12.8cm Sf. L/61 (Pz.Sf.V) "Sturer Emil"
Vol.3 Ammo holders and boxes
ABER 1:35 Set #35 182
Review by Terry Ashley

The set has three etched frets with many very fine parts and the etching quality is again very good with very clean etching and the usual engraved bending lines as required.

The two open ammo racks are made up of numerous small and intricate parts mounted to the main racks and some careful planning will be needed before attempting the bending process as the bottom section has to be bent into a tight square and have to admit I found this one of the most difficult bending jobs ever undertaken.

The first three bends were added using the 5.5” H&F but there was no way of fitting the part into the bending tool to complete the last bend.

The first, second and third bends added to the square frame base using the 5.5" H&F

I started this with the H&F and then used a length of 1.5mm square plastic strip which proved to be just the right size and formed the remaining bend around this using a steel rule to flatten the part around the strip. The next problem was getting the plastic strip out of the bent metal as the fit was very tight and some careful coaxing was required so as not to destroy the fragile frame, but I eventually coaxed it out and a bit of adjustment with the flat nosed tweezers arrived at the desired result but extreme care is needed.

The square formed around the plastic strip

It is very easy to damage the frames in the process as I nearly did with one as the main problem is the small square bend has solid metal while the attached ribs are very thin and the slightest problem means you can’t correct it without bending the ribs. But again some careful coaxing with the flat nosed tweezers around the strip finally got there.

After adding the bends at the top and bottom the two side frame bends were added using the Etch Mate as this had a finger head just wide enough to fit between the two bent end sections which need room to fold flat onto the bending tool base as you bend the outer sections.

The side bends added with the Etch Mate

The final frame with just the inner ribs and round ammo racks to add

The rest of the rack has the seven round bases which require the lips to be bent in a tight circle, another not that easy job as the base is attached meaning you just can’t bend them around a suitably sides rod. The remaining ribs are straight sections so shouldn’t be any problems but as mentioned this job will test your etched bending skills and is certainly not for the unexperienced builder.

The large closed ammo lockers have separate doors with workable hinges using thin wire for the hinge pins, but you have to provide the wire yourself as it was not in my set. The door latches are separate parts and quite intricate so more care is needed here but the lockers don’t have any complex bends and are a doddle after the open frame racks.

Conclusion:
Without doubt this is one of the most demanding sets I have tackled with complex and tight bends needed and as mentioned the set is definitely not for the novice builder. But the resulting racks are quite suberb if you manage to get them together and so the effort required does have a benefit for the detail achieved.

Recommended for the experienced builder only.

Etched parts



Instructions

See the "Emil" Subjects listings for reviews of additional set available for the Trumpeter kit.

Thanks to ABER for the sample set.
carry the full range of ABER update and barrels sets.

Page Created August 8, 2006