1:72 German StuK.40 L/48 7,5 cm Barrel early model muzzle brake

Aber 1:72 75 mm StuK 40 L/48 barrel with the early muzzle brake

A precisely turned brass barrel in 1:72 scale from the Polish brand Aber, made with the early type of muzzle brake. It is a detail accessory for models of German assault guns, not a model of the vehicle itself. The metal barrel replaces the plastic part, which tends to come in two halves and calls for laborious cleaning up of the parting seam, and it brings a perfectly circular cross section and a genuinely drilled muzzle.

The real subject

The 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/48 gun was the long-barreled version of the armament of the German Sturmgeschütz assault guns. A caliber of 75 mm and a barrel 48 calibers long moved the machine from its original infantry support role to an effective anti-tank one. The early form differs from the later batches in the shape and the production finish of the muzzle brake, a detail by which modelers tell the individual production periods of the vehicles apart.

Fitting and painting tips

Cut off the plastic barrel and level the cut surface with a file, and open the hole in the mantlet out with a hand drill if needed. Degrease the brass with alcohol before gluing and use cyanoacrylate glue or epoxy. Seat the barrel exactly level and on the axis of the vehicle; a small deviation is conspicuous on a finished model. Start the painting with a base coat for metal, and only then apply the covering shade, a wash into the grooves and fine dust on the underside of the barrel.

Who the set is for

• Modelers of German assault guns in 1:72 scale
• Builders of the early production batches, where the shape of the muzzle brake is the key
• Anyone who wants to avoid filling and sanding a plastic barrel
• Collectors of Second World War subjects with an emphasis on detail

The set is an accessory to a kit; the model of the vehicle itself is not included in the package. Glue, paints and other accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.