2cm Flak 38 grouping ~ DML, Tristar, and Italeri

[Allan Williams]

There's nothing wrong with the Visierschild you've included. It's a late pattern one but there's no reason why you wouldn't see it on an early pattern mount, particularly on an Sd.Kfz 10/5.
The only suggestion I could make with the Flakvisier assembly is to just make it the complete late pattern Flakvisier 38a by bangin' this faceplate on it if you have one.



Way too much work to turn the whole assembly into a Flakvisier 38 and there's no reason why you couldn't have the later pattern Flakvisier on an early pattern mount, mounted on a mid to late war vehicle.
Does anyone even make a Flakvisier 38? I noticed those two kits, with the 251 mounted Flaks you featured at the beginning of this thread had some vague semblence of an early shield, what are their Flakvisier assemblies like?


Allan

[Jamie Tainton]

Thanks Allan, that is a bit of a relief. Can I ask- what type of screen,mesh would be on the shell catch bag?

[John Mohnen]

Excellent stuff guys.
Like the idea of comparisation between the different manufactures against the real thing.
Who's the more realistic and provides the best detail.
How many times the PE aftermarket kits are not really an improvement to kit part.
An even more push to go and get the research done properly.
For me research in the model is probarly an ever greater pleasure than actually building it.
Will keep this post in my list.

[Jamie Tainton]

Yes John- the PE replacements are sometimes worse than what comes in the kit. I think sometimes the closer you look, the less that stuff seems desirable over scratching your own improvements.

Just wondering- these shots of a refurbished item, how accurate do you think it is. I like the type of mesh used here, was that the type in the original. I'm still waiting for my Nuts & Bolts book I ordered back in early May.

[Allan Williams]

Jamie, it appears to be a very late pattern mount and, overall, seems good. If anything I feel it would be unlikely that such a late pattern mount would still be fitted with a Flakvisier 38a, but only because of timelines and progressive sighting devices. The Visierkopf 38/40 appears to be a big favourite amongst reenactors and is probably easier to find than a Schwebekreisvisier 38 anyway.
Let me know what you think of the new Nuts & Bolts as you'll quite likely get it before me.
As for the basket, I think it should be a thicker grade netting. I'll see if I can dig up some decent pics.
John, you're absolutely right. The research for a build is definitely the best part of any project, maintaining a collective interest over the greatly extended periods that it can take for some information to come to light is the biggest task.
Allan

[John Mohnen]

[Jamie Tainton]

Thanks John that helps, sometimes it's hard to stop and dig into the references... Is the way the basket is attached to the body of the refurbished gun accurate? It certainly differs from how the plastic model shows the attachment. I followed the way the DML kit attached it- that is two little pins that sink into the circular part. If I had known better, I may have attempted this version.

[Allan Williams]

Jamie,
I'm pretty sure you have Trojca's Flak at War and there's some pretty decent photos of the netting on the catcher on the Mobelwagen on page 228, the Flak 30 on the top of page 23 (description says it's a Flak 38) gives a good idea of it's thickness I think, and the Flak 38 on the bottom of page 26 also gives a nice impression of how thick the gauge of the netting was.
I'll also upload a photo of the catcher on an early pattern mount on display in Norway. It's been restored, but I think the gauge of the netting is better than the reenactor's one above.
The 'pins' on the bearing caps that the catcher is mounted on are actually grease nipples, and yes the design of that catcher looks ok.
I was thinking of suggesting you include the nipples but thought you would've noticed them in your own photos and decided against them.
Anyway, hope that helps.

Allan

[John Mohnen]

Jamie
Just found a pic from a 2cm in Koblenz.
Shows the catcher nice.
Here's the link

http://hosted.wargamer.com/Panzer/koble ... mage1.html

[John Mohnen]

Jamie
Here's another link with some nice 2cm Pics
http://www.asphm.com/vehicules/Flak_38_2/flak_38_2.html
text is in french.