1:35 Set of 2 standard barrels for U.S aircraft machine guns cal .50 Browning ANM2 A4

A set of two standard barrels for the American Browning ANM2 A4 aircraft machine gun, 1:35, Aber

The package holds two turned metal barrels of the American Browning ANM2 aircraft machine gun in the A4 variant, of 12.7 mm, in 1:35 scale. This is a detail accessory, not a kit. The barrels are made with a one-piece muzzle and they replace the plastic parts on models of aircraft, of armored vehicles and on separate weapons in a diorama. Turned metal keeps a straight axis, has no parting line and allows a sharply rendered bore, which on the thin long barrels of machine guns is decisive.

The real subject

The Browning ANM2 was the American 12.7 mm aircraft heavy machine gun, committed in the Second World War in the wings, the fuselages and the defensive gun positions of aircraft. Alongside the standard form there were sub-variants differing in the working of the barrel and of its end, which are clearly apparent in 1:35 scale. Choosing the right variant therefore affects the final accuracy of a model, especially where the weapon is exposed to view.

Usage and painting tips

Cut off the plastic barrel and, if need be, redrill the opening in the seating with a micro drill to the diameter of the metal part. Glue with cyanoacrylate glue; plastic cement does not hold on metal. Before painting, degrease the surface and lay on a base coat for metals. It pays to paint the weapon in a dark gray shade, to suggest the edges gently with graphite or a metallic paint and to let a dark wash into the recesses.

Who the set is for

• builders of American aircraft and ground vehicles
• modelers who want to replace softly molded plastic barrels
• makers of dioramas with weapons and their crews
• competition modelers demanding the right variant of a weapon

This is a detail accessory, not a complete model. The base kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.