Dragon 1/35 88mm Flak 37 mit Behelfslafette

The most famous German antitank weapon of WWII was the “eighty-eight”, an 8.8cm cannon that appeared in several guises (for instance, FlaK 18, FlaK 36 or FlaK 37). This deadly Flugabwehr-Kanone was originally designed as an antiaircraft weapon, but it performed admirably in the ground role as well, to the great detriment of Allied tank crews. The 8.8cm gun was built in large numbers, and it proved to be a successful design in both antiaircraft and antitank roles.

Like many of you out there, I'm a huge fan of artillery. If I build an 'armor' kit, it is as likely as not going to be some sort of field gun or howitzer as it would be something on wheels or treads. I'm quite jazzed that Dragon has decided to do an upgraded and improved Flak 37. This kit combines all that is good about the previous release with an all new gun mount. What's more, with but 250 parts, it is a kit that those of us with 'huge numbers of parts' syndrome can get into without concern that we'll never get it finished!

Here are all the features of this kit:

- Newly designed cruciform legs are fully functional and highly detailed
- Gun mount reproduced in fine detail
- New 88mm FlaK 37 Gun finely presented w/crisp details
- Travel lock newly reproduced
- Actual rifling inside plastic gun barrel
- Slide-molded gun barrel and aluminum gun barrel provided as option
- Recoil-cylinder covers appropriate for gun-shield
- Metal equilibrators w/working mechanism
- Gun can recoil
- Gun shield w/bolt details
- Separate gun-shield side-flaps allow three different configurations of pressed-shield version
- Armored viewing cover made of photo-etched metal can be shown open/closed
- Optional hand wheels newly produced for FlaK 37
- Two kinds of gun cradle, each w/internal detail
- Detailed fuse setter
- Workable breech w/shell insertion possible
- Aluminum barrel for Type 36/37 barrel (two separated parts)
- Metal equilibrators
- Metal chains
- 88mm ammo x 6
- Wooden ammo box x 2
- Wicker ammo box x 4

As mentioned above, you get a number of options with this one including different muzzle ends, the ability to use the plastic instead of the aluminum barrel, the option of building it without the shield as well as options for how the shield is to be posed. There are three markings options, but all are simply the base color with various camouflage patterns; all unknown units. 

I know this one is going into my 'to do' pile as I love artillery and one of the best pieces of WWII is the 88 FLAK. I've seen on-line retailers sell out of these already so you may want to put the grabs on one when you can.

http://en.wikipedia.org

August 2009

Thanks to www.dragonmodelsusa.com for the preview kit. Get yours at your favorite hobby shop or on-line retailer.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and fairly quickly, please contact the editor or see other details in the Note to Contributors.

Back to the Main Page

Back to the Review Index Page

Back to the Previews Index Page