Adlers Nest first metal barrel set was the 2cm Flak (set #ANM-35001) and they have now released two updated barrel sets incorporating additional details with one set in standard brass finish (set #ANM35027) and the second in Blue Steel anodised finish (set #ANM35027B) but other than that the barrels are the same in both sets, also the Blue Steel finish set is slightly more expensive than the standard set.

Each set has the single one piece turned aluminium barrel with a machined flash suppressor included that requires no cleanup prior to assembly, the barrel is like the first set featuring the barrel only and not the front section of the gun housing included with a number of other metal barrel sets.

One piece barrel with normal brass and anodised barrel
plus a close-up of the flash suppressor

The aluminium barrel has a small pin for attaching the barrel to the donor gun and the flash suppressor includes six larger holes around the collar section and four rows of six smaller holes in the suppressor cone. Images available of the actual suppressor collar show six or eight holes around the collar and three or four rows of smaller holes in the suppressor cone making the suppressor features in this set correct for the type depicted. There is another detail with the collar holes in that two holes are only half the length of the others and this feature is included with this barrel.

Also included on the barrel are the two textured hand grip sections for changing the barrel which look most realistic and from some angles is not that visible just like the real barrel.

The flash suppressor and barrel length matches the 1:35 plans in Panzer Tracks No.12 Flakpanzer and Nuts and Bolts Vol.13 Flakpanzer IV with the actual measurements being; full length of the gun (housing and visible barrel including flash suppressor) 2252.5mm which equals 64.357mm in 1:35 scale and the visible length of the barrel with flash suppressor is 995mm equalling 28.429mm (rounded to 28.5mm) in 1:35 scale. The set barrel measures out exactly 28.5mm making this one of the most accurate of those available to date as it also includes the smaller sized collar holes and hand grip sections on the barrel as mentioned above.

The only minor concern is the flash suppressor is fractionally smaller than the plans and photos would indicate but this is really marginal at best and is only really apparent when comparing directly to other barrels available.

Assembled barrels

Fitting the barrel to the Dragon FlaK38 gun from any of the applicable kits such as kit #6220, #6288, #6292, #6293, #6395 or #6469 is quite straight forward as the kit gun is the correct proportions and all that is needed is to cut the barrel from the Dragon gun, drill a small 1mm locating hole and attach the Adlers Nest barrel, all very easy.

Fitting barrel to Dragon 2cm FlaK38

To fit the barrel to the Tristar FlaK38 gun is just as simple and I have used here the gun from the latest Flak38 kit #35029 or the AFV Club kit #AF35118 as this has the correct gun dimensions. The plastic kit barrel is separate from the receiver in these kits and you first have to glue the plastic barrel in place to fill the hole in the end of the receiver. Then the barrel is cut off and a small 1mm hole drilled for the metal barrel the same as with the Dragon gun.

Cutting the Tristar 2cm FlaK38


This 2cm barrel from Adlers Nest has the correct length barrel and flash suppressor holes correctly depicted with the two shorter holes as well as the textured hand grip sections for the most realistic and accurate available as we see the standard of metal barrels improving all the time.

The Blue Steel anodised barrel also looks very good without the need for painting to retain that metallic look and is worth the small additional price for this feature.

The barrel has very fine details with absolutely no cleanup, nothing could be easier and will add considerable detail to whatever FlaK38 kit you use it on.

Highly recommended 8.5/10.

See a full comparison of available FlaK38 barrels which has been updated to include this barrel set.

2cm FlaK38 Muzzle Reference images

2 cm Flakvierling 38 Nuts & Bolts Vol.27 Detlev Terlisten

German 20mm FlaK in WWII 1395-1945 By Werner Müller Schiffer Military History ISBN: 0-88740-758-7 Soft cover 47 pages

Leichter Zugkraftwagen 1t (Sd.kfz.10) Ausf.A and B and Variants development and production from 1935 to 1945 Panzer Tracts No.22-1 ISBN 0-9815382-5-8 Thomas L. Jentz and Hilary Louis Doyle Includes accurate 1:35 plans of the 2cm Flak 30 and 2cm Flak 38 early and late.

Tamiya Photo Album 4 Tamiya Plastic Model Co. Krupp Protze Flak30, Flak38

2cm FlaK 30/38 Sfl Sd.Kfz.10/4 Wydawnictwo Militaria 172

Thanks to my credit card and the excellent service fromfor the review set.