MASTER [ MORE REVIEWS ] [ WEBSITE ] [ NEW STORIES ]

In-Box Review
135
German 2cm L/65 Flak 38
German 2cm L/65 Flak 38 – Flakvierling 38
  • move

by: Todd Michalak [ TRM5150 ]

Introduction

The 2cm L/65 Flak 38 (often referred to as the 20mm Flak 38) arguably became one of the most widely utilized anti-aircraft gun used within the German war machine during the Second World War. Not only were these auto-cannons used in the anti-aircraft role as they were pressed into service with the Wehrmacht as a mobile artillery piece. The Flakvierling 38 was the four-barreled answer to raise the rate of fire and effectiveness for the increased speed to the allied aircraft.

Contents

Master – Reality in Miniature recently released their newest offering; German 2cm L/65 Flak 38 – Flakvierling 38. The GM-35-006 Flakvierling 38 set comes with four complete barrels including:
4 Turned Brass Barrels
4 Flash Suppressors

Review

There are no less than fourteen (14) individually produced barrel replacements for the Flak 38 offered to the modeling community today. Master’s German 2cm L/65 Flak 38 – Flakvierling 38 makes number Fifteen (15)…I think!

The GM-35-006 turned brass set of barrels dimensionally measures out to the correct sizing for the Flak barrel it represents. Each barrel has the two textured sections that were hand grips used while changing the barrels as seen on the original barrels.

In looking at the muzzle flash suppressers, they are shaped extremely close to what is seen on the original Flak gun. There are three rows of venting holes with six holes in each row. The lower opening in the barrel is represented correctly with long and two short vent holes incorporated.

Conclusion

The 1/35th scale German 2cm L/65 Flak 38 – Flakvierling 38 Barrels set from Master is one of the better options of barrel replacement for the Flakvierling 38 kts out there. The barrel sizing and muzzle characteristics are suggestive of what is seen on the original gun. I highly recommend these barrels for anyone building any version of the Flakvierling 38 models.

SUMMARY
Highs: Correctly represented features resembling the original barrels they are intended to depict.
Lows: None at this time
Verdict: I feel this in one of the best options for 1/35th scale Flakvierling 38 barrel replacement.
Percentage Rating
99%
  Scale: 1:35
  Mfg. ID: GM-35-006
  Suggested Retail: Not Available
  PUBLISHED: Dec 09, 2014
  NATIONALITY: Germany
NETWORK-WIDE AVERAGE RATINGS
  THIS REVIEWER: 95.52%
  MAKER/PUBLISHER: 96.08%

Our Thanks to Master!
This item was provided by them for the purpose of having it reviewed on this KitMaker Network site. If you would like your kit, book, or product reviewed, please contact us.

View Vendor Homepage  |  More Reviews  

About Todd Michalak (TRM5150)
FROM: MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES

I am building what I like, when I like and how I like it; having fun doing it. I have been building and finishing models on and off my whole life but the past ten years things really exploded. Just about anything goes when it comes to hitting the bench, but wrecked armor, rusted hulks, ships or ...

Copyright ©2021 text by Todd Michalak [ TRM5150 ]. All rights reserved.



Comments

Hello Again Bob, I took some measurements for you using a caliper this morning....over some coffee!! Hope that helps you out a little. I will send these pics to Darren and ask if he will upload them to the review. So looking quickly, and not to get into any lengthy debates about the barrel size, at the measurement and comparing them to the data you supplied and taking into consideration the "visible barrel length" should come in around 28.4mm in this scale...the 28.25mm length of the Master version of the 2cm barrel is pretty darn close.
DEC 09, 2014 - 06:58 PM
GREAT info on the measurements, Todd! THANKS for doing and posting that stuff! The barrels certainly look good and appear to have the correct proportions, and the knurls are the sort of correctly-done feature (as versus the crude grossly raised bands offered by a couple of the competitor barrels to represent this key detail... ) which really calls some of us (me! ). There are two more pieces of info which could be useful... but apparently are not yet available... WHERE to get them and for how much! I have at least one Wirbelwind looking for a set of nice metal barrels... Bob
DEC 09, 2014 - 08:44 PM
These barrels are certainly a nice improvement from at least most of the barrels out there..IMHO. As for availability, these are in the process of being added to the Master Website. They will be available soon from any of these fine retailers listed on the Master site - LINK
DEC 09, 2014 - 09:37 PM
Would these work for any 2mm armed weapon with that style flash suppressor? Such as a Polish FK-A?
DEC 09, 2014 - 09:56 PM
Hi Michael, While my personal opinion would say yes, mainly because of a couple reasons...first being I don't think there is actually a FK wz.38 (20 mm wz. 38 model A (FK-A)) on the market...but I could be wrong...the other being it is in the ballpark even though the flash hider is different: I wonder if you could get away with adding a couple of scratch built or otherwise washers in between the barrel and suppressor. After that, I think we are waiting for any one of the scale barrel manufactures to take the plunge and make one of those Polish 20mm!
DEC 09, 2014 - 10:48 PM
I think so. But actually I believe that what you have pictured there is one of the guns that the Polish were testing and not the FK-A. Which did have a similar profile and to the German 20mm flak barrel. The Polish tested numerous guns to mount on their TK-3 platform including Solothurn and Oerlikon. They deemed these guns unsatisfactory and went ahead and developed their own 20mm autocannon which actually had more anti-tank capabilities than the other guns tested. Here is the TKS mounting a 20mm wz.38 FK-A: And here is the image you have: It'd also be nice if some company might release a new, modern version of these Polish very light tanks. From the TK to the TKS.
DEC 10, 2014 - 11:53 AM
Michael, I think what I do not understand is that there are at least two Polish based manufacturers on the list, Mast being one of them, and we have not seen the barrel in question released. While I am not even close to being an expert on the subject of Polish armor... the weapon you asked about,the FK-A...or 20mm wz.38 FK-A,I feel was the barrel assembly I showed in the picture. I think when it comes to Polish armor, more specifically the TKS,there has to be something that needs to be considered when looking at the information given...this goes for many other subjects as well. I tend to be a bit cautious whit information obtained from gaming sites as most of the information is copy and paste at best and often can be manipulated to work into the gaming platforms being used. In looking at the link you provided, there was the mention of the TKS z nkm 20A which "24 cars were rearmed"...this could be true but it would not be conclusive to think they were the only use of the 20mm wz.38 FK-A. Achtungpanzer has a bit more information on the TKS subject - LINK While the widespread use of the 20mm wz.38 FK-A was probably an experimental one, but pretty much it appears the entire Polish Armor program was experimental at best for this time period. If an effort to try and help answer you original question about the 2cm L/65 Flak 38 being used in the TKS...sure, why not? Some of the references certainly point to this barrel or similar being installed in the tankette, as seen in the picture you posted and several others found online...whether it be they were purchased by the Polish prior to out the outset of WWII or the fact that any of the remaining TKS's that were still intact after Sept. '39 would have been under new management in the German army and judging from their track record of modifications, could have easily place the 2cm L/65 Flak 38 into the Tankette themselves as well. So I guess a final answer could be yes, the barrel could be used. A couple of decent references on the TKS and one on the Solothurm 20mm Auto-cannon LINK LINK LINK
DEC 10, 2014 - 06:00 PM
Hate to start a side discussion of something completely unrelated to the original post but in the link to the Solothurn you posted, you can clearly see that the barrel length and then the length on the TKS tankette is the same. But if you look at a picture of the FK-A, you will clearly see how much longer the barrel is. Top if Nzm wz.38 FK and bottom is Solothurn. The second picture I posted, while the same as the one you posted, I got from a Polish website. There is a boat load of information on this site pertaining to just the TK tankette series. http://derela.republika.pl/tk.htm Plus, in the Achtung Panzer link you provided, there is a picture of a FK armed TKS down around the middle of the page. This is the picture: But I digress as we all can have our own beliefs.
DEC 10, 2014 - 07:28 PM
Things do get derailed fairly quickly sometimes Michael. Basically, yes, a 2cm Flak was used in the TKS as was the FK-A...the how, why and when are not really mine to answer. Mine was to give my review of the German 2cm L/65 Flak 38 – Flakvierling 38 Barrels set from Master. So again, yes, I would say the German 2cm L/65 Flak 38 could be used in the TKS. In the end, I am happy to see you found the information that you needed to hopefully answer the question you had.
DEC 10, 2014 - 08:26 PM
   
ADVERTISEMENT


Photos
Click image to enlarge
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
ADVERTISEMENT