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In-Box Review
135
3cm Flak 38/103 Jaboschreck w/trailer

by: Vinnie Branigan [ TEACHER ]

introduction
The 3cm Flak 38/103 Jaboschreck was Germany's answer to Allied air supremacy. The 2cm Flak 38 was no longer of much use unless multiplied by four in a quad mount, and so Germany turned to Rheinmetall in 1944 to produce the 3cm Flak 38/103 based on existing aircraft cannon. It only went into production in small numbers before the end of hostilities, but it was actually planned to use it in the Panzer IV Kugelblitz, which never materialized.


the kit
The kit is obviously based on the recent Flak 38 kit, with appropriate changes and some new sprues. The Flak 38 kit was a beautiful kit, and included some fine and accurate detail, and this kit is no different.

Sprue A which contained the base of the gun, is again included, with the unnecessary parts still supplied but obviously not to be used and indicated as such on the instructions. Sprue B the same, so there are lots of 2cm magazines for the spares box!

The photo etched frets supplied with this one are similar, but not the same, there are some subtle differences. Those gorgeous pre-formed baskets are still supplied, as are the pre-bent brass shields, but there are now parts included for the assembly of the 103 muzzle brake, which would have been nigh on impossible to present as injection moulded parts anyway.

The main parts of the gun are supplied on two new sprues, both named as D, with the moulding of course, being up to the standards we've now come to expect from Dragon. The moulding of the barrel itself is of note, Dragon having used slide moulds again to achieve the sophisticated, complicated shape of the 103, designed at it was to minimize recoil. Of course the barrel is pre-drilled as well, thanks again to slide moulds!

Plenty of 3cm ammunition is provided, which will look stunning painted up in the appropriate colours. The trailer supplied to mount the gun, can of course be depicted in transport or firing mode, and can also be depicted with or without the fenders. There are new ammunition boxes as well.

Like the Flak 38 kit, the gun can be modelled at one of four different elevations, with parts being provided for each.


Marking options
As usual, a small cartograf decal sheet is included for the one option provided in the kit, of an piece attached to an unidentified unit on the Eastern Front in 1945.


in conclusion
I raved about the Flak 38 when I saw that. This is even better. The complicated muzzle brake and flash suppressor lends an air of power to the finished piece, and will look superb when finished. Highly recommended.
SUMMARY
Another beautiful kit from Dragon of a slightly obscure late-war anti aircraft gun.
  MOULDING:96%
  PHOTO ETCH PARTS:98%
  VALUE:95%
Percentage Rating
96%
  Scale: 1:35
  Mfg. ID: 6353
  Related Link: Dragon Models Ltd.
  PUBLISHED: Sep 12, 2006
  NATIONALITY: Germany
NETWORK-WIDE AVERAGE RATINGS
  THIS REVIEWER: 87.97%
  MAKER/PUBLISHER: 86.16%

Our Thanks to Dragon Models!
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.

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About Vinnie Branigan (Teacher)
FROM: ENGLAND - NORTH WEST, UNITED KINGDOM

Copyright ©2021 text by Vinnie Branigan [ TEACHER ]. All rights reserved.



Comments

Thanks Vinnie, I love these small AA pieces and it is great to have some others rather than those that Tamiya produce, nice as they are. As I have the 2cm to build and looking at this one, they offer real value with all of the extras enclosed in the packaging rather to have to go and immediately buy after market sets. I shall look for this one on the shelf on my LHS. John
SEP 11, 2006 - 04:57 PM
Nice review Vinnie. I initially believed that Dragon’s Flak 38 was merely for direct competition to Tristar and not beneficial to the model building community. True or not, at least they have continued to build on the Flak 38 ‘range’. This is one time I’ll gladly eat my words as AA builders once again benefit. :-) Now where are Dragon’s multiple Panzer 1 variants. :-)
SEP 11, 2006 - 05:40 PM
Thanks for the review, Vinnie. This looks like a very interesting kit, and I might pick up one for myself. Getting the pre-orders in on this today Cheers !! Robert
SEP 11, 2006 - 06:08 PM
A very nice review with great illustrations. I've been out of the loop here for quite a long time, thinking about jumping back in with a reasonably quick build - this one looks like a shoo in for the "Actung, Jabo!" campaign. Thank you for another great review.
SEP 14, 2006 - 07:38 AM
I'm in mid-build right now and it's a sweet little kit all right but there are a couple of glitches that dont show up in any reviews I've seen so far. The injection plastic main gunshields have locator points for the horizontal brace (part A38) that connects them to each other and then to the gun itself and the etched parts do NOT. I did not notice this until I got most of the shield bits soldered together, so it is not as simple a matter of setting them down side by side and marking them now. Mike Glancing aheadto step 7 this problem reappears with the etch splinter shield attached to the barrel, and are also missing several smaller fittings found on the rear of the injection molded part A49.
FEB 19, 2007 - 01:13 AM
Ok, so the "mid-build" as mentioned above can be redefined as 'in long-term sytrene shelf life testing..' I've recently picked it back up and since deciding to leave the etched shields off as the plastic ones are better detailed have gotten a bit farther. I have not tackled the 497tiny part sight assembly yet, but am not looking forward to my winter numbed fingers tackling those microscopic bits. Optivisor or not.. Anyone actually finished one of these? More progress this afternoon Mike
DEC 30, 2009 - 07:14 AM
I finished one last month, but do not have pictures of the completed built. I used one built by Frank Glackin (Plasticbattle) as a reference, but the pictures are now gone!: https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/92900&page=1 I'm sorry I cannot offer more immediate help. -Doug
DEC 30, 2009 - 11:45 AM
I bought this kit a few weeks back with the full Voyager set so it will be nice if you guys can show some pics of the work you've done. Planning to start this in the next month or so. Rob
DEC 30, 2009 - 04:59 PM
I picked up this kit at a local hobby contest vendor's area as it has a big cool factor. BEWARE, it does not make an accurate replica. There is one reference on the internet that can be very helpful, but be prepared for a lot of work if you want an accurate model... Chuck
MAY 30, 2016 - 02:52 AM
   
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