En Français  return to Nuts’n’Bits      Bad pictures ? Click here 
 
 
D30 / T34-122 Muzzle brake - this item is for sale, click here 
Vladimir asked me to make a muzzle brake for his model. This muzzle brake is really intricate, but I only had access to a few photograph to figure its real size. When one scratch build at that scale (1/35) a so tiny and intricate piece, the smallest variations made the whole piece look wrong. So, I decided to use what I learned when I started working in the computer field, that is to make 3D objects. 
I used for that a free raytracer, Persistence of Vision, aka POV. It is available here
The 3D model was a tremendous help to figure the real sizes only from photographs of the real muzzle brake. I simply put the 3D camera to an angle comparable to the photographs, adjusting the sizes until all fit perfectly. 
        
 
        
Interestingly enough, I learned that this muzzle brake is use by various armies and various equipments, that make it even more interesting to model it and try to cast it. 
 
 
Once this job was done, I could simply read the proper sizes onto the 3D model... 
 
 
 
And machine it in Brass ! (by far the easiest process ;-) ) 
 
 
 
 
The only thing to do was to try to cast it in resin.  
 
That is now done as you can see it on the photograph. Items are all as clear as that, only a very thin resin sprue to scratch off under the muzzle brake. 
 
Vladimir did a very nice paint job for me on his T-34 / D-30 122mmm using one of my prototype casts. 
Thanks Vlad ! 
 
 
This model won the 3rd place in a Quebec City show, on Oct. 19, 2003. Congrats Vlad ! 
   
The muzzle brake before applying some weathering effects 
 
To see more about this model, please click here 
 
 Muzzle Brake for sale 
This item is available at my Online Shop 
 
Thanks for your interest ! 
click here to visit the rest of my website  Nuts’n’Bits 
and in particular :