1:72 Browning Cal. 50 Wing Mounted (4 guns)

Browning Cal. 50 Wing Mounted 1:72 — four resin machine guns

It is not a kit but an accessory. According to the name the package contains four pieces of the .50 caliber Browning heavy machine gun in the form for a wing installation, cast in resin for 1:72 scale. Wing weapons are only partly visible on a model — usually just the ends of the barrels and the openings in the leading edge — but all the more depends on their being straight, of equal length and with the muzzle correctly opened.

The real subject

The .50 caliber Browning, that is 12.7 mm, was the standard armament of American fighters of the Second World War. It was mounted in the wing in batteries of two to four weapons per side, outside the propeller arc, so the need for synchronization fell away. The form for a wing installation differs from the fixed fuselage weapon and from the flexible one in the treatment of the mounting, the ammunition feed and the rear.

Usage and painting tips

Four parts mean four chances to produce a crooked barrel. Cut the casting blocks with the saw in one setting so that they are all the same length, and compare the length against graph paper as you go. Drill the muzzles with a micro drill before separating them from the block. Once the release agent is washed off, a dark base and fine rubs of metal are enough — the parts hidden in the wing will not be seen anyway, so invest the time in the protruding ends. Fill the transition between barrel and leading edge with a drop of modeling filler and sand it.

Who the set is for

• modelers of American fighters in 1:72 scale
• builders replacing short plastic barrel stubs
• anyone interested in a higher level of detail without altering the structure of the model
• more experienced modelers working with 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.