Introduction

With the release of the Trumpeter Object 704 Self Propelled Howitzer, RB Model has released a turned aluminium barrel to replace the metal barrel supplied with the model. It is this new barrel from RB Model that this review looks at.

Contents

This turned aluminium barrel from RB Model is supplied packed in a zip-loc plastic bag and is supplied as a single piece. On the front of the zip-loc bag is a self adhesive label with all of the relevant information printed on it.

Review

As I do not have this model from Trumpeter, I am only able to observe one difference between the kit supplied metal barrel and the offering from RB Model. The barrel from RB Model has a raised surround similar to the early QF25 pdr barrel, where as the kit supplied barrel is a smooth transitional taper along its length. The RB Model barrel dimensions are as follows;

• Length = 65.38mm
• Muzzle depth = 7.36mm
• Muzzle bore = 4.16mm
• Muzzle diameter = 6.45mm
• Barrel diameter mantlet end = 8.47mm
• Barrel diameter prior to the muzzle collar = 6.19mm

The depth of the bore is reasonable but will require careful painting to hide the fact that the barrel is not hollow along its full length. The rifling inside the barrel is very subtle and does not rotate as in the real barrel, but the detail does provide a suitable replication of this aspect.

Conclusion

I cannot comment on the accuracy of this barrel as data on the Object 704 Self Propelled Howitzer is not exactly easy to come by, but this barrel does appear the more accurate due to the collar being replicated around the muzzle, which does not appear to be present on the kit supplied offering. Due to the low cost of the product, this barrel is worthy of consideration if for no other reason than the collar being represented.