"DR6287: 88mm Flak 37
1/35 injection plastic kit with multimedia accessories and decals

Much feared by the Allies, the German 88mm Flak gun is the best know multipurpose field gun of World War II. Originally developed as an anti-aircraft gun, it proved to be deadly in the anti-tank role and extracted a large toll on Allied armour and aircraft. Like the earlier Flak 18 and Flak 36, the Flak 37 was mounted on a crucifix platform and towed using detachable limbers (trailers or bogies). The 88mm Flak guns were typically towed by the Sd. Kfz 7 half-track. This new model from Dragon depicts the Flak 37 and features the final design's improved gun layer's controls as well as two extra styles of gun shields. This kit also features several subtle improvements over the earlier Flak 36 kit.

Overview

This model contains the parts and instructions to build the Flak 37 with a choice of barrels and gun shields and may be modeled either in the firing position or limbered for transport. As expected the layout follows that of Dragon's early Flak 36 with which it shares many sprues. New or improved parts are provided for the dials, fuse setter, one-piece limber tyres, flak 18 barrel and PE parts. As before a range of accessories such as ammunition boxes and shells are included, although no crew are provided. In total the box contains in excess of 400 parts including some PE detail.

The gatefold instructions run to 36 steps of line drawings that are well laid out and explicitly identify where you have a choice in how the kit can be built.

The Flak 37 and Mounting

A key feature of this kit is that it can be build with one of three types of shields, each of which has the front of the shield as a single part with tapered edges:

(1) The early flat style from the Flak 36;

(2) A similar flat shield but with a 7mm wider front to better protect the gunner; or

(3) The later pressed style with bent front and hinged sides as depicted on the box art. This shield comes with separate side armour that folded in for transport.

The model features the two sets of fire control dials on the gun cradle, which are the distinguishing signs of a Flak 37. These dials replaced the pointers and lamps that were fitted to the Flak 18 and 36. Dragon offers two options for building the dials namely a clear plastic with the meters printed inside it (my preference) or grey injection plastic with fine molding of the meter marks and a decal.

As before the Flak parts are crisply detailed with very few injection pin marks and no flash. Photo etch is provided for some small detail. Other features are:

Choice of plastic or metal parts for both the two piece barrel or earlier one piece barrel and respective breech blocks. The earlier (Flak 18) barrels have been retooled from the Flak 36 kit to correct the position of the last step in the tube. Both metal barrels are quite impressive and have counter sunk screw holes milled near their bases (this extra detail is costly to add and often missing on metal barrels) and also have hollowed out muzzle breaks. The plastic barrels also feature rifling, even though it is a tad over scale. Photos show that the earlier Flak 18 barrel was often fitted to the Flak 37.

The separate flap/visors over the viewing hole on the shields can be left open or closed.

The height of the stabilising jacks can be adjusted to the ground’s contour and optional half-length securing spikes are also included.

The underside of the turntable is well detailed, while the upper side has crisply detailed teeth and bolt heads.

Sonderhanger 202 (Limber)

The Flak’s limber consisted of two structurally identical bogies, which are sophisticated kits in their own right. While the limbers for the Flak 36 and 37 were identical, the limbers in this new kit have improved tyres that simplify assembly and require almost no clean up.

Slide-mold technology has been used to make each tyre is now a single piece (in the Flak 36 each tyre was made from 5 discs sandwiched together). As before the tread pattern is realistic (no sidewall markings), while the bottom of each tyre now bulges to emphasis the weight of the gun. The wheel hub is a crisply detailed separate part, which sits inside the tyre (just make sure you get the positioning tab aligned). Since the relative position of the bottom of the tyres changes depending on whether the limber is attached or detached from the Flak, it may pay to leave the wheels rotating to give you long term flexibility for any future dioramas etc.

The basic structure for each bogie is a single molding, which incorporates both wheel arches and the chassis frame. This integrated approach eliminates the risk of the key shape being misaligned during assembly. The front and rear of each wheel arch has a horizontal seam line, which should be straightforward to remove.

Other features of the limbers include s inside the wheels, complete suspension, workable towing beam, cable reels with cable (black cable is included), metal chain for hitching the limber to the gun and varying tools.

Markings

One new decal sheet sheet provides a range of markings specific to the Flak 37 including kill rings for the barrel, gun identifying letters (3 sizes of A-C), dials, tyre pressure markings for the limber’s wheel arches and tank & aircraft profiles to indicate combat successes for the gun shield.

A second decal sheet contains a large range of 75 divisional markings (division emblems for Panzer Divisions 1 through to 14), Balkan Crosses and shipping stencils for the 251 family (this sheet is from a Sdkfz 251/1 C). No doubt the spare markings will be welcomed for other kits.

Painting and marking plans are provided for three guns being the one on the box art in Ossenbeng Germany 1945, one from the Eastern Front, the Herman Goring Panzer Division in Sicily and another from a unit in Germany in 1945. With the wide range of decal markings provided modelers plenty of other guns could be depicted.

Ammunition

The Flak 37 includes sufficient munitions to equip a diorama, although no doubt many modelers will add extras. The inventory comprises 3 brass shells (1 each of HE, practice HE and AP), 6 plastic shells, 2 empty metal shell cases (which are not in the Flak 36), 2 injection plastic wooden ammunition boxes with internal detail, which can be modeled either open or closed, and four wicker ammunition boxes which also can be modeled either open or closed. Showing the kit’s attention to detail, two of the wicker boxes contain 3 rounds, one contains 2 rounds and 1 empty spot, and the third is empty. A new photo etch fret contains 15 assorted end pieces for the shells (dated 1944). Extra ammunition boxes and individual shells are included in Dragon’s figure set ‘German Flak Artillery Crew’ (item 6275).

Recommendation

With the 88mm Flak 37, Dragon have another first rate version of this well known gun. I was pleased to see that Dragon had introduced several refinements, such as the one-piece tyres, which are very modeler friendly and the printed dials. The overall combination of the kit’s finesse, inclusion of two metal barrels, healthy supply of ammunition and storage boxes, and flexibility in how it can be assembled and displayed ensure that this kit has considerable appeal. Definitely recommended."

- Neville Lord

"Dragon's new Flak 37 has arrived at the TMMI offices and once again we are presented with a multi-media kit containing etched brass, turned aluminium, turned brass parts, plus metal chain, cord, waterslide decals and some very clever high-tech dials encapsulated within clear plastic. The heart of the model is of course the injection moulded parts, and these are simply breathtaking in their refinement and detail.

Dragon have once again managed to achieve the seemingly unachievable - the near total absence of ejector pin marks from the visible areas of the kit, most notably the reverse face of the main gun shield moulding. This alone is worth celebrating as these little devils can be swine to remove, particularly in a model with a high parts count such as this one. With hundreds of sunken discs to fill, construction can crack on, paying very close attention to the busy instructions which will guide you through the complex but logical assembly sequence. Highlights of this model include one-piece hard plastic tyres with un-distorted tread pattern, no mould seam and a subtle flat spot, put simply, they are perfect. Three types of gun shield are provided, along with typ18 and typ36/37 barrels in aluminium (and plastic in too), along with wicker-textured ammunition baskets and wood-effect crates and the turned brass rounds themselves feature etched end plates with engraved data. VERDICT; With a level of detail such as this, it's hard to see where Dragon will go next - but can you imagine how cool it would be to have kits of Allied artillery pieces produced to this standard? Bofors AA, 17 Pounder, 25 Pounder - the list is long and varied."

- Marcus Nicholls

"Dragon Models have once again raised the bar on model kit production standards with new and innovative ideas. The box, attractively illustrated by Barry Crook, is packed full of options.

The 'wafer' wheel design first seen on their Flak36, has been improved with an incredible one-piece slide moulded wheel that features bulged sidewalls to accurately represent a weighted wheel.

The ranging data transmission dials have been accurately reproduced in clear styrene with pre-printed dial faces that provide a realistic appearance that would be impossible to achieve by hand painting.

A super-detailed photoetch elevation quadrant scale and recoil marker along with a selection of various 8.8cm ammunition round bases are also provided.

Modellers will appreciate the clear plastic vacuformed frame that the two new styles of gunshield are mounted in which helps ensure there is no warpage.

Without a doubt, the most accurate version of this venerable gun on the market today."

- Tom Cockle

"... An original choice of subject, brilliant moulding, loads of extras, innovative inclusions. This kit has them all..."

<full review here>
- Vinnie Branigan

"Rather than a re-box of the DML Flak 36 with a couple of extra parts, Dragon has come out with a very different kit with a lot of extras and improvements with their release of the 88mm Flak37. The majority of the parts are from the previous release, but the modeller can create a very different looking model with this kit.

Three different gun shields are included, including the pressed-metal design incorporating a curved front giving an overall stream-lined look to the assembly. Newly designed tires featuring a diamond tread pattern with flattening to simulate weight, and clear sighting gauges with integral dials add to the innovative parts included with this detailed kit.

Improved features from the previous Flak 36 include a modified “Flak 18” type barrel, retaining chains for the folding base legs, and optional etched metal graduation marks for the cradle and inclinator. Numerous decal options have been included allowing the modeller to portray the gun in one of many roles including anti-tank, anti-aircraft on either a transport or ground-mounted base.

The quality of the molding in this kit is first rate, and the modeller is again treated to options and extras which has become the norm from DML."

- Gary Edmundson

"...this is another impressive model..."

<full review here>
- Cookie Sewell