1:48 Set of 2 barrels for Japanese 7,7 mm Type 97 aircraft machine guns

Barrels for the Japanese 7.7 mm Type 97 machine gun 1:48 (Aber)

A set of turned metal barrels in 1:48 scale from the Polish maker Aber. It is not a model of an airplane but an accessory to a kit of a Japanese Second World War aircraft. The package holds a pair of barrels for the Type 97 aircraft machine gun of 7.7 mm caliber. A thin barrel with an open muzzle is practically unachievable in injection-molded plastic in this scale, so the metal part shows at first glance. The exact breakdown of the parts follows the contents of the particular package.

The real subject

The Type 97 was a Japanese 7.7 mm aircraft machine gun derived from a British Vickers design and introduced in the second half of the 1930s. It served as a fixed synchronized weapon in the nose of the fuselage of fighters and in defensive positions. Among others it was carried by the early and middle versions of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero carrier fighter, the Aichi D3A dive bomber and a range of other Japanese naval aircraft. In the second half of the war heavier weapons gradually replaced it.

Building and painting tips

The barrels are very fine, so work with tweezers over a mat and glue them with cyanoacrylate glue only after a dry fit. Carefully redrill the holes in the cowling if needed, so that both barrels project the same distance. Degrease the metal and go over it with a base coat (a primer). Leave the barrel in a dark metallic shade and pick the muzzle out with a dark wash; fine traces of exhaust fumes suit the cowling.

Who the set is for

• Builders of Japanese Second World War aircraft in 1:48 scale
• Modelers who want a thin barrel with an open muzzle
• More experienced modelers used to very small metal parts
• Collectors of aircraft armament accessories

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