Model Armour

2cm FlaK 30

Manufacturer: Cyber-Hobby

Scale: 1/35

Material: Styrene & photo-etch

Serial Number: 6722

Price: Unknown

Introduction

The original 2cm FlaK 30 apparently was borne from a gun designed for the Kriegsmarine, the C30, when Rheinmetall adapted it for Army use, eventually adapting it further to become the 2cm FlaK 38. Towards the end of the war, both of these guns were proved inadequate to the task given them, yet continued to be used in large numbers. This kit from Cyber-Hobby is no doubt being released as a result of its inclusion on a proposed 10/4 halftrack announced by Cyber-Hobby.

The Kit Contents

The kit arrives in a smaller than usual end-opening box, and inside there's just one large sprue of grey styrene, a tiny photo-etched fret, and A4-sized instruction leaflet folded over to make four pages. As you would expect, the moulding is crisp and sharp with no discernable flash and no ejector pin marks that will trouble the final assembly.

Construction begins with the assembly of various parts to the triangular base including the three baseplate feet etc. This part is somewhat unusual in that it doesn't allow the gun to be traversed. The circular base is moulded as one part with the triangular base. Although unusual, it actually wouldn't be a major feat of modelling to separate it and so model it in any position you would like, although as said it is unusual to find it moulded this way in a modern kit.

In the first stage of the instructions we're also directed to construct the gun sight. This gun was originally fitted with a Flakvisier 35 sight, which was quickly replaced with the Linealvisier 21, which seems to be the one represented in the kit, although this itself was ultimately replaced with the Schwebekreisvisier 20 sight, although it would seem probable from wartime pictures that early sights could still be found on examples throughout the war period. The sight ring is provided in two forms, one as a solid styrene part, and the other as a photo-etched part to be inserted into a circular styrene ring.

The construction of the gun itself is next, a slide-moulded receiver, onto which the magazine slot is fixed, which is supplied either moulded integrally with a magazine, or empty as a photo-etched part. You then have a choice of either using one of the supplied plastic magazines, of which there are two supplied, or leaving it empty. The barrel is slide moulded, with a slightly drilled out end, and is of the correct length. The holes in the flash suppressor are not drilled all the way through, but for a plastic injection moulded suppressor, they're pretty good. Get yourself a 0.2mm twist drill and it would be easy to drill them through if you wished to. If constructed correctly, the gun can be elevated to different angles, and in addition the spent shell ejector chute can be modelled opened or closed as in firing or towed mode.

There's not a lot else to say really, I'd just be padding it.

Markings-wise there aren't any, and there's just one all-over grey scheme illustrated on the instruction leaflet.

Conclusion

It's a small and simple kit, but don't lead that to make you think it's not highly detailed...it is. It's just that the original gun was fairly small and simple too! The platform being supplied fixed to the base is odd...but easily fixed if you need to, and the lack of an Sd.Ah 51 trailer is easily overcome too, with a variety of these available from different manufacturers. I can see a good few of these being purchased by modellers for use in various projects. Putting it on a trailer could be one of many such projects.

My thanks to Cyber-Hobby for the review sample.