Sd.Kfz.7/1 2cm Flakvierling 38 auf Selbstfahrlafette
1:35 kit comparison
kit #6525 - kit #01523
Part 7: 2cm Flakvierling 38 part 2

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The Cyberhobby/Dragon 2cm Flak guns are dimensionally correct in overall length and barrel length with separate smooth top cover and rear bracket but there is some detail missing from the rear cradle bracket. The flash suppressor is hollowed out but the small cone and the neck holes are not opened out but otherwise are perfectly acceptable if the suppressor holes are not of concern?

The Trumpeter 2cm Flak guns though have a few dimensional issues in that the overall length is 1mm too long but the receiver housing is also too short resulting in the barrel tube length being nearly 2mm too long, the flash suppressor is also way over sized. The suppressor cone also does not have the small rows of holes and the neck holes are oversized as well as not being open and the only real option to correct these issues is to replace the barrels and receiver housing with any of the available brass barrels.

There is a minor issue with the smooth top covers on the Cyberhobby/Dragon 2cm guns as this is more applicable to the later guns while the ribbed cover on the Trumpeter guns are more common on the earlier 2cm guns. This is not a hard rule only that reference images indicate the ribbed covers are more common on the early guns but the smooth covers are certainly feasible.

2cm Flak 38 parts

2cm Flak 38 parts

Comparison of the unaltered 2cm guns from the Dragon and Trumpeter Sd.Kfz.7/1 kits.
The Tristar 2cm Flak38 Late and ancient Tamiya Sd.Kfz.7/1 kit guns added for comparison.
Dotted lines indicate the correct gun dimensions.

I have replaced the kit barrels in the images to improve the look using the Adlers Nest (set #ANM-35027) on the Cyberhobby/Dragon guns and those from Lionmarc/Passion Models (set #LM10025) on the Trumpeter guns to correct the dimensional issues as well as improving the detail.

2cm Flak 38 and barrel replaced with Adlers Nest (set #ANM-35027) barrel.

2cm Flak 38 and barrel replaced with Lionmarc/Passion Models (set #LM10025) barrel

Both kit barrel after updating with metal barrels,
Note the missing detail on the Dragon gun cradle.

The guns in both kits are mounted on the side mounting plates and the Cyberhobby/Dragon parts also include the front curved gun shields and this saves a lot on assembly with the shields not overly thick as is often the case with plastic gun shields. The Trumpeter mountings have the front curved gun shields as etched parts but due to the openings for the guns it is very difficult to bend the shields as they want to bend more at the thinner sections around the holes and extreme care is needed with these.

The Cyberhobby/Dragon gun mountings are nicely detailed with clean crisp detail and a decal for the elevation gradients on the left side mounting while the Trumpeter mountings detail is not as crisp and the lower engraved elevation gradients are a bit on the heavy side. These gradients are on both Trumpeter mountings but should only be on the left side and you should remove the engraved gradients from the right side mounting.

Added to the mountings are the recoil system sleighs and on the left mounting the connecting sight rod which elevates the sight along with the barrels, this is finely done on the Cyberhobby/Dragon kit but is a little thicker on the Trumpeter kit and the mounting lugs lack any real detail.

Fitting the guns to the respective mountings is straightforward on the Cyberhobby/Dragon kit with locating pins ensuring the correct alignment. On the Trumpeter kit the fit is rather vague as there are pins on the inner sides of the guns but not corresponding holes in the mountings and you just have to rest the guns on the mounting aligning the front section with the recoil attachments by eye, something prone to misalignment if not careful.

Upper gun mounting parts, only one 2cm gun and magazine are shown but 4 of
each are included in both kits for the guns.



The gun sights are a problem on both kits unfortunately, the Cyberhobby/Dragon kit has a very basic representation of the Linealvisier 21 sight which lacks any real detail other than the etched sight ring.  The most common sight on the early Flakvierling 38 is the Flakvisier 40 sight although again the Linealvisier 21 sight is feasible but uncommon.

On the Trumpeter kit is a sight that doesn’t match any known Flak gun sight I have seen and also lacks any detail definition with heavy mould lines but has an etched sight for a bit of detail.

You would better off replacing both kit sights with the Flakvisier 40 sight from the available 2cm Flak38 kits such as Dragons own kit #6288 or those from Italeri, Tamiya or Tristar for a better appearance.

Sight parts for both kits, note the different main arm is
a variation with both seen on different Flakvierling mountings.

Flakvierling sights
Very basic Dragon representation of the Linealvisier 21 sight
including a comparison to the Tristar Linear 21 sight from their 2cm Flak38 Late kit

Images of actual Linealvisier 21 gun sight for comparison

The Flakvisier 40 sight most commonly seen on early Sd.Kfz.7/1 vehicles

Trumpeter gun sight which doesn't represent any known Flak sight I have seen?

There is another issue with the Trumpeter sight in that the upper arm has a notch with the upper section twice the thickness on the lower section that fits to the supporting arm and this notch fouls the support arm and will not allow the guns to depress past the 45° mark. This means you can only depict the guns elevated above 45° unless you modify the upper sight arm to be the same thickness for the full length of the arm, you will have to add back the attachment pin for the connecting rod if you modify the arm.

The Cyberhobby/Dragon upper arm is the correct thickness and you can elevate or depress the guns as you wish without hindrance. Also note the different style of lower support arms in the kits, there are again images available showing both style of arm on different Flakvierling 38 mounts so both are correct for the type represented.

Trumpeter gun sight arm has a notch with the top section double the thickness it should be,
this results in the sight arm and guns that can't be lowered past the 45° mark as it comes.
The Dragon sight arm is uniform thickness and you can elevate the guns as required without problems.


Looking at the 2cm Flakvierling 38 mountings as separate kits within a kit the Cyberhobby/Dragon Flakvierling is clearly the better of the two with clean crisp mouldings and excellent detail as well as good fit of the parts. The only real issues are the very poor rendition of the uncommon Linealvisier 21 sight and the ready 2cm magazine racks where you can only fit the 4 magazines without altering the racks.
Other than that it is a very good mini kit and will make an excellent stand alone Flakvierling 38 kit when released as there is a spot on the sprues already for the Sd.Ah.52 trailer.

The Trumpeter Flakvierling 38 mounting on the other hand is rather poor overall with heavier mouldings and detail presentation as well as numerous issues. These include the incorrect sized 2cm Flak barrels, poorly detailed 2cm magazines, the ready racks with only 7 bays, the incorrect Loader’s seat mountings as well as the strange sight and the guns stuck above 45° elevation due to the incorrectly proportioned support arms.

Added to this is the incorrect pedestal mounting and the etched gun shields that require considerable assembly and really put the kit into the advanced modeller category.

Images of partially assembled 2cm Flakvierling 38 mounting

Overall views of partley assembled mounting with the left side guns in place

Part 1: Chassis Part 2: Running Gear Part 3: Engine/Gearbox Part 4: Fenders/Engine Compartment/Firewall Part 5: Cab Part 6: Rear Bed Part 7: 2cm Flakvierling 38 Part 7: 2cm Flakvierling 38 Part 2 (This page) Part 8: Decals/Extras/Conclusion