In Box Review of Tamiya 1/35th Scale
German 88mm Gun Flak 36/37
Kit no. MM-117-998
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1988
Available at Hobby Linc for $26.40 or at Kit Linx for $27.99 or at Squadron for $28.00 or at Mega Hobby for $29.75 or at Sprue Brothers for $29.99 and at 7 locations overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1988
Available at Hobby Linc for $26.40 or at Kit Linx for $27.99 or at Squadron for $28.00 or at Mega Hobby for $29.75 or at Sprue Brothers for $29.99 and at 7 locations overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
The 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37/41 is a German 88 mm anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery gun, developed in the 1930s. It was widely used by Germany throughout World War II and is one of the most recognized German weapons of the conflict. Development of the original model led to a wide variety of guns.The name applies to a series of related guns, the first one officially called the 8.8 cm Flak 18, the improved 8.8 cm Flak 36, and later the 8.8 cm Flak 37.
Flak is a contraction of German Flugabwehrkanone (also referred to as Fliegerabwehrkanone) meaning "aircraft-defense cannon", the original purpose of the weapon. In English, "flak" became a generic term for ground anti-aircraft fire. In informal use, the guns were universally known as the Acht-acht ("eight-eight") by Germans and the "eighty-eight" by the Allies. Air defense units were usually deployed with either a Kommandogerät ("command device") fire control computer or a portable Würzburg radar, which were responsible for its high level of accuracy against aircraft.
The versatile carriage allowed the 8.8 cm Flak to be fired in a limited anti-tank mode when still on its wheels; it could be completely emplaced in only two and a half minutes.[4] Its successful use as an improvised anti-tank gun led to the development of a tank gun based upon it: the 8.8 cm KwK 36, with the "KwK" abbreviation standing for Kampfwagen-Kanone (literally "battle vehicle cannon", or "fighting vehicle cannon"), meant to be placed in a gun turret as the tank's primary armament. This gun served as the main armament of the Tiger I heavy tank.
In addition to these Krupp designs, Rheinmetall later created a more powerful anti-aircraft gun, the 8.8 cm Flak 41, which was produced in relatively small numbers. Krupp responded with another prototype of the long-barreled 8.8 cm gun, which was further developed into the anti-tank and tank destroyer 8.8 cm PaK 43 gun used for the Elefant and Jagdpanther, and turret-mounted 8.8 cm KwK 43 heavy tank gun of the Tiger II.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type; Anti-aircraft gun
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1936–1945 (Nazi Germany)
Used by: Nazi Germany, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Spain, Finland, Slovak Republic, France, Greece, China, Brazil, Hungary, North Vietnam
Wars: Spanish Civil War, Sino-Japanese War, World War II, Vietnam War
Designer: Krupp
Designed: 1928
Manufacturer: Krupp, Rheinmetall
Unit cost: 33,600 Reichsmark
Produced: 1933–1945
No. built: 21,310
Specifications (Flak 36)
Mass: 7,407 kg (16,330 lb) in mounted position
Length: 5.791 m (20 ft)
Barrel length: 4.938 m (16 ft 2 in) (56 calibers)
Width : 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Height: 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) (firing)
Crew: 10
Shell: Fixed QF 88×571mmR
Caliber: 88 mm (3.46 in)
Barrels: One, 32 grooves with right-hand increasing twist from 1/45 to 1/30
Breech: Horizontal semi-automatic sliding block
Recoil: Hydro-pneumatic
Carriage: Sonderanhänger 201 (Flak 18) and Sonderanhänger 202 (Flak 36, 37, 41)
Elevation: −3° to +85°
Traverse: 360°
Rate of fire: 15–20 rpm
Muzzle velocity: 840 m/s (2,690 ft/s)
Effective firing range: 14,860 m (16,250 yd) ground target, 8,000 m (26,000 ft) effective ceiling
Maximum firing range: 9,900 m (32,500 ft) maximum ceiling
Sights: ZF.20
The 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37/41 is a German 88 mm anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery gun, developed in the 1930s. It was widely used by Germany throughout World War II and is one of the most recognized German weapons of the conflict. Development of the original model led to a wide variety of guns.The name applies to a series of related guns, the first one officially called the 8.8 cm Flak 18, the improved 8.8 cm Flak 36, and later the 8.8 cm Flak 37.
Flak is a contraction of German Flugabwehrkanone (also referred to as Fliegerabwehrkanone) meaning "aircraft-defense cannon", the original purpose of the weapon. In English, "flak" became a generic term for ground anti-aircraft fire. In informal use, the guns were universally known as the Acht-acht ("eight-eight") by Germans and the "eighty-eight" by the Allies. Air defense units were usually deployed with either a Kommandogerät ("command device") fire control computer or a portable Würzburg radar, which were responsible for its high level of accuracy against aircraft.
The versatile carriage allowed the 8.8 cm Flak to be fired in a limited anti-tank mode when still on its wheels; it could be completely emplaced in only two and a half minutes.[4] Its successful use as an improvised anti-tank gun led to the development of a tank gun based upon it: the 8.8 cm KwK 36, with the "KwK" abbreviation standing for Kampfwagen-Kanone (literally "battle vehicle cannon", or "fighting vehicle cannon"), meant to be placed in a gun turret as the tank's primary armament. This gun served as the main armament of the Tiger I heavy tank.
In addition to these Krupp designs, Rheinmetall later created a more powerful anti-aircraft gun, the 8.8 cm Flak 41, which was produced in relatively small numbers. Krupp responded with another prototype of the long-barreled 8.8 cm gun, which was further developed into the anti-tank and tank destroyer 8.8 cm PaK 43 gun used for the Elefant and Jagdpanther, and turret-mounted 8.8 cm KwK 43 heavy tank gun of the Tiger II.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type; Anti-aircraft gun
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1936–1945 (Nazi Germany)
Used by: Nazi Germany, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Spain, Finland, Slovak Republic, France, Greece, China, Brazil, Hungary, North Vietnam
Wars: Spanish Civil War, Sino-Japanese War, World War II, Vietnam War
Designer: Krupp
Designed: 1928
Manufacturer: Krupp, Rheinmetall
Unit cost: 33,600 Reichsmark
Produced: 1933–1945
No. built: 21,310
Specifications (Flak 36)
Mass: 7,407 kg (16,330 lb) in mounted position
Length: 5.791 m (20 ft)
Barrel length: 4.938 m (16 ft 2 in) (56 calibers)
Width : 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Height: 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) (firing)
Crew: 10
Shell: Fixed QF 88×571mmR
Caliber: 88 mm (3.46 in)
Barrels: One, 32 grooves with right-hand increasing twist from 1/45 to 1/30
Breech: Horizontal semi-automatic sliding block
Recoil: Hydro-pneumatic
Carriage: Sonderanhänger 201 (Flak 18) and Sonderanhänger 202 (Flak 36, 37, 41)
Elevation: −3° to +85°
Traverse: 360°
Rate of fire: 15–20 rpm
Muzzle velocity: 840 m/s (2,690 ft/s)
Effective firing range: 14,860 m (16,250 yd) ground target, 8,000 m (26,000 ft) effective ceiling
Maximum firing range: 9,900 m (32,500 ft) maximum ceiling
Sights: ZF.20
THE KIT:
Tamiya is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Shizuoka City, Japan. They make all manner of plastic model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a long blousy shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box, that is 3 ½” too long. Tamiya has put a cardboard shelf over the void to hide it.
The box art is a color illustration of an 88mm gun, the gun crew and a Zundapp KS-750 motorcycle and rider. The gun is off it’s carriage and sitting on its base. Its carriage is behind it, split in two. The gun is overall Panzer-grey.
Six gun crewmen are shown. They all wear field-grey uniforms, steel helmets and their trousers bloused into high black jack-boots.
Reading left to right:
The first man is standing. He is looking through a range-finder with both hands. He has a map case and pistol holster on his belt.
The second man is standing and bent at the waist, holding an 88mm ammo round, that has been taken out of one of 3 wood boxes at his feet.
The fourth man is standing, with his left hand on a control wheel on the gun. His shirt-sleeves are rolled up.
The fifth man is standing next to and behind the fourth man,
The sixth man is standing next to the front of the gun, with his left hand on one of the recoil tubes and a pair of binoculars in his right hand.
The Zundapp and rider are to the right. He wears a tan jacket, a cloth cover on his steel helmet and a pair of goggles. He has a Mauser 98K carbine slung on his back. The bike is overall earth-yellow, with a license number S.S.-37236 on top of the front fender.
The top of the box art says: 1/35th scale military miniatures series no. 17. Plentiful optional parts. Realistic figures. Includes Zundapp KS750 motorcycle.
The illustrations are posed against one of Tamiya’s SIGNATURE all-white backgrounds, that they use for the majority of their box arts.
One side-panel of the box shows a color illustration of a German 8 ton half-track. That it says can be purchased and used to pull the 88mm gun, followed by another illustration of the box art and a one-paragraph history over the gun and a list of the kits features: Convertible model can be made into FLAK 36 for anti-tank use or FLAK 37 for anti-aircraft use. Towable by Tamiya 1/35th 8 ton half-track (as illustrated – 8 ton half-track is not supplied in this kit, but may be purchased separately – order kit no. MT-133). Trailer can be easily removed by removing screws and bolts. Turret moves up and down and to the left and right as well as slide movement to simulate the actual gun. Removable gun guard and folding legs.
This kit comes complete with a KS750 motorcycle , 1 motorcycle soldier, 8 fighting artillery-men, bullets and bullet cases and 88mm gun. 8 ton semi-track, illustrated, is not included in this kit, but can be ordered separately (Tamiya kit MT-133).
Followed by Tamiya’s street address in Shizuoka City, Japan.
Tamiya is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Shizuoka City, Japan. They make all manner of plastic model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a long blousy shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box, that is 3 ½” too long. Tamiya has put a cardboard shelf over the void to hide it.
The box art is a color illustration of an 88mm gun, the gun crew and a Zundapp KS-750 motorcycle and rider. The gun is off it’s carriage and sitting on its base. Its carriage is behind it, split in two. The gun is overall Panzer-grey.
Six gun crewmen are shown. They all wear field-grey uniforms, steel helmets and their trousers bloused into high black jack-boots.
Reading left to right:
The first man is standing. He is looking through a range-finder with both hands. He has a map case and pistol holster on his belt.
The second man is standing and bent at the waist, holding an 88mm ammo round, that has been taken out of one of 3 wood boxes at his feet.
The fourth man is standing, with his left hand on a control wheel on the gun. His shirt-sleeves are rolled up.
The fifth man is standing next to and behind the fourth man,
The sixth man is standing next to the front of the gun, with his left hand on one of the recoil tubes and a pair of binoculars in his right hand.
The Zundapp and rider are to the right. He wears a tan jacket, a cloth cover on his steel helmet and a pair of goggles. He has a Mauser 98K carbine slung on his back. The bike is overall earth-yellow, with a license number S.S.-37236 on top of the front fender.
The top of the box art says: 1/35th scale military miniatures series no. 17. Plentiful optional parts. Realistic figures. Includes Zundapp KS750 motorcycle.
The illustrations are posed against one of Tamiya’s SIGNATURE all-white backgrounds, that they use for the majority of their box arts.
One side-panel of the box shows a color illustration of a German 8 ton half-track. That it says can be purchased and used to pull the 88mm gun, followed by another illustration of the box art and a one-paragraph history over the gun and a list of the kits features: Convertible model can be made into FLAK 36 for anti-tank use or FLAK 37 for anti-aircraft use. Towable by Tamiya 1/35th 8 ton half-track (as illustrated – 8 ton half-track is not supplied in this kit, but may be purchased separately – order kit no. MT-133). Trailer can be easily removed by removing screws and bolts. Turret moves up and down and to the left and right as well as slide movement to simulate the actual gun. Removable gun guard and folding legs.
This kit comes complete with a KS750 motorcycle , 1 motorcycle soldier, 8 fighting artillery-men, bullets and bullet cases and 88mm gun. 8 ton semi-track, illustrated, is not included in this kit, but can be ordered separately (Tamiya kit MT-133).
Followed by Tamiya’s street address in Shizuoka City, Japan.
The other side-panel of the box shows 6 color box- arts of other armor kits that Tamiya manufactures. These box arts are fully illustrated in scenes and not posed on all-white backgrounds.
Shown are: a Jagd Panther German Army Tank, a Panther Medium Tank, a Tiger I Tank, a T-34 Type 85 Soviet Union Tank, an S.U. 100 Soviet Union Tank and an M4A3E8 Sherman U.S. Army Tank. Followed by a repeat of Tamiya’s address.
No kit numbers are given for these 6 kits. Bad move Tamiya !
Shown are: a Jagd Panther German Army Tank, a Panther Medium Tank, a Tiger I Tank, a T-34 Type 85 Soviet Union Tank, an S.U. 100 Soviet Union Tank and an M4A3E8 Sherman U.S. Army Tank. Followed by a repeat of Tamiya’s address.
No kit numbers are given for these 6 kits. Bad move Tamiya !
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 3 dark-grey parts trees, an un-alphabetized medium-grey tree, black rubber tires, a roll of black wire, a metal rod and screws and the decal sheet in 5 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 16 pages in 8” x 11 ¾” page format.
Page 1 shows 4 black and white walk-around type photos of the model made up.
This kit holds 3 dark-grey parts trees, an un-alphabetized medium-grey tree, black rubber tires, a roll of black wire, a metal rod and screws and the decal sheet in 5 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 16 pages in 8” x 11 ¾” page format.
Page 1 shows 4 black and white walk-around type photos of the model made up.
Page 2, 3 and 4 gives a long history of the 88mm gun and two black and white wartime photos, per page, of the actual gun.
Page 5 has PLEASE READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions down the left-side column.
The right side of the page gives steps 1 to 6, for assembly of the motorcycle an rider figure.
Page 6 through to the top of page 12 gives a grand total of 22 assembly steps for the gun.
There are 14 black and white photos of the progressive builds of the model mixed into these 22 steps.
The bottom of page 12 gives assembly step 23. It is an assembly and painting guide for building the 8 artillery-men figures.
Page 13 is a painting and marking guide for the gun,
It shows 3 side views.
The 1st one is in a camouflage of a base of dark-yellow, with dark-green stripes. As shown as how it looked on the Eastern Front.
The 2nd one is in a winter scheme of dark-grey, covered with white-wash.
The 3rd one is in a camouflage of a base of dark-yellow, with large patches of red-brown. As it was seen in North Africa.
Another black and white wartime photo of the gun, behind sandbags is at the bottom of page 13.
Page 5 has PLEASE READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions down the left-side column.
The right side of the page gives steps 1 to 6, for assembly of the motorcycle an rider figure.
Page 6 through to the top of page 12 gives a grand total of 22 assembly steps for the gun.
There are 14 black and white photos of the progressive builds of the model mixed into these 22 steps.
The bottom of page 12 gives assembly step 23. It is an assembly and painting guide for building the 8 artillery-men figures.
Page 13 is a painting and marking guide for the gun,
It shows 3 side views.
The 1st one is in a camouflage of a base of dark-yellow, with dark-green stripes. As shown as how it looked on the Eastern Front.
The 2nd one is in a winter scheme of dark-grey, covered with white-wash.
The 3rd one is in a camouflage of a base of dark-yellow, with large patches of red-brown. As it was seen in North Africa.
Another black and white wartime photo of the gun, behind sandbags is at the bottom of page 13.
Page 14 is another painting and marking guide.
At the top are 4 of the artillery-crewmen. You can choose to use either Army, S.S. or Luftwaffe insignia on the steel helmets.
Below them is a 2-view of the 88mm. You can choose to put either letter A,B,C or D on the side of the gun. It is a mark of the shooting position. A white outline of a cat can be added as a symbol mark. There are 30 victory rings that go around the barrel. You can choose how many of these you want on your model. A side view of the motorcycle is shown (already described above).
There is a front and rear view of a half-track (not included in this kit).
There are division markings on the decal sheet for the Eastern Front, Italian Front and North Africa.
Page 15 is the parts- trees illustrations, with a list of the names of the parts.
Trees are alphabetized.
Dark-grey tree A holds: the gun barrel and other parts, shield, ammo rounds etc. (101 parts)
At the top are 4 of the artillery-crewmen. You can choose to use either Army, S.S. or Luftwaffe insignia on the steel helmets.
Below them is a 2-view of the 88mm. You can choose to put either letter A,B,C or D on the side of the gun. It is a mark of the shooting position. A white outline of a cat can be added as a symbol mark. There are 30 victory rings that go around the barrel. You can choose how many of these you want on your model. A side view of the motorcycle is shown (already described above).
There is a front and rear view of a half-track (not included in this kit).
There are division markings on the decal sheet for the Eastern Front, Italian Front and North Africa.
Page 15 is the parts- trees illustrations, with a list of the names of the parts.
Trees are alphabetized.
Dark-grey tree A holds: the gun barrel and other parts, shield, ammo rounds etc. (101 parts)
Dark-grey tree B holds: gun support base and arms, motorcycle and rider figure etc. (111 parts)
Dark-grey tree C holds the carriage parts (96 parts)
The medium grey tree holds the parts of the 8 artillery crew-men, 6 are divided into separate full bodies, arms and legs, 2 are divided into separate torsos, lower body halves and arms. There are 8 steel helmets, 5 canvas pouches, 2 pistols in holsters, 6 canteens, 2 Mauser 98K carbines, 2 map cases, a pair of binoculars, 6 bayonets in scabbards and 6 gas mask canisters also on the tree. (66 parts)
The jet-black tree holds rubber tires (8 parts)
Next is the length of black wire, 2 metal rods and screws.
The decal sheet completes the kit contents.
I have added 2 accessory sets from my company (Armor Research) of 88mm single round boxes and 88mm ammo rounds.
There is a color catalog of Tamiya kits included.
The detail is excellent.
Highly recommended.
The detail is excellent.
Highly recommended.