1:35 PzKpfw VI Tiger I - 88mm KwK36 L/56 gun barrel – EARLY muzzle break

The real subject

The Tiger I was a German heavy tank of the Second World War and its main weapon was the 8.8 cm KwK 36 gun. The designation L/56 gives the length of the barrel in multiples of the caliber, so the barrel measured fifty-six calibers, which works out at roughly 4.9 meters. Early production machines can be told from the later ones by, among other things, the shape of the muzzle brake, and this version is intended for exactly those.

What the set contains

This is a single barrel for a Tiger I model in 1:35 scale, belonging to the class of turned barrels and parts. A turned part has no lengthwise joint between two halves, so there is no seam to sand away, and the muzzle is drilled through rather than merely suggested. The line also offers a variant with the later muzzle brake, so choose according to the version you are building.

Building and painting tips

The barrel is not polystyrene, so it is bonded with super glue or two-part epoxy rather than with plastic cement. Wash and degrease it before gluing and painting, otherwise the paint will not hold well. Cut any excess material off with a sharp blade a little away from the part and sand the remainder. Try the fit in the mantlet dry and make sure the barrel points straight and on the axis of the turret, because the smallest deviation shows immediately on a finished model. On the smooth surface it is a good idea to apply a base coat first.

• 1:35 scale, a replacement barrel for the 8.8 cm KwK 36 gun
• the version with the early muzzle brake
• the designation L/56 gives the length of the barrel in multiples of the caliber
• turned, with no lengthwise seam and with a drilled-through muzzle
• bonded with super glue, not with polystyrene cement

Terms of supply

Paints, glue and filler are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise. The extent of the parts supplied is stated in the manufacturer's description.