gun and carriage are overall Panzer-grey.
The bottom of the box shows two 2-view profiles of the gun on the left side.
The first profiles are of the side and front of the gun, off the two-wheeled carriage. It is in the cover art scheme (already described above).
The second profile is of the top and front of the gun, mounted on the carriage. It is overall Panzer-grey.
The third profiles are of the side and front of the gun on its carriage. It is overall Panzer-grey with a heavy coating of winter white-wash, with no markings shown.
To the right there are color illustrations of vehicles that have the gun mounted on them.
The top side profile shows the gun on a German Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind that is overall Panzer-grey.
The 2nd side profile shows the gun on German 8 ton Sd.Kfz. 7/1 halftrack that is heavily coated with winter-white-wash and has a tan canvas cab roof.
The 3rd side profile shows the gun on a German Flakpanzer IV Mobelwagen that is overall Panzer-grey.
These 3 vehicles are not included in this kit.
One side panel of the box shows a side view of a Horch Type 1a car, pulling the Flakvierling 38. They are both overall Panzer-grey. This is followed by a one paragraph history of the gun and PARTICULARS about the kit: This is a 1/35th scale kit of the Flakvierling 38 with a trailer. The trailer is detachable. Barrels and sight can move together up or down, right or left. Bullet-proof plates can be fixed either in firing or towing position. Precisely reproduced.
The second profile is of the top and front of the gun, mounted on the carriage. It is overall Panzer-grey.
The third profiles are of the side and front of the gun on its carriage. It is overall Panzer-grey with a heavy coating of winter white-wash, with no markings shown.
To the right there are color illustrations of vehicles that have the gun mounted on them.
The top side profile shows the gun on a German Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind that is overall Panzer-grey.
The 2nd side profile shows the gun on German 8 ton Sd.Kfz. 7/1 halftrack that is heavily coated with winter-white-wash and has a tan canvas cab roof.
The 3rd side profile shows the gun on a German Flakpanzer IV Mobelwagen that is overall Panzer-grey.
These 3 vehicles are not included in this kit.
One side panel of the box shows a side view of a Horch Type 1a car, pulling the Flakvierling 38. They are both overall Panzer-grey. This is followed by a one paragraph history of the gun and PARTICULARS about the kit: This is a 1/35th scale kit of the Flakvierling 38 with a trailer. The trailer is detachable. Barrels and sight can move together up or down, right or left. Bullet-proof plates can be fixed either in firing or towing position. Precisely reproduced.
The other side panel of the box shows 3 color box arts of other Tamiya artillery kits: Kit no. 25035, German 37mm anti-tank gun, Kit no. MM-117, German 88mm Flak 36/37 and Kit no. MM-147, German 75mm Anti-tank gun. Tamiya did not provide the kit numbers for these 3 kits. I looked the numbers up on the Scale Mates web site and added them. Bad move Tamiya !
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 3 dark-grey parts trees, the instructions and a kit catalog in a sealed clear cello bag.
Kits are alphabetized.
Dark-grey letter A tree holds: the trailer frame, the guns base plate, wheels, fenders, wheel rims etc. (33 parts)
The kit holds 3 dark-grey parts trees, the instructions and a kit catalog in a sealed clear cello bag.
Kits are alphabetized.
Dark-grey letter A tree holds: the trailer frame, the guns base plate, wheels, fenders, wheel rims etc. (33 parts)
Dark-grey letter E tree holds the parts of the gun: its base, ammo clips, center section (which I have assembled), ammo locker etc. (45 parts)
Dark-grey letter F tree holds: the shields, seats, gun barrels, sides etc. (33 parts)
The instructions consist of a single-sheet, printed on both sides in 7 ¼” x 20 ¼” format, folded twice to fit the box.
The face side begins with a black and white photo of the model made up twice. Once on the trailer and once off. Over the history of the gun in English and German.
Below the history is READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, down a left hand column.
On the right side of the page there are the first 3 assembly step drawings.
The reverse side of the instructions has the remainder of a grand total of 9 assembly steps and the painting instructions.
There are no crew figures or decals included in this kit. This gun sorely needs a crew.
Otherwise the detail is very good.
Recommended.
The face side begins with a black and white photo of the model made up twice. Once on the trailer and once off. Over the history of the gun in English and German.
Below the history is READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, down a left hand column.
On the right side of the page there are the first 3 assembly step drawings.
The reverse side of the instructions has the remainder of a grand total of 9 assembly steps and the painting instructions.
There are no crew figures or decals included in this kit. This gun sorely needs a crew.
Otherwise the detail is very good.
Recommended.