GERMAN ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN 8.8cm FLAK18 AFV CLUB 1/35

AFV Club 88 mm gun and tried combining the artillery figure of the Dragon. I built it in July 2014.

This kit was reputable in the released the year 2005. At that time, it was chosen as one of the masterwork kits in the Japanese AFV model magazine. I intended to make it someday.

There are many parts for artillery kit, some parts are made of metal, rubber, vinyl. Mold is very sharp as other AFV Club kit.

Like past cannon kit which I made, I don’t get a hint much what area I make in the whole process at the beginning. There are a lot of small parts, I assemble them carefully. This stage, I’m a little worried about the parts which are not clearly indicated in the instruction manual, finally, all modules can be installed to fit or not…

I was about to understand the whole mechanism. 88mm gun barrel has a powerful impression. I am thankful for being it an aluminum gun barrel, there is no distortion, it’s easy to assemble.

The gun part is almost completed. The feeling of multiple material kit assemble is somewhat I did the great work even it’s bare composting straight from the box. Actual assemble is hard work for the many small kit, but the instruction manual is easy to understand and accurate explanation, almost no worried.
Regarding the vertical angle, it’s movable, but I think to fix it in some timing after because is easy to come off some joints.

I was available to choose transportation form or shooting position, this time shooting as the photo. Remaining is a gun carrier, same as quite a lot of detailed parts. The very cool gun part was completed, and next, I would like to let stand by some artillery crew.
(19-July-2014)

Gun career was almost completed, but a process to wind nylon cable on reels are remaining. This seems to be a hard process… Career contains many small parts as same as Gun itself like I don’t know how to hold the finished work.

The main body of antiaircraft gun was attached a bulletproof board and is completed. Now still movable the angle of the barrel, any angle seems good looking and in case I fixed the angle, I wonder which pose is the best.

There are many complicated areas and seems difficult to do airbrushing properly.

I could wind up the nylon cable safely. I recommend you to use the adhesive while the middle of winding some points here and there for preventing them loosen up and recoil start over.

In the shooting position, this kit was divided roughly three parts, front wheels, rear wheels part, the antiaircraft gun main body.
(21-July-2014)

I have Dragon Model’s German Flak Artillery Crew set now, I’ll make this. One of the figures has already completed with my past work, a sIG33 15cm infantry gun, so I’ll make the other five figures.

They wear winter clothes so looks a little fat. There are many burr and dent, a gap on this kit, I need a little work to adjust them.
(24-July-2014)

The sitting figure, it doesn’t show detailed expressions.

I changed the head to resin one. He looks down a little and having quite a fatigue.

Regarding the two figures left side, because the faces almost hide, I didn’t change the head to the resin. One figure is looking through a rangefinder, the other one is with binoculars. They are watching the enemy airplane approaching.

This is a back shot. I need to remove the parting lines more. Is the pose not very good? Figures poses are very nice.

Two soldiers role of the ammunition loading. I use the photo-etched parts for a shell bottom, when set up to the loader’s hand, we can’t see them, but anyway it’s luxurious detail up. The left figure is slightly gaining weight, he has no chin which I am a dissatisfied point. In the real world, not everybody is a handsome guy so it’s OK.

The figures standing positions are scattered but are more lively feeling when it locates the only gun. I think the proper operation of this artillery gun needs around ten soldiers, although I only set up 5 men. You can see this gun is really big, contrast with the human height.
(24-July-2014)

I blew surfacer before basic painting. I had a question by e-mail on the necessity of surfacer overall. I think there is merit to easy spread blowing, evenly same color tone, on the latter process.

This time, the basic color is German gray.

Figure’s basic paint by brush. But I suppose I should have done by airbrush, easier and beautiful finish.

According to the manual, this marking’s gun belongs to either place of the Eastern Front. There is the kill mark of the ship and the mark of the tank. I presume the lines with no mark is the number of shooting down airplanes. It’s the warrior having a long military record. AFV Club’s decals are thin and delicate, need to handle very carefully.
(12-August-2014)

I continue to try hair spray technique following the Pz. Kpfw III type H which I completed last time. I blew mat white thinly and this matte white comes off here and there. Base color German gray is seen randomly. I think whether the winter camouflage white might be easy to come off while the hasty emergency painting on the battlefield.
(14-August-2014)

German 8.8 cm FLAK18 was finally completed. 8.8 cm gun’s muzzle velocity was fast and complete penetration power was effective against enemy tanks. The effective range to the anti-aircraft was around 7,000 m.

It may be said this gun supported framework by the Germany army as it was equipped with the Tiger I, Tiger II (King Tiger).

As I assembled it through hard-working, size is bigger, this anti-antiaircraft gun has more presence than other small howitzers and anti-tank guns.

I blew the mat white slightly and peel off later to use the hair spray method as I wrote it in the making process. It’s very interesting to see the drastic effectiveness.

I had to tip together and attached some changes. But is modest, not to become so noisy.

I shone the metal parts of moving point with silver iron dry-brushing.

Yellow kill marks are outstanding, and with this marking, I wonder the winter camouflage is really effective? But anyway, this marking is attractive for modeling.

Because color depth was not reflected in the painting when it was only matte white and German gray, I did washing with brown, dark brown not too much performed. Particularly, the weathering effect comes out soon on the white area.

The transportation vehicle has quite careful parts composition. The reason why there is a lot of the pickaxe and hammers will be that there are works in various ways when the crew fixed the gun to the shooting position.

I performed peel off white painting, tipping and washing randomly on the surface offenders where the main area of carrier vehicle.

Very small chains hanging down here and there was excellent. I think such a thing will improve accuracy.

I had taken many similar photos.

The aiming crew concentrates to discover enemies. It is the slightly thin German soldier.

When looking through a bulletproof board, looking like a serious face?

I painted the binocular lens with clear.

They are wearing heavy winter clothing and plump feeling. I paint gradation of the clothing to use dark and middle color, the wrinkles are highlighted with the brightest color. The figure painting is difficult every time.

Before the painting, this guy was not so good looking, a little fat and he has no chin. But after completed, the expression is friendly.

I think the shells are burnt and will become hot after shooting. He fits the mitten on the right hand, which is like using home bakery. it is a good atmosphere with metallic shining that gives a solid feeling.

He is not a snowboarder, he completely turned to the bottom so I took a photo like this angle… I would like to paint the eyes that contained more power and need it more detailed brush painting technique.

It is very pleasant to think about a layout in one way or another. Figures skin painting was mixed blue because it is the battle in cold districts and I would like to express freezing, but almost same as always…

The main kit becomes the form to be divided into three and five figures, all in the photo is like this. This kit quality was unquestionable and I was able to enjoy assembling. I succeeded in the winter camouflage so it seems to look good after display it.
(16-August-2014)