1:72 Polski Fiat 508/518 with heavy machine gun wz.30

Polski Fiat 508/518 with the wz.30 heavy machine gun, 1:72, First to Fight

An injection-molded plastic kit in 1:72 scale by the Polish brand First to Fight, which has long specialized in the equipment of the Polish army of around 1939. The real subject is the Polski Fiat 508/518, a light military vehicle of cross-country character, in the form carrying the wz.30 heavy machine gun. The model is meant to be glued and painted; the exact box contents and the marking options are given in the manufacturer's catalog sheet.

The real subject

The Polski Fiat 508/518 came out of the licensed production of Italian Fiat cars that a Polish manufacturer developed in the 1930s. The military versions were created by adapting the civilian chassis and body into an open, more rugged form suited to rough ground. The vehicles served as liaison, reconnaissance and staff transport, carried people and light materiel, and in the armed variant could mount a weapon with its crew. The wz.30 was a Polish heavy machine gun in 7.92 mm caliber, derived in design from the American school of water-cooled machine guns; it was the standard heavy machine gun of the Polish army. The combination of a light vehicle and a heavy machine gun is a typical picture of Polish units from the end of the interwar period and from the fighting of 1939.

Building and painting tips

Small vehicles in 1:72 stand or fall on the cleanliness of the parts: cut the parts off carefully first and clean up the parting lines and the sprue gate remnants. Build from the bottom up, starting with the chassis, the axles and the wheels, so that the vehicle stands level on all four wheels; finish the interior and the crew before you close the body. Glue with thin cement for plastic run in by capillary action along the edge of the joint. Lay down a primer before painting and spray the paint with an airbrush in thin coats. Bring the detail out with a dark wash in the engraving and the shadows. Keep the weathering restrained: concentrate dust and mud pigments on the wheels, the fenders and the underside, where dirt really collects. Paint the machine gun and its crew separately and fit them at the very end.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of military vehicles in the uniform 1:72 scale
• Anyone interested in the Polish army of the interwar period and of 1939
• Modelers building small dioramas and scenes with vehicles and figures
• Builders who value an unusual subject beyond the familiar tanks
• Moderately advanced modelers, as the small parts call for patience

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