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ABER
German KwK 40 L/43 7.5cm Barrel
single baffle muzzle brake
for Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.F2

ABER 1:35 Set #35 L-75
Review by Terry Ashley


Dragon
Introduction:
ABER have recently released this metal replacement 7.5cm KwK 40 L/43 barrel with single baffle muzzle brake designed for the Dragon Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.F2(G) (kit #6360)

The Set:
This set consists of the aluminium barrel with rifling added inside the muzzle and three machined brass parts for the muzzle brake and gun collar as well as six etched parts for the muzzle brake details, you should note that two of these (parts 1,2) are not used with this muzzle brake but are included for the later double baffle PaK40 muzzle brakes.

The quality of the parts is excellent without any cleanup required other than the small burrs after removing the etched parts from the fret. You should check that the etched collar will fit over the barrel muzzle and this is easiest while the collar is still attached to the fret. This makes it easier to file the inside of the collar if required but all parts fitted without alterations on my set.

Barrel parts and etched detail parts
ABER

Dimensionally the barrel length matches available data perfectly but the muzzle brake size differs slightly between some of the references listed below with some showing the same size as the ABER muzzle brake and some slightly larger but all differences are well under 1mm.

It The two part muzzle brake fit together snugly with just a small seam line to be filled but you should ensure the side opening lines up correctly. Soldering is the best method for join the parts, for greater strength as well as making it easier to fill the seam with solder and lightly file to eliminate the seam completely.

Added to the top of the muzzle brake neck is the small three part retaining bracket with a small notch on the muzzle brake indicating the correct location. I also soldered these in place as I have found on previous barrels of this type that these small brackets can easily snap off and be lost while handling when using cyanoacrylate (super glue) only to attach them.

Unassembled muzzle brake parts and barrel rifling
ABERABER
Assembled muzzle brake
ABER

The two brass collars are added to the barrel and the assembled muzzle brake fitted in place but you should not attach the muzzle brake at this stage or you will not be able to fit the barrel through the Dragon gun housing with the muzzle brake in place.

Fitting the metal barrel to the Dragon kit is very straightforward as no alterations are required with the metal barrel simply replacing the kit plastic barrel and is fitted between the kit gun mountings (parts B5, B6) in the same manner as the kit gun tube.

The remainder of the kit gun mounting and gun housing are assembled as per the kit instructions and you can then fit the metal muzzle brake to the barrel ensuring it is aligned correctly, all very simple.

Fitting the metal barrel to the kit gun mounting
ABER
Overall view of the assembled barrel and Dragon gun mounting/housing
ABER

The Dragon plastic kit muzzle brake is also the correct size but the assembled brass muzzle brake provides far more refined details that can only be obtained with metal parts (see image below) and is more than a viable improvement to add considerable detail to the kit gun barrel/muzzle brake.

It is also interesting to note that since reviewing the armorscale KwK 40 L/43 7.5cm single baffle muzzle brake/barrel (set #B35-014) back in 2005 additional references have been obtained that show slightly different sizes for the single baffle muzzle brake but with the differences being well under 1mm.

Between the references listed some show the ABER muzzle brake is the right size or very slightly undersized while the armorscale muzzle brake is slightly oversized, hence the noticeable differences in muzzle brake sizes in the comparison image below. It is my opinion that the ABER muzzle brake is closer too if not the correct size taking the available information into account than the armorscale muzzle brake. Not that it is any substantiation but the Dragon kit muzzle brake is also basically the same size as the ABER muzzle brake and we all know the extensive research that goes into those kits.

Assembled ABER muzzle brake compared to the Dragon plastic muzzle brake
ABER
Comparison of the ABER and armorscale muzzle brakes.
ABER

Highly recommended

See the Panzer IV Subject page for additional reviews for the Pnzer IV.

References:
Panzer Tracts No.4
Panzerkampfwagen IV
Thomas L Jentz
Hilary Louis Doyle
book
Pz.Kpfw.IV AusfF2/G
AFV Super Detail Photo Vol.5

Published by Model Art Co.Ltd.
Book
Armour PhotoGallery #1
PzKpfw IV Ausf.G
Sd.Kfz 165 Hummel
Sd.Kfz 166 Brummbär

book
Achtung Panzer No.3
Panzer IV

book
Ground Power No.106
March 2003
Ausf.G
GALILEO Publishing Co.,Ltd
book
Ground Power No.107
April 2003
Ausf.G(2)
GALILEO Publishing Co.,Ltd
book
Ground Power No.109
June 2003
Ausf.E/F
GALILEO Publishing Co.,Ltd
book
PzKpfw IV Ausf.A to J
Tanks in Detail 1
Ian Allan Publishing.

book
Panzerkampfwagen IV
Medium Tank 1936-45

Osprey New Vanguard 28
ISBN: 1855328437
book

Thanks to ABER for the review barrel.




Page created March 14, 2009