1:48 Pouches for MP38 and MP40

The real subject

The MP 38 and MP 40 submachine guns were part of the German infantry's armament in the Second World War. A soldier carried spare box magazines in pouches hung from his belt, usually one set on each side. Even at a small scale this equipment makes sense: it completes the silhouette of the figure around the waist and hints at what the soldier is armed with before the viewer looks at the weapon itself.

What the set contains

The set consists of separate magazine pouches in 1:48 scale, where a figure stands just under four centimeters tall. The parts are not tied to one particular figure and you can use them away from figures as well, for example as equipment laid aside in the cab of a vehicle, on a crate at a field post or in a pile next to stacked weapons.

Building and painting tips

• Paint the parts away from the figure, held on a piece of double-sided tape, because on a finished figure a brush will no longer get to them.
• Thin the paint, because a heavy coat at this size floods the folds and the buckles.
• Wash the parts in lukewarm soapy water before painting and let them dry.
• Dose the cyanoacrylate glue with the tip of a toothpick, because a drop from the bottle is too large for a part like this.
• Try the position on the belt dry and only then glue it.
• At a small scale contrast is what decides: a darker wash and a lighter pass over the edges are enough.

Who it is for

The accessory suits modelers who build infantry scenes in 1:48 scale and take the detail of the equipment further. The package holds pouches only. Figures, weapons, the base, glue and paints are not part of it, unless stated otherwise.