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Jordi Rubio
Char B1 bis 47mm & 75mm Barrels
Jordi Rubio Barrel Set #TG-90
1:35th Scale

Review by Terry Ashley

Tamiya
The Set:

Jordi Rubio joins many other manufactures in releasing replacement metal barrels for the TamiyaChar B1 bis (kit #35282) with this simple set consisting of just the 75mm and 47mm barrels in turned aluminium.

47mm and 75mm Barrels
Jordi Rubio

The 75mm barrel is the correct length and has the muzzle hollowed out with nicely depicted rifling although a little shallow but is probably the nicest done rifling of any of the barrels released to date and also has the two side notches the right size and location.

Unfortunately there is a large engraved ring around the end of the barrel which looks like a machining mark of some kind. The Char B1 barrel has an inner sleeve (as depicted on the Tamiya box art) but this is all but invisible on most photos and when visible is a lot thinner than on this barrel and if this is depicting this feature it is grossly overdone.

To fit the 75mm barrel you simply cut the kit barrel from the front of kit parts A16, best done after gluing them together with the inside mounting included and then insert the metal barrel pin into the resulting small hole in the gun mounting.

75mm Barrel assembly and close up
Note engraved ring around the muzzle

Jordi RubioJordi RubioJordi Rubio

The 47mm barrel is a complete replacement for the kit barrel and includes the locating hole for kit part C8 and also has the muzzle hollowed out but no rifling is included.

The locating hole is a little too small to take the pin on part C8 and you either have to drill out the hole slightly or reduce the diameter of the pin, also there is no locating lug as with the kit barrel and you will have to make sure the barrel is firmly glued to part C8 at the correct angle once this is attached to the back of the gun shield (part C15).

The ring on the metal barrel sits inside the kit mantlet (part C7) but you shouldn’t trim the locating ridges inside the mantlet or the barrel will extend too far out, the metal ring just sits against the inner mantlet locating lugs.

Both the barrels match available plans well with any discrepancies being well under 1mm.

47mm barrel assembly
Jordi Rubio

Conclusion:

While the dimensions of the barrels are okay and assembly fairly straightforward the ring around the 75mm gun muzzle makes it hard to recommend this barrel set compared to most of the others available.

The Char B1 bis Subject Page lists other reviews of sets available for the Tamiya B1 bis kit

References:
Hommes et Matériels du 15e BCC CHARS B AU COMBAT
Histoire & Collections
ISBN 2-913903-42-8
books
Les CHARS B
B1-B1 bis-B1 ter

Trackstory No.3
ISBN 2-9520988-4-4
Book
Char B1 bis
AFV Super Detail Photo Book Vol.2
Model Art Co.Ltd
Book
French Military Vehicles
of WWII

Ground Power Special 12/03
Book

Thanks to my credit card and Blast Models for the review set.




Page created December 12, 2006