1:35 U.S. 76 mm M1A2 barrel with muzzle brake for Sherman M4A3E8 tank

Metal barrel U.S. 76 mm M1A2 with a muzzle brake (1:35, Aber)

A precisely turned metal barrel from Aber in 1:35 scale, in the version with a muzzle brake for models of the Sherman in the M4A3E8 version. It is not a model but a replacement part that, on a finished kit, replaces the split plastic barrel with a single solid piece of metal.

The real subject

The 76 mm M1A2 gun was the more powerful armament of the late Shermans; the M4A3E8 version with HVSS suspension and wide tracks was among the best forms of the type at the end of the war and in the post-war era. A barrel with a muzzle brake is a prominent visible feature on which even small inaccuracies in plastic stand out.

Fitting and use

Cut off the plastic barrel and clean up the seat, then glue the metal part on with super glue. Turned metal gives a perfectly straight barrel with no seam. Degrease the metal before painting and cover it with a primer for metal.

Who the accessory is for

• builders of late M4A3E8 Shermans
• modelers who are bothered by the join of a glued plastic barrel
• anyone after an accurately made muzzle brake

This is a metal add-on set, not the model itself. A matching kit, which is not included in the package, is needed for the build.