Nuts & Bolts 27

Nuts & Bolts: # 27 – 2 cm Flakvierling 38

160 pages dedicated to the 2cm Flakvierling 38.

The 2cm Flakvierling 38 it’s not a vehicle but it’s surely an impressive weapon. Detlev Terlisten and Co  will guide the reader through 160 pages of interesting facts and photos.

The history behind the development of the 2cm Flakvierling 38 starts at the end of the great war and evolves secretly through several European countries. The weapon was produced for the Heer, the kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe with an estimation of about 12.600 pieces produced. On the same development chapter we find out that there was also a 2cm Flakvierling 38 with radar giving fire control, developed by Telefunken.

Technical description of the 2cm Flakvierling 38 is very deep and detailed. 15 pages full of informations, schemes, charts and drawings. There are paraghraphs describing the Sd.Ah.52 carriage, another paragraph describing the Sights,the gun shield, the Platzpatronengerat (blank cartridge) 2cm Flak 38, the Sd.Ah56 and finally the Enternungsmesser (rangefinder).

Many diorama ideas can be retrieved by over hundred  b/w photos  distributed on 40 pages, while covering all possible operative teathers, reader will discover many important details. Note also a large set of Flakvierling 38 mounted on the 8 ton halftracks Sd.Kfz 7/1. John L.Rue provides his usual wired 3d drawings about the weapons discussed above (including trailers and sights). Also available four pages of camo drawings. To complete the reference side the second half of the book has  about 60 pages forming  a vast compilation of color photos from world wide museums.

With this issue of Nuts & Bolts we have a very short modelling corner mastered by  Tony Greenland with a masterpiece of a Flakvierling 38 plus his trailer  built with magnific tiny details.  About six pages are spent. It’s the only section of the book that should be improoved with more step by step photos. Kit availability charts, and all sort of stuff seen on previous issues.

But in any case, as we are used Nuts and Bolts is the most complete and detailed guide available. Also the subject, the 2cm Flakvierling 38 comes out as an interesting weapon for modelers, especially for those who want to try something experimental or ‘what if‘.

You can buy Nuts & Bolts in good assorted book- and modelshops or directly at http://www.nuts-bolts.de/

I would like to thank Heiner F. Duske of the Nut’s and Bolts team for the chance to review this book.!