"8.8cm
FLAK 37"
Verlinden Productions
1/15th Scale
Model by Terry Ashley
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The GOOD the
BAD and the UGLY, is the best way to sum up this kit.
* The GOOD..........is the quality of the resin casting, with no air holes
present and only a minimum of warping to be corrected. The amount of detail present
on the resin parts is excellent and with quality etched copper pieces to enhance
this detail, building the model straight from the box with no extra detail added
will result in an impressive model.
* The BAD.........is the detail missing, which for mine should be there
in a kit of this size and price. But mostly it is the instructions, which are
vague to say the least. Over a third of the etched copper pieces do not even
get
a mention on the instruction sheet. Quality reference material is essential to
put this kit together as the exploded view type instructions simple don’t indicate
the precise location of many of the parts, and there are some tricky angles to
negotiate.
* The UGLY.......is the major parts which are so inaccurate they require
a complete scratchbuild or major surgery to correct. (Eg, the shield which is
a thick lump of resin which if scaled up would be about 8” armour plate and when
looking along the edges of the shield, the centre is about 3 times thicker than
the edges. A total rebuild from plastic card is required. The barrel assembly
which is 7mm too short, requiring extensive work to correct, more on this later.)
Click for larger view
Overall, though,
this is an nice kit. If you are prepared to spend the time to correct and enhance
the kit (as with any kit, there is much detail which can be added)
you will end up with a show stopper, this beast is BIG and impressive!
A note on the box top says “Advanced modelling skills and experience required”,
take heed of this warning before parting with your hard earned. It isn’t cheap,
but I spent over 6 months working on the kit and on a dollar for dollar basis
it probably works out better value than a $50 kit you build in a couple of weeks
in modelling terms. I found it a real challenge and got great satisfaction solving
the problems presented along the way.
SUMMARY
OF DETAILS ADDED TO KIT
TRUNNION
ASSEMBLY
1. Added
cast numbers to front electrical box from fuse wire.
2. Added support chains to left and right sides, brackets from thin wire.
3. Added safety chains to fuse setter,left side.
4. Added safety chains to electrical panel, right side.
5. Re-positioned junction connector on rear dial box, right side.
6. Added wiring on left and right trunnion from various thickness of fuse wire.
7. Added wire fasteners from lead sheet.
8. Added four bolt heads to rear of rearmost hand wheel assembly.
Click for larger view
BARREL
ASSEMBLY
9. Drilled out full length
of barrel.
10. Inserted 7mm plug into barrel cradle.(Kit part too short)
11. Hollowed out rear of cradle and added inside detail.(due to previous cradle
adjustment)
12. Replaced recoil cylinder with brass rube 7mm longer than item supplied.
(Kit part also too short)
13. Added bolt heads on inside of rear cradle, plus four on outside of right
side.
14. Detailed automatic rammer piston on left side.
15. Added split pins into elevation cylinder piston attachment points.
16. Added small details around breach.
17. Removed and repositioned end of breach block.(wrong way around on kit part)
18. Scratchbuilt recoil cylinder support brackets from card.(Kit parts too small)
19. Added small pins to recoil cylinder attachment point.
Click for larger view
SHIELD
20. Scratchbuilt shield from
thin card. (Kit item way too thick, how unusual?)
CRUCIFORM
BASE
21. Added details to storage
box.
22. Added missing wheel bogey attachment detail to legs, including lifting hooks.
23. Detailed electrical connector points with support chains and piping.
24. Added details to outriggers, including boltheads on inside.
25. Added safety chains to barrel travel lock attachment points.
26. Added small detail to barrel travel lock.
27. Added protection plate under hand wheels.
MATERIALS
USED IN DETAILING
Plastic card, Plastic rod,
Brass tubing, Copper wire, Strip solder, Aluminium tube
Click for larger view
REFERENCES
Easy 1 Productions CD: T001 TM
E9-369A
German 88mm Flak
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