1:48 Wirbelwind TURRET (TAMIYA)

Wirbelwind - photo-etched turret 1:48 from the maker Hauler

The set concentrates on the single most conspicuous assembly of the model: the open turret of the Wirbelwind anti-aircraft tank in 1:48 scale. The turret has sloping walls and no roof, so on a plastic kit the thickness of the material shows at first glance. Photo-etched sheet cuts it down to a scale dimension and the inside of the turret stays credibly roomy. The set is cut for the Tamiya kit and does not hold the model itself.

The real subject

The Wirbelwind was a German anti-aircraft tank of the end of the Second World War built on the chassis of the Pz.Kpfw. IV medium tank. The standard turret on it was replaced by an open multi-walled superstructure with a 20 mm anti-aircraft cannon in a quadruple mount. The open roof was dictated by engineering: the gases from firing had to be carried away and the crew had to be able to watch the airspace above the vehicle.

Building and painting tips

Assemble the parts dry first and note the order of them. Bend the walls over a ruler or in a bender in one movement; bending again and again cracks the metal. Join the corners with a drop of super glue applied from the outside, so that the seam inside stays clean. Paint the inside of the turret before you seat the assembly on the hull; after that only a brush with a long point gets inside. At the end a dark wash in the angles and a gentle rub of a metallic shade on the upper edges of the walls work well, where the paint wears off most in service.

Who the set is for

• Modelers who are bothered by the oversized walls of the plastic turret.
• Builders of Second World War vehicles in 1:48 scale.
• More experienced modelers used to bending larger photo-etched parts.
• Collectors who display a model so that the turret can be seen into.

This is an accessory set, not a kit. The base model, glue, paints and tools are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.