88mm Flak 36
Voyager 1:35 Set # PE 35060DRA
Review by Terry Ashley
The etched frets are of different thickness with fret A being double the thickness for the gun shields to be better represented with the other frets varying in thickness to allow excellent etched relief on items such as the cable reel faces and thinner frets for smaller fittings and storage boxes. Two of the eleven frets are in very thin stainless steel for the quadrant scaling and degree indicators on the base pedestal as well as some very fine chain and the different thicknesses allow for excellent scale definition on the parts.
The quality of the etchings is superb with crisp clean detail and relief etching with the usual engraved bending lines with the parts being amongst the very best quality etched sets available today. Many of the parts are very small and care will be needed during handling and assembly and experience working with etched parts would also be helpful.
The larger parts in the set are for the complete gun shield to replace the
plastic kit shield and this is provided in one large part, but note that the
bending line for the side shields is at the front where you bend the shields
away from the engraved line and not the usual where the bend line is behind
the bend.
This is so the engraved bend line represents the small space between the main
and side shields once bent and does make the job easier.
There are also separate etched bolt heads for the side and main shield with
small holes indicating the location of the many bolt heads as well as additional
parts for the sight opening door and shield attachments.
Also included are optional shield panels sometimes fitted around the Recuperator
Cylinder on some guns used in the ground attach role.
There are also included kill marking stencils for a ship, tank and aircraft that will allow you to airbrush any number of kill markings for the gun you are building.
Separate shield supports that attach to the lower front of the gun cradle and the upper shield support arm attachments are included as well as small hinges to be attached at the appropriate locations on the inside of the shields.
The gun is detailed with etched parts that replace the kit quadrant scale (kit part C13) and three part etched faces for the Elevation and Azimuth indicators (kit parts D26) and Travers Limit Indicator (kit part C31) as well as the photo film dials and three etched parts for the Fuse Setter Scale (kit part C56) and all these parts will require some minor modifications to the kit parts and also the saving of some plastic detail to add back with the etched parts but the added detail definition will be worth the effort.
The gun travel lock has the latch and securing strip replaced with etched parts and again this requires modification of the kit parts as well as numerous smaller fittings and brackets around the gun mount assembly such as the small chains used to secure the outrigger legs when raised and the storage box hinges and latches. As mentioned there is also the degree scaling for around the top of the pedestal gun mount to add that final detail touch and as with the Lion Road set Voyager don't bother to replace the kit etched parts for the leg stake guides as the kit etched parts are perfectly adequate.
The two carriage bogies are extensively detailed with virtually every smaller fitting and attachment replaced with etched parts that requires the attachment points on the kit bogies to be removed beforehand. This includes the fender support arms which are made up of four parts each and the storage boxes with additional etched hinges, latches and supports.
The large cable reel faces and mounts are especially well done with excellent relief on the etchings and while you are given etched cable drums that you have to bend to the right curve it may be easier to use the plastic kit items if they will be covered by the cables anyway.
All the tool clips and attachments are also replaced with etched parts that
require you to remove the kits attachments and brackets as well the etched
crew seats with perforations that require the small curves to be added as well
as back rests from thin wire.
Other details include the brake levers and attachments made up of numerous
small brackets and thin rod as well as foot steps and rests but the end result
is much finer detail definition.
There are also as a bonus resin tow cable shackles and a length of string for
the wire cable to use as required.
The four page instruction sheet has exploded view drawings showing the various sub assemblies but distinguishing the numbered Dragon kit parts from the numbered etched parts is a little confusing and care will be needed. It may be an idea to go though the sequences using a highlighter to indicate the different parts to make things easier.
Conclusion;
This is an extensively detailed set that will add many finer details
to an already excellent kit but there are some minor modifications required
on the kit parts to add the new etched parts with the details on the gun controls,
shields and cable reels being notable.
Highly Recommended.
Comparing this set to the Lion Roar set (LE35054) shows many of the same
details in both but this Voyager set goes a few steps further with the inclusion
of additional details for the gun control indicators and on the bogies but
the separate side gun shields allows the actual small gap between the shields
to be shown on the Lion Roar set while the one piece shield
is easier to assemble on this set.
This gap is very small and may not even be noticeable except in close up so
this may not even be an issue?
Overall this Voyager set is more comprehensive but the Lion
Roar set is still
very good and will add many finer details to the Dragon kit.
Thanks to my credit card and Hobby Easy for the review set.
Page Created September 25, 2005