Griffon Model has been releasing updates and armor accessories at a very fast pace. Amongst the first barrel sets is the subject of this review, the PaK-40 barrel with 'Late' muzzle brake.
Inside a stapled thick plastic bag with a heavy paper header, we find the contents of the set. These include an aluminum barrel, four machined brass pieces, a photo-etched brass fret with nine pieces, and instructions. Sadly, USPS damaged the muzzle break end of the aluminum barrel but I was able to repair it.
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-001.jpg
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Assembly is pretty quick with the addition of a brass locking collar to the muzzle brake end of the aluminum barrel. This is followed by a PE locking ring, and the rear muzzle brake half. While I normally solder brass items together, brass to aluminum soldering does not work. For this reason I used Gator's Glue for assembly since I could immediately wipe away any excess and have an extremely clean joint.
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-007.jpg
Removing parts from the PE fret...
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-008.jpg
Applying Gator's Grip Hobby Glue with a hard cotton bud as sold by Gunze Sangyo.
Next up was the baffle assembly which, when completed, would be inserted to the front half of the muzzle brake. I was impressed by the detail on the rear half of the muzzle brake which included the flattened areas of the raised ring which is used as a gripping surface for a wrench on the actual gun. The front of the baffle receives two PE pieces and the end result looks every part the baffle liner. Photographs illustrate both sides of this baffle. This completed assembly is then glued to the front half of the muzzle brake which then fits snugly into the rear half. The completed muzzle brake shows immense detail. The fourth photo offers a close up look at the completed muzzle brake.
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-009.jpg
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-010.jpg
Now the locking tab and bolt are added to the top of the muzzle brake. Due to the thinness of the PE brass, the instructions have one doubling up on the tab and bolt. I will use a piece if styrene strip and a plastic bolt instead. The end result matches well with photos of the real deal...see last photograph.
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-017.jpg
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-020.jpg
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-023.jpg
As for accuracy, notice the machined slot directly behind the locking tab on the real muzzle brake illustrated above. This can easily be added. Another item is the muzzle brake itself. Although labeled late, this is a misnomer as the muzzle brakes were cast and machined at several foundries and each added their own. This muzzle brake with full round sections can be seen early on in the PaK-40 life cycle as can the others with the machined sections (either front or both). Some muzzle brakes can be seen with slots cut 180 degrees apart on the bore. This was designed to take a wrench to assist in removing the muzzle brake. It appears in many period photos but is not necessary as many also do not show this feature.
To fit to the Dragon kit's PaK-40 (either the stand alone model or one of the PaK-40 armed vehicles), simply cut off the front ring on parts B34 and B35. Once both breech halves are together, the peg on the aluminum part fits very well to the hole. A downside is the inability to show a shell being inserted unless one cuts the shell.
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-024.jpg
This is a very well done barrel and certainly an improvement on the kit parts. Griffon Model is distributed in the US by Dragon Models USA or can be ordered from http://www.dragonusaonline.com/
Inside a stapled thick plastic bag with a heavy paper header, we find the contents of the set. These include an aluminum barrel, four machined brass pieces, a photo-etched brass fret with nine pieces, and instructions. Sadly, USPS damaged the muzzle break end of the aluminum barrel but I was able to repair it.
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-001.jpg
------------------------------------
Assembly is pretty quick with the addition of a brass locking collar to the muzzle brake end of the aluminum barrel. This is followed by a PE locking ring, and the rear muzzle brake half. While I normally solder brass items together, brass to aluminum soldering does not work. For this reason I used Gator's Glue for assembly since I could immediately wipe away any excess and have an extremely clean joint.
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-007.jpg
Removing parts from the PE fret...
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-008.jpg
Applying Gator's Grip Hobby Glue with a hard cotton bud as sold by Gunze Sangyo.
Next up was the baffle assembly which, when completed, would be inserted to the front half of the muzzle brake. I was impressed by the detail on the rear half of the muzzle brake which included the flattened areas of the raised ring which is used as a gripping surface for a wrench on the actual gun. The front of the baffle receives two PE pieces and the end result looks every part the baffle liner. Photographs illustrate both sides of this baffle. This completed assembly is then glued to the front half of the muzzle brake which then fits snugly into the rear half. The completed muzzle brake shows immense detail. The fourth photo offers a close up look at the completed muzzle brake.
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-009.jpg
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-010.jpg
Now the locking tab and bolt are added to the top of the muzzle brake. Due to the thinness of the PE brass, the instructions have one doubling up on the tab and bolt. I will use a piece if styrene strip and a plastic bolt instead. The end result matches well with photos of the real deal...see last photograph.
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-017.jpg
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-020.jpg
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-023.jpg
As for accuracy, notice the machined slot directly behind the locking tab on the real muzzle brake illustrated above. This can easily be added. Another item is the muzzle brake itself. Although labeled late, this is a misnomer as the muzzle brakes were cast and machined at several foundries and each added their own. This muzzle brake with full round sections can be seen early on in the PaK-40 life cycle as can the others with the machined sections (either front or both). Some muzzle brakes can be seen with slots cut 180 degrees apart on the bore. This was designed to take a wrench to assist in removing the muzzle brake. It appears in many period photos but is not necessary as many also do not show this feature.
To fit to the Dragon kit's PaK-40 (either the stand alone model or one of the PaK-40 armed vehicles), simply cut off the front ring on parts B34 and B35. Once both breech halves are together, the peg on the aluminum part fits very well to the hole. A downside is the inability to show a shell being inserted unless one cuts the shell.
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/PaK-40Late-024.jpg
This is a very well done barrel and certainly an improvement on the kit parts. Griffon Model is distributed in the US by Dragon Models USA or can be ordered from http://www.dragonusaonline.com/