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.
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.
Assembled muzzle brake
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.
Overall view of the assembled barrel and Dragon gun mounting/housing
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.
Comparison of the ABER and armorscale muzzle brakes.
Highly recommended
See the Panzer IV Subject page for additional reviews for the Pnzer IV.
Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV Thomas L Jentz Hilary Louis Doyle |
Pz.Kpfw.IV AusfF2/G AFV Super Detail Photo Vol.5 Published by Model Art Co.Ltd. |
Armour PhotoGallery #1 PzKpfw IV Ausf.G Sd.Kfz 165 Hummel Sd.Kfz 166 Brummbär |
Achtung Panzer No.3 Panzer IV |
Ground Power No.106 March 2003 Ausf.G GALILEO Publishing Co.,Ltd |
Ground Power No.107 April 2003 Ausf.G(2) GALILEO Publishing Co.,Ltd |
Ground Power No.109 June 2003 Ausf.E/F GALILEO Publishing Co.,Ltd |
PzKpfw IV Ausf.A
to J Tanks in Detail 1 Ian Allan Publishing. |
Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank 1936-45 Osprey New Vanguard 28 ISBN: 1855328437 |