As I continue with my series of 2cm Flakerving anti-aircraft guns, I’m going to get on with this prototype version of the Möbelwagen that uses the 2 cm Flakvierling. During 1942 in the North Africa conflict, the German found how exposed they were to aircraft attacks on their armour. The solution was to mount an anti-aircraft gun on the hulls of a Panzer IV tanks that had been returned to the factories for battle damage repairs. In production, the Flakpanzer IV Mobelwagen used the 3.7 flak 43. The only one built with the 2cm flak was a prototype for Adolf Hitler.
The Suspension and the return roller are now attached to the lower part of the tanks hull. They are a very nice fit as you would expect from a Tamiya kit.
Most of the parts of the hull are completed, now time to make the flak gun and then start on the armour for the gun emplacement on top of the hull.
This is the second 2cm flak gun I have built so I’m I have a pretty good handle on how they come together so this part was quite quick.
As always a nice peaceful time prepping the wheels, Sprockets and Idlers.
There were quite a few holes left in the armour plating from the casting process. A little bit of filling and then some fine wet sandpaper has levelled them out.
That’s the build pretty much done, I have separated the small parts, magazines and the wheels to paint up. As always sticking them to a piece of masking tape to keep them together while painting.
I’m going to try refilling some of these castings marks.
So that was the first time using Mr Color. The colour looked awesome but I have either thinned it too much or used too much retarder. So as I am going to need to practice with this brand, I’m going to finish the model with trusty Tamiya paint.
Wheels and sprockets painted and the and the body resprayed with XF88, it’s looking pretty sweet now.
Now I’m fitting the inside ammo boxes, the finish looks good but I need to a a little bit of weathering to give some depth.
As mentioned this was a prototype that didn’t see action. I can only assume that it was showed to top brass. For that reason, I am only doing a very light weathering. Hopefully, it will give a little bit of depth and look like it has been in the field for a day or so of testing.
So calling this one finished, take a look at the finished Tamiya 135th German Flakpanzer IV Mobelwagen below.