When I first heard about these guns, I had to see one in person. Now that I have, I am both impressed and depressed. Impressed because these are stunning pieces of work, and depressed because now I have a new level to achieve for the rest of the model in order for it to match the quality of these guns.
This review will look at three different guns, which should give a good overview of the breadth of detail provided in these sets. The main component in each set is the solid brass gun piece, which is really nicely cast. Some of the guns also include photoetch details to further enhance the final gun.
The simplest out of all of the three examined is the Vickers gun. This contains just the gun, with no photoetch. The detailing on the gun barrel and in the levers is quite good, and is far beyond anything I have seen in a plastic kit. Like all the other guns, this one features a small pin to aid in mounting and, perhaps more importantly, to serve as a solid handle for painting. Given the small size and fine detail, I would highly recommend airbrushing these guns, to preserve as much of the fineness as possible.
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Next up is the Lewis gun, which is a bit more complex in that it has photoetch. The casting is also quite a bit more complex, capturing quite well the various shapes and pieces of the gun. The detail on the rear handle is particularly impressive, as is the grip. The photoetch fret provides various attachments for the gunsights, all of which are nicely done. Be prepared for a fair bit of folding of tiny parts, though. When complete, this gun will be far beyond even aftermarket resin guns, so the extra effort will be worth it.
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The most complex out of the trio is the Soviet DA on a TUR-5 turret. This gun, like the Lewis, has a highly detailed and somewhat complex main gun, supplemented by photoetch details. The latter includes similar sight pieces like the Lewis gun, but this set also includes the ring mount. The large photoetch fret has a recessed spot for the modeler to bend a piece of wire for part of this ring, while the rest is provided in the photoetch parts. The resultant assembly is easily a model in and of itself, and would almost make for an interesting display piece on a small stand.
While small, these are very impressive sets, and if you have a world-class model in the finishing stages that needs a gun, don't hesitate to pick one of these up. My thanks to Scale Model Kits for the review samples.
