1:35 British QF, 6pdr. 57mm Mk.III Gun barrel for Centaur, Cromwell

Aber 1:35 - turned barrel for the QF 6-pounder 57 mm gun, Mk.III

This is a turned metal barrel from the Polish manufacturer Aber, not a model of a tank. It replaces the plastic barrel of the British QF 6-pounder gun of 57 mm in the Mk.III version on models of the Centaur and Cromwell tanks. The metal barrel is perfectly straight, has a precisely drilled muzzle and does away with sanding the mold seam that plastic barrel halves always have.

The real subject

The British QF 6-pounder 57 mm gun was the standard anti-tank weapon of the British army in the middle of the Second World War and it was also built into cruiser tanks. The Mk.III version had a shorter barrel than the later Mk.V, which thanks to the extension reached a higher muzzle velocity. It is precisely the length of the barrel that is the main visual difference between the two forms, and on a model it cannot be mistaken.

Fitting tips

As a rule it is enough to seat the metal barrel in place of the plastic part in the gun collar, adjusting the diameter of the spigot if need be. Glue with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue). Degrease the metal before painting and go over it with a primer, or the paint will rub off the smooth surface. The muzzle of the barrel can be picked out gently at the end with a dark shade.

Who the barrel is for

• Modelers building the British Centaur and Cromwell tanks
• Builders who want to do away with the seam and the inaccuracies of a plastic barrel
• Collectors of British armored vehicles of the Second World War
• Modelers after the exact length and shape of the barrel of this version

An accessory for a plastic kit. The model itself, glue and paints are not included in the package.