Forces of Valor 88 Flak - Towed
Forces of Valor produced a very nice version of this gun. Here we see it attached to the 8 Ton prime mover that would tow it. The factory paint job gives it a weathered look, and as usual, the fact that it's mostly made out of metal gives it a nice feel.
Forces of Valor 88 Flak - Rear View
As you can see from this angle, the attention to detail is substantial. The gun can rotate 360 degrees around the vertical axis and the gun can be elevated up to a vertical position, allowing it to fire virtually in every direction.
Forces of Valor 88 Flak - Artillery Mode
Here we see it already deployed as traditional artillery. There is a scene in Band of Brothers in which the screaming eagles are being shelled with 88mm HE shells while in a forest, causing shrapnel and wood splinters to rain down on them with nasty consequences. Also note that the carriage is actually made of two separate sections. The front and rear wheel axles can be attached and removed independently. It also comes with a nice ground crew to operate it.
Forces of Valor 88 Flak - Anti Tank Mode
Here we see it deployed the way it would be used to fight against tanks. The air and land 'kills' on the shield add a nice touch of realism. FOV also manufactured this gun in a tan color scheme however I did not get around to buying that one.
21st Century Toys 88 Flak - Afrika Korps
21C Toys also produced a very nice 88mm gun. Not quite at the level of the one from FOV but far superior to anything that had come before in plastic. Here we see it ready to be deployed to fight the British in the deserts of North Africa.
21st Century Toys 88 Flak - Grey
Deployed in an anti-tank role. The wheel axles are also detachable. Note how the level of paint detail is not quite the same as the one from FOV, both for the carriage and the gun itself. The crew consists of just 2 figures.
21st Century Toys 88 Flak - Side View
Here is a view from the side. This gun also moves 360 degrees around and from horizontal to vertical, so it is just as functional as the one from FOV. And from this angle it looks just as lethal.
Dinky Toys 88 Flak - Part I
Here is an earlier model of an 88 courtesy of Dinky Toys. Not as detailed as the newer versions from FOV and 21C, but still fairly nice. Made in metal, it has a good, solid feel to it. The round knob/gear visible on the side, allows you to lower and raise the barrel. It comes with three crew members. The crew is made in some very light, stiff plastic, so you get the feeling that they might easily break.
Dinky Toys 88 Flak - Part II
The gun also comes with its carriages to allow it to be towed. And it also happens to have a few shells that you can fire using a spring mechanism. The sticker on the barrel may or may not be present, as the glue loses its binding power over time. All in all a nice item to add to the collection. Unfortunately there are not many complete sets left, so getting one of these can get a bit pricey or you must settle for an incomplete set. I actually got lucky and managed to get the complete set for the price of what you usually pay for the gun by itself.
Waltersons (formerly FOV) 88mm Flak - Afrika Korps - Part I
This is hands down the most detailed 88mm Flak gun made by any manufacturer. What I mean by that is that when you move the gun vertically or rotate the gun around, there are gears that turn, transferring the movement all the way to the handwheels use to set the gun's position. Super realistic. The only thing that was a bit hard to attach was the gun shield. It's very tricky to slide it into the proper position. But if the gun is not exciting enough for you, the fact that it comes with a crew of 8 should be a nice plus.
Waltersons (formerly FOV) 88mm Flak - Afrika Korps - Part II
Here's a better angle of the crew. There's an observer and a commander. My commander is missing his binoculars, but I should be able to replace those with one of the Airfix multi-pose parts. Then there's a loader, an ammo box carrier, two men sitting operating the gun, another one adjusting the handwheels, and one more fetching the next ammo round from the side of the gun. This is jut a minor detail, but it also comes with about 6 rounds of ammo that you want to make sure you don't drop and lose. Compared to the 21C version of the AK 88, which came without any crew figures, this model is quite superior and detailed.
Click here to see some German Infantry in action
Click here to see a post about the 8 Ton Prime Mover used to tow these guns.
Here you can see the German Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft guns.
Click here to read about the Nebelwerfer
Click here to read a post about mortars
You need the "Dinky" 88 and crew to complete your weapons
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip. I once bought a few Dinky items but they turned out to be made in a much smaller scale. Do they also have them in 1:32?
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