1:35 D-10T2S Gun barrel with thermak sleeve for T-55 MBT

PANZER ART 1:35 D-10T2S barrel for the T-55

An accessory for 1:35 military vehicle modelers from PANZER ART. The set holds a replacement barrel for the Soviet D-10T2S tank gun of 100 millimeter caliber in the version with a thermal sleeve, that is, with the cover that wraps around the barrel and limits its bending under uneven heating. The replacement part is straight and has no parting line. The model of the tank is not included in the package. And the sleeve tends to be simplified on plastic parts, whereas the replacement part keeps its breakdown.

The real subject

The D-10 gun served on Soviet tanks from the end of the Second World War, and in the stabilized D-10T2S version it reached the T-55. The thermal sleeve appeared on tank guns because sunshine from one side and rain from the other bend a barrel enough to spoil accuracy at long range. The sleeve is at the same time a conspicuous recognition feature of modernized vehicles.

Use

• cut the original plastic barrel off at the face of the mantlet and widen the hole with a small drill
• fit the barrel dry and check that it is on the same axis as the turret
• glue with super glue, which holds best on a joint between different materials
• wash the part before painting and give it a primer, or the paint may not hold
• shade the sleeve; its surface tends to be worn differently from the barrel itself

The set is meant for more experienced modelers. The kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.