In an effort to improve the the anti-tank performance of the T-34, the high-velocity 57mm Anti-tank gun ZiS-2 was adapted for tank use as the ZiS-4 and a small number of T34s were fitted with the ZiS-4 in 1941 and designated T-34-57. The ZiS-4 was fitted to both welded and cast 1941 turrets and used primarily as tank destroyers due to the poor performance of the 57mm HE round for general use.

This 57mm ZiS-4 barrel from ABER is designed for the Dragon T-34-76 Mod.1941 kits (#6205 and #6418) and consists of the aluminium barrel with drilled out muzzle that includes fine rifling and the small etched collar for the gun housing as the 57mm tube was thinner than the F34 76.2mm tube.

The length and diameter matches the 1:35 plans in the Tank Power book 269 T-34 Vol.IV but it's interesting that other plans in different Tank Power volumes and the T-34 Mythical Weapon book vary in length by up to 10mm which again shows you can't bet your house on a single set of plans.

Barrel and etched parts

The barrel is designed to fit directly to the gun mounting in the applicable Dragon T-34 kits without modification as there is a small ring the same size as the F34 barrel where it goes into the housing and the etched collar then covers the resulting gap between the 57mm barrel tube and gun housing as it does on the real tank. The etched collar also includes weld bead texturing around the outside which should come up nicely with weathering.

This is a simple upgrade for the longer barrel 57mm ZiS-4 that doesn't require any alterations to the target kit and gives the model a completely and quite distinctive look compared to the majority of shorter barrel 76.2mm armed T-34s.

Highly recommended

Image showing barrel rifling and barrel fitted to
Dragon T-34-76 Mod.1941 kit#6205

Barrel fitted to
Dragon T-34-76 Mod.1941 Cast Turret kit #6418

See the T-34 Subject page for additional reviews for the T-34 series.

T-34 Mythical Weapon by Robert Michulec Published by AirConnection	T-34 - Stalin's War Horse Model Fan Encyclopedia #5 ISBN: 83-914521-4-X	T-34 In Combat Model Fan Encyclopedia #6 ISBN: 83-914521-5-8
T-34 Tank Power Vol.XXXV Wydawnictwo Militaria No.259 ISBN: 83-7219-259-6	T-34 vol.II Tank Power Vol.XL Wydawnictwo Militaria No.265 ISBN: 978837219265	T-34 vol.III Tank Power Vol.XLIII Wydawnictwo Militaria No.268 ISBN: 9788372192684
T-34 vol.IV Tank Power Vol.XLIV Wydawnictwo Militaria No.269 ISBN: 9788372192691	T-34 Medium Tank 1941-45 Osprey New Vanguard 9 ISBN 1855323826	Medium Tank T-34 Modelist Konstruktor publications 3'99

Thanks to for the review barrel.