1:35 Browning cal. 50 Heavy Barrel Army (Pair)

Browning cal. 50 Heavy Barrel Army 1:35 (GasPatch models)

A resin accessory in 1:35 scale from the manufacturer GasPatch models, intended as an armament accessory. It is not a model of a vehicle but a pair of castings of the 12.7 mm Browning heavy machine gun in the heavy-barrel form, in army configuration. It comes into its own on vehicle models and in dioramas, where the weapon moves into the foreground and the plastic part from the base kit is not enough.

The real subject

The 12.7 mm Browning in the heavy-barrel form is an American air-cooled heavy machine gun with belt feed. The strengthened barrel allowed longer firing without overheating and removed the need for the quick-change system known from the lighter versions. From the middle of the twentieth century the weapon became a common armament feature of ground vehicles and is a typical accessory on turrets and mounts.

Building and painting tips

In 1:35 scale the casting is considerably larger than aviation accessories in 1:72, but it still holds true that the barrel and the sights are thin and easily damaged during handling. The weapon is usually fitted on a mount or a turret bracket, where it is visible from every side. So it pays to paint it separately, off the model, and to fit it at the very end. Wash and degrease the parts before painting and allow the full drying time after the base coat. A dark wash run into the recesses brings out the belt feed and the holes of the cooling jacket, and dry-brushing with a light metal brings out the fine edges.

Who the set is for

• Builders of military vehicle models in 1:35 scale
• Makers of dioramas in which the vehicle's armament is in the foreground
• Modelers used to resin and cyanoacrylate glue
• Builds in which the plastic part from the base kit does not have enough detail

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