Dragon 1/6 Browning M1919A4 .30 calibre machine gun

The M1919 machine gun, is a crew-served platoon strength automatic weapon. The weapon appeared in combat as several different versions. The most widely identified model, is the A4 model, with a tripod. Seen in various movies, TV, and comics, the .30 cal, as most folks like to call it, is still in use in some 3rd world armies, as the machine gun of choice. Given it's age, can still be found all over the world, in one form or another. Not having the high rate of fire of newer weapons, and even the German famous MG42, it is still a durable and unstoppable weapon.

The tripod version, A4, was usually crewed by as many as 3 soldiers, but, I am sure in combat attrition rates, only 2 would be suffice. The later manufactured A6 model, had a longer barrel, butt stock, and a folding bipod at the muzzle, much like the Browning M1918 BAR, John Browning designed during WW1. Both weapons chambered the .30-06 round. The weapon also appeared on aircraft, helicopters, jeeps, and other light armored vehicles.

My personal remembrance of the .30 cal, was a weapon of choice by a character, in one of my favorite comics when I was a kid, 'SGT. Rock'. The Character, 'Bulldozer', was a hunk of a man, "6ft4 and full of muscles", as the song 'Down under' from Men at work, would describe him. He was apparently strong enough to carry it by himself, and even shoot it from the hip.I think R Lee Ermey, from one of his episodes of 'Mail Call', tried it and proved it could be done. Having said that, however, I am sure without a doubt, that the barrel would be quite hot after a sustained rate of fire. From the aforementioned comic, the sound effects they always used, makes me laugh, these days. RATTA TAT TAT, or was it, BUDDA BUDDA BUDDA ?

First appearances, as most experienced modelers know, can be deceiving. The kit does not have very many actual parts, and some are rather large, for you 'ham fisted' modelers, such as myself. Given this kit is made for the 1/6 scale dolls, or 'action figures', for you guys out there not so comfortable with your gender level, should be a breeze to clean up with no fiddly bits.

According to instructions, the kit is also designed to be made 'operable'. Very little flash, and no mold parting lines to speak of, clean up went rather quickly. The kit has 2 options, you could either build the A4 version, with the tripod, or the A6 with the bipod. I chose the former, since it would look good on a base. The instructions are very simplistic, too much, in my opinion, which can be confusing on a couple different sub assemblies.

The kit goes together very easy, with no filling, and not all that much sanding. However, all things considered, given the fact that there were 'moving' parts, such as a sliding bolt, folding tripod, and a swivel mount, I should have sanded some portions of the pieces a little smaller, to accommodate the added thickness of the paint, which I will get into later. I started off by cleaning and gluing the smaller sub assemblies together and let them dry. Given the fact that this kit would be accentually only 2 colors, I built the whole thing before painting it.

The machine gun portion, I painted in Model master Metalized Gunmetal, and dry brushed Metalized Aluminum. The tripod was painted Model master Olive Drab, with just a hint of dark green and some dry brushing of aluminum, to give it a worn look. The 'pistol grip' was painted with Model master Leather, which, in my opinion, always made a convincing dark wood, color.

After I painted the model, the tripod portion would not fold up on itself, due to the added thickness of paint. The bolt worked, sort of, and after a few pot-shots at the 'Nazi cats' roaming my house, the charging handle for the bolt, broke off, due to the extra friction on the bolt caused by the thickness of the paint.

I ended up using crazy glue to fix the handle, but, given the propensity for the thin glue to follow seams, it glued the bolt in the open position. That in itself, was a miracle, since I still had to add the yet unfinished ammo belt. The belt was made of vinyl stock, and it was painted in Vallejo colors of Brass, silver, and red, which, I did every 4th one to simulate 'tracer' rounds. The ammo cans were painted olive drab, and there were a few photo etch pieces used for the lockdown and handle swivels, of which, I messed one up putting it on, and lost one to the dreaded "carpet gremlins".

Given the simplicity of the kit, and the big parts, I would recommend it as a nice change up from the billions of aircraft kits, and cars to a novice modeler such as myself. The more challenging parts that actually operate, I'll leave that to the more experienced guys, (or gals), and maybe next time I do one of these kits, I'll be ready to 'prepare' some of the moving parts.

AFTER THOUGHTS

I found a old SGT Rock comic in my closet, and found out that it was in fact, RATTA TAT TAT, not BUDDA BUDDA BUDDA, being a Army vet, I had forgot that the .50 cal M2 had a slower rate of fire than the .30 cal.

Kevin Powers

April 2011

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