1:35 WWII German 5cm KwK39 L60 tank gun ammo

About the gun

The 5 cm KwK 39 gun was carried by the later versions of the German medium tank Panzer III. The L/60 figure in the designation is not the caliber but the barrel length expressed in calibers: the barrel measured sixty times the caliber, that is roughly three meters. Against the older short 5 cm gun, the longer barrel gave the projectile a higher muzzle velocity and noticeably better penetration. The ammunition was divided into armor-piercing rounds against armored targets and high-explosive rounds against personnel and light targets; a sub-caliber round with a hard core was also made for it, which punched through thicker armor at shorter ranges.

What the set is for

Rounds in 1:35 scale to round out a model or a scene. They come into their own in the ammunition stowage inside the hull and the turret on a model with an open hatch, in transport containers and crates on the hardware in a scene, and anywhere you want to show the crew at work replenishing the supply. In this scale a round is big enough for the shape of both the projectile and the case to be visible.

Building and painting tips

• Wash and degrease the parts before painting; paint does not hold on a greasy surface.
• Cut the excess material away with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the remainder down carefully.
• Choose the glue according to the material of the parts, and seat the small pieces a drop at a time off a toothpick.
• Set the case apart from the projectile in color; the contrast of the two parts gives the round depth.
• Tone down the gloss of the brass shade with a darker wash; perfectly clean metal does not look convincing in scale.

Who the set is for

For builders of German armored hardware in 1:35 scale and for the makers of scenes where the fighting compartment of a vehicle is on view. The package holds ammunition parts. The model of the vehicle, paints and glue are not included, unless stated otherwise.