1:35 M10 GMC Tank Destroyer - 3-inch M7 (76.2 mm) gun barrel

The real subject

The American M10 GMC tank destroyer carried the 3-inch M7 gun of 76.2 mm caliber in an open-topped rotating turret. The long barrel without a muzzle brake projects far beyond the front and is the first thing on the machine that a viewer sees; from behind, a massive counterweight on the turret balanced it, and without it the turret would have traversed only stiffly. It is exactly because the barrel holds the eye that on a model it does not pay to leave it as it comes out of the kit.

What the set offers

The replacement barrel is produced in 1:35 scale as a turned metal part. Metal holds its shape, so the barrel will stay straight even after years in a display case, the muzzle is open and no production marks are left along its length that would have to be sanded away.

• The barrel of the 3-inch M7 gun of 76.2 mm caliber in 1:35 scale
• A turned metal part
• For models of the American M10 GMC tank destroyer
• A straight shape and an open muzzle with no additional work

Building and painting tips

Cut the plastic barrel off at the front of the turret and try the fit of the replacement dry before you reach for the glue. Wash and degrease the metal surface, otherwise neither the joint nor the finish will hold. It is glued with super glue; wipe any excess away at once. Spray a thin coat of primer before painting and only then the shade of the vehicle. On real vehicles the barrel was rubbed by tarpaulins, branches and the hands of the crew, so bringing the edges up slightly and darkening the muzzle will do the model good.

Who it is for

For modelers of American vehicles of the Second World War in 1:35 scale who are bothered by a bent barrel from the kit. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.