Dragon has released the fourth in its series of German anti-aircraft Flakpanzers, this one sporting a molded-in coat of zimmerit, an anti-magnetic layer of paste added to the glacis, hull sides, and hull front and rear plates. Based on the PzKpfw IV Ausf.G chassis, the Wirbelwind (Whirlwind) utilizes Dragon’s highly acclaimed 2cm Flakvierling 38 four-barreled main armament.

The Kit

As usual with Dragon kits, once you open the box and take out the contents you will find it very difficult to get everything back in. Thankfully for modelers, this is a good thing! As this is one of many PzKpfw IV-based kits produced by Dragon, many of these parts will go unused and into your spare parts box.

Airscale. You might know this company for their really fine instrument dial decals and cockpit placard decals. I have used these decals on every model I have built that included an instrument panel or dashboard since these products came out. Now, Airscale has included another great product which also works in conjunction with their own decals, as well as decals supplied with kits.

The R-60 (AA-8 Aphid) is a Soviet/Russian short range infrared (IR) homing air-to-air missile. It has been fielded for 35 years and is widely used by a variety of Soviet/Russian manufacturer aircraft. For attack aircraft, it is their primary means of self-defense. The UZR-60 is the training variant of the R-60, distinguished by its lack of rear delta fins and the three black bands designating a training shape. It is a captive training shape that does not leave the missile rail. The UZR-60 has an active IR seeker, and interfaces with the aircraft’s weapons system to allow the pilot to determine when the missile has IR acquisition.