Dragon 88mm Flak 37 (6287)
by Cookie Sewell
566 parts (516 in grey styrene, 28 etched brass, 7 aluminum tubes, 4
etched nickel, 3 turned aluminum, 3 turned brass, 3 pre-decaled clear
styrene, 1 brass chain, 1 copper chain); estimated retail US $34-40
Advantages: dedicated kit completes the basic family of 8.8 cm antiaircraft
guns; choice of wide variety of finishing and construction options
Disadvantages: no crew figures provided
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for all German and "Duck Hunter" fans
F I R S T L O O K
The German 8.8 cm medium antiaircraft guns were undoubtedly the best
known of all German WWII artillery, and the majority of them were the
shorter 56 caliber barrel models known as the FlaK 18, FlaK 36, and FlaK
37. While the first two were dual-purpose weapons, the FlaK 37 was generally
not considered as anything other than an antiaircraft gun, and as such
had a different analog data system and display for aiming the weapons.
Surprisingly, they also had different shaped shields, but for the most
part this was for protection from low-level strafers later in the war
rather than bomb or shell fragments.
DML has now modified its excellent FlaK 38 kit to represent the later
FlaK 37, and has changed or added some 47 parts to the kit. Among them
are eight "slide molded" styrene tires with wrap-around tread
pattern and no seams – a first! – which means no worries about
splitting rubber tires or having to go out and find resin ones to replace
vinyl tires with impossible to remove seams. The kit also includes three
different patterns of gun shields with "wings" for added protection.
One thing many modelers will like is the fact that the aiming data readouts
(parts K1) are provided as clear parts with either paint or decals already
in place, meaning that they do not have to be done by the modeler and
are precisely finished BEFORE installation.
The directions are very, very busy, and due to the wealth of options
it is recommended that the modeler study them carefully before assembly.
They relate to options such as metal or styrene, open or shut, travel
or firing positions, and which gun shield (or no gun shield) is used.
The kit provides for barrels from either the FlaK 18, Flak 36 or FlaK
38, and turned aluminum 18 and 36/37 barrels are included as well.
Finishing options are provided for four weapons: one each in Ossenbeng,
the Eastern Front, and Germany, and one from the Herman Goering Division
in Sicily.
Overall this completes the "family" of short-barreled 8.8 cm
weapons now available to the modeler in styrene, but this one almost begs
for a searchlight or sound ranging device to be situated next to it. With
suitable crew figures, this is another impressive model.
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.
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