1:32 Colt M1895 "Potato Digger" (pair)

1:32 Colt M1895 Potato Digger (pair), a resin accessory from GasPatch models

The package contains a pair of castings of the Colt M1895 machine gun in 1:32 scale. It is not an aircraft kit but an accessory with which you replace the simplified plastic weapons from the box. The castings have sharper edges, finer relief and cleanly rendered sights, which shows at first glance in this large scale: on large biplane models the weapon is one of the elements every viewer looks at.

The real subject

The Colt M1895 was an American air-cooled, gas-operated machine gun that became one of the first practically usable automatic weapons of its class. It earned the nickname Potato Digger from the swinging lever under the barrel: during firing it swept an arc downward and, if the weapon was mounted low above the ground, it literally dug into the soil. In the early days of aircraft armament the Colts appeared as the observer's movable weapon and in training.

Tips for working and painting

First wash the parts in lukewarm water with a drop of dish soap so that no mold release residue stays on the surface. Separate them from the casting block with a fine saw or a new blade, not with pliers: resin breaks. It is bonded with super glue, ideally a gel one, so that there is time to set the position. Always go over sanded areas with primer; without it, paint holds badly on resin. Metal parts look best in dark steel with fine edge highlighting with a dry brush and a discreet dark wash in the recesses.

Who the set is for

• builders of First World War aircraft models in 1:32 scale
• modelers who replace the plastic weapons from the box with a more detailed casting
• makers of dioramas and display case scenes where the weapon is clearly visible
• more experienced modelers used to working with small resin parts

The accessory is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and the base model are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.