Preview: Takom's new 35th scale Flakpanzer V "Kugelblitz"
Flakpanzer V "Kugelblitz"
From Takom
1/35th scale
Kit No # 2150
four marking choices are included in the box
Link & length tracks included w/ a jig
The subject: The "Kugelblitz" on the Panther hull...
Now, before we start, this is all speculative and a combination of "What-ifs". This turret was never combined with the Panther Panzer V) hull in real life or in a prototype. But it does look pretty cool!
The Kugelblitz or "Ball Lightning" was a German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun developed during World War II. By the end of the war, only a pilot production of five units had been completed. Unlike earlier self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, it had a fully enclosed, rotating turret. the Kugelblitz used the 30 mm MK 103 cannon in a Zwillingsflak ("twin flak") 103/38 arrangement. The MK 103 had also been fitted in single mounts to such planes as the Henschel Hs 129 in a ventral gun pod, and to the twin-engine Dornier Do 335. Each 30mm gun could fire 450 rounds a minute.
It was decided to use a Panzer IV turret to try to marry the Kugelblitz turret to. By the end of the war, only a pilot production of five units had been completed. The Kugelblitz turret was never married to eh Panther hull (but it is a cool story bro).
The Kugelblitz was not yet out of development when the war ended. Only five prototypes were built. It is unclear what happened to the few Kugelblitzes which were built.
One Kugelblitz was also involved in the fights near the town of Spichra, Thuringia, where it was destroyed and remained buried in the Spatenberg Hill until its excavation in 1999. Today, one complete Kugelblitz turret is exhibited at the Lehrsammlung der Heeresflugabwehrschule (collection of the German army anti-aircraft school), Rendsburg. An incomplete Kugelblitz cradle also exists (without the turret itself), but is in a private collection.
The kit from Takom:
OK, so not that much is known about the kit, but what we do know is Takom makes a great panther hull, and this Kugelblitz turret will make a lot of the "what-if" fans happy, It certainly looks like a cool combo.
There are a few things we know about the kit, the tracks are the usual Takom tracks made with a jig of link and length method. All hatches can be opened or closed but there is no interior. There are also four (fictional) marking choices from AMMO included in the box.
That is all we know about this release for now. You can see more about Takom's kits on their website or on their Facebook page
