1:24 Browning Cal 30 MKI/MKII Wing Mounted (4 machine guns)

The .30 caliber Browning Mk I and Mk II, wing installation 1:24

This is a detail accessory for a large scale, not a kit. According to the name the package contains four .30 caliber Browning machine guns in the form for a wing installation, in the designations Mk I and Mk II according to the manufacturer. In 1:24 scale the weapon is already large enough for every detail to show — the cooling jacket, the ammunition feed and the shape of the rear — and the plastic parts from the kit tend to be the first thing a more experienced modeler replaces here.

The real subject

The .30 caliber Browning, that is roughly 7.62 mm, was the lighter counterpart of the better known .50 caliber heavy machine gun and served in aviation armament from the interwar period. The air-cooled, short-recoil weapon was mounted fixed in the wing as well as in flexible positions. The designations Mk I and Mk II refer to production forms that the maker of the set distinguishes; it leaves the choice of a particular variant to the modeler according to the machine being built.

Usage and painting tips

In a large scale it pays to spend time preparing the surface: wash the resin, clean the cut left by the casting block up and fill any small bubbles with cyanoacrylate glue and an activator, which then sands well. Let the painting work for you — apply a steel shade over a black base, lighten it in places once it has dried and finally use a dark wash, which runs into the rendered areas and creates relief shadow. In 1:24 a fine oil glaze for toning the metal already looks good too.

Who the set is for

• builders of large models in 1:24 scale
• modelers who want accurate armament instead of simplified plastic
• anyone interested in models with exposed gun bays
• advanced modelers used to resin and cyanoacrylate glue

The accessory is supplied unpainted, as resin parts to be finished. Glue, paints and the base kit are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.