Riich 1/35 British 6-Pdr Anti-tank gun with Crew

The British 6pdr anti-tank gun was one of the most effective anti-tank weapons of the second half of WWII and one of the few guns that was successful with the Western Allies. Used by the US and commonwealth forces it was also modified to use in some tanks. The airborne units required one that would fit into a glider so the trails were redesigned to be foldable for more easy stowage.

While the sprues have Riich printed on them, I have a sneaking suspicion that this is the same as the Bronco kit. I could be wrong, but it just looks very much the same. The kit includes the gun, a number of shells and their cases as well as the gun crew to the mix, making for a ready-made diorama.

The kit itself has several options. One is to be built in either the travel or firing position. The gun barrel can be moved on its mount fore or aft as well as side to side. The kit offers early and late gun shields as well as the option to have the sighting window open or closed.

Other items included are shells and shell casings in addition to the four figures for the gun crew. Bronco is one of those companies where a lot of small detail parts are the norm, and that includes a rather extensive photo etch set. If a part can be done in several pieces instead of one casting, then it is done in several pieces. It is just a difference in philosophy when it comes to designing kits. The current trend is just this way and for those who want simpler to build kits, there are other companies who provide these kits, though perhaps not the one themodeler wants.

Instructions are quite complete and offer detailed construction steps. The modeler should pay close attention to the instructions during the build as in a few cases, one has to refer to later steps when it comes to fitting parts. The decal sheets are nicely done with one offering mostly shell and shell case stencils while the other offers uniform markings for the crew.

A very nice offering for those who enjoy building artillery pieces and want a crew to go along with the gun.

January 2015

Thanks to www.dragonmodelsusa.com for the preview kit. You can find this kit at your favorite hobby shop or on-line retailer.

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