¹⁄35

I thought I had seen a Flakpanzer T-34r from Dragon Models in the past, but I have now. Dragon models has announced a smart kit offering of the Flakpanzer T-34r.

With its 76mm gun and well-sloped armor, Germany’s armed forces were shocked when they were confronted by the Russian T-34 tank’s superior qualities. Due to desperate shortages in their own armored units, the hard-pressed Germans often adopted captured Russian tanks, especially the T-34. One of the more unusual – and interesting – such adoptions were the Flakpanzer T-34(r). Based on a T-34/76 Model 1943 chassis, German field workshop technicians replaced the original turret with a quadruple mount for a 20mm Flakvierling 38 antiaircraft weapon. A makeshift turret for the antiaircraft weapon was constructed from armor plates removed from damaged halftracks. This Flakpanzer vehicle was then used by the headquarters of schwere Heeres Panzerjaeger Abteilung 653 on the Eastern Front in early and mid-1944.

This new 1/35 kit depicts precisely this Flakpanzer T-34(r) conversion. Logically, the exciting kit is a combination of two existing items from Dragon’s vast kit range – the T-34 tank and the 2cm Flakvierling 38. Both these kits are credited with being the best available on the market. To complete the conversion, the kit box includes a selection of extra parts, such as the turret, to produce an accurate replica of this fascinating Flakpanzer vehicle. An array of photo-etched parts are also included to enable an accurate build and to enhance details. Magic track links for the T-34 track runs are provided too. The result of all this conversion effort? This Flakpanzer T-34(r) is a fine balance of easy assembly and accurate engineering.