Military Model Scene
Robin Buckland's
German Flak 40 128mm Zwilling in 1/72...
...the big twin AA mounting, a kit from ModelCollect
ModelCollect small scale kits continue to have some interesting subjects featuring in their range. One of these is this twin 128mm AA gun mounting. The Flak 40 was developed in the late 1930s and went into production in 1942, though not a large number were made. It was a large and heavy bit of equipment so was not really suitable for mobile use with ground forces, though some were fitted to railway flat cars. With a weight of 26 tons for the twin mounting, they were put on fixed emplacements, best known being the huge Flak Towers in Berlin and other German cities. Four of these twin mountings were fitted to the 'Zoo' tower in Berlin. The large 128mm gun could throw a 26Kg shell to a height of about 35,000 feet. It is reported that despite being anti-aircraft weapons, they proved effective anti-tank weapons during the Soviet attacks on Berlin at the end of the war, their shells proving devastating to a tank, especially when hit from the side.
The Modelcolllect kit has the twin gun mounting, with the turntable with which it would be fixed to a concrete emplacement, so ideal if you are considering a diorama of one of those large concrete gun emplacements. The guns are essentially identical but with the fuze setting and loading trays on opposite sides for the Left and Right mounted guns, so do be careful to follow the instructions carefully and take parts from the appropriate sprues (X and Y). Fit of parts proved to be very good and it isn't a complex build. With the barrels in plastic halves, there are join seams to deal with. Knowing they do turned brass gun barrels in some of their other kits, that is one enhancement that could be attractive.
Just two simple colour schemes are suggested, either overall Panzer Grey or overall Dunkelgelb.
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In the photos below are a few showing a preserved example of the real thing, on display at the US Anti-aircraft artillery museum at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. It was moved there from the Aberdeen Proving Ground collection in Maryland where it had been for many years. My thanks to my friend Steve Andreano for sharing these with me.
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Tiger Hobbies here in the UK are now importing the ModelCollect range.
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Robin
Box art
Kit built
Kit built
Kit built
Kit built
Kit built
Kit built
Basic paint coat sprayed
Basic paint coat sprayed
Basic paint coat sprayed
Basic paint coat sprayed
A real example, once at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, seen here at its' new home at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in the US Anti Aircraft Artillery Museum. Photo courtesy of Steve Andreano
A real example, once at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, seen here at its' new home at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in the US Anti Aircraft Artillery Museum. Photo courtesy of Steve Andreano
A real example, once at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, seen here at its' new home at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in the US Anti Aircraft Artillery Museum. Photo courtesy of Steve Andreano
A real example, once at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, seen here at its' new home at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in the US Anti Aircraft Artillery Museum. Photo courtesy of Steve Andreano
A real example, once at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, seen here at its' new home at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in the US Anti Aircraft Artillery Museum. Photo courtesy of Steve Andreano
A real example, once at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, seen here at its' new home at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in the US Anti Aircraft Artillery Museum. Photo courtesy of Steve Andreano