ABER Barrels

German 3.7cm FlaK37 Barrel
#35 L-12
Review by Terry Ashley

This barrel set from ABER is for the FlaK37 barrel as used with the Tamiya kits Sd.Kfz.7/2 (kit #35144) and 3.7cm FlaK37 AA Gun (kit #35145) and consists of a single aluminium barrel with separate machined brass flash suppressor and alternate collar ring applicable to the FlaK37 or can be used for the Flak18 without the collar.
The FlaK18/36/37 was the intitial 3.7cm Flak used as stand alone AA gun or vehicle mounted and was supplimented with the later 3.7cm FlaK43 used with the "Ostwind" and other later AA mounts which had a higher rate of fire with a slimmer barrel as well as other minor changes to the gun and ABER have the FlaK43 available also with set #35L10.
Unassembled parts

The flash suppressor is the standout part as it is fully hollowed out back past the collar gas holes with cleanly drilled holes in the flash suppressor. There is some excess brass “flash” inside the larger collar holes which can be cleaned easily with a sharp blade poked into the holes and the “flash” just falls away leaving perfectly clean holes.

Image showing flash suppressor with open holes and alternate collar
ABER

Assembled barrel
ABER

The fit of the flash suppressor to the barrel is very good but you may need to lightly file the inside on the flash suppressor neck for the optimum fit but test fitting will determine if this is required with the barrel length and flash suppressor size matching the 1:35 plans in Panzer Tracks No.12 Flakpanzer apart from the flash suppressor neck being just over 1mm longer than indicated.

Fitting the barrel to the Tamiya kits;
All that is required to fit the metal barrel to either of the Tamiya kits is to carefully cut off the plastic barrel level with the collar before the barrel proper, then drill an appropriate sized hole for the pin on the metal barrel and simply glue in place. You then fit the brass collar if you wish and then attach the brass flash suppressor.

Fitting the barrel to the Tamiya Flak 37
ABER

Assembled barrel on Flak37 from the Tamiya Sd.Kfz.7/2
ABER

Conclusion:
Another superbly detailed barrel with the flash suppressor being the standout feature and is a simple update to add that extra detail to any available Flak37 kit.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to ABER for the review sets.
carry the full range of ABER update sets and barrels.

Page Created November 17, 2006

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