Introduction:

The M2 Machine Gun (or Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun) is a heavy machine gun designed by John Browning towards the end of WWI. Nicknamed "Ma Deuce" or "the fifty", the M2 Machine Gun is belt-fed, air-cooled machine weapon capable of semi-automatic and automatic fire. The weapon is designed to provide suppressive fire for both offensive and defensive purposes, and can be used effectively against infantry, unarmored or lightly armored vehicles and boats, light fortifications and low flying aircraft.

The Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun has been used extensively as a vehicle weapon and for aircraft armament by the US Military from the 1920s to the present. It was used during WW2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and also during the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in the 2000s and 2010s. M2 is the primary heavy machine gun of NATO countries, and has been used by many other countries as well.

Review:

Live Resin offers a number of accessory sets for 1/35 scale M2 Browning .50 cal weapon sets. This review covers their M2 Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun Body (LRE35144).

The accessory set is packed in a zip-lock bag safely secured between a firm cardboard. The boxart image on the front shows all the kit parts, while the one on the back displays M2 body in more detail. The set includes 12 pieces for assembling 3 complete M2 Machine Gun bodies, cast in grey resin. The cast is really good and I found no imperfections in the resin whatsoever. All three weapon bodies were damaged in transport though... I did manage to find broken pieces of spade grip holders in the zip-lock bag and with a touch of CA glue the problem was solved. The carrier blocks are pretty large and some of the parts very delicate, so I would suggest patience when cleaning the pieces.

The M2 Machine Gun body is made of three major sub-assemblies: the receiver, barrel support and barrel group. The receiver features the backplate assembly with the standard firing control consisting of a push-type thumb trigger and sear release buttons located between the dual spade grips, top cover, feed opening, cocking handle and sights. Standard M2 sights consist of a rear flip-up sight and front sight protected by an arc-shaped sight cover. The barrel support features perforated cooling jacket. As for the barrel assembly, due to the long procedure for changing the barrel, an improved system was developed called QCB (quick change barrel). It includes a removable quick change handle and a new flash suppressor.

All of these M2 Machine Gun body features are clearly identifiable and magnificently rendered in this kit, with the level of details absolutely amazing thus offering one of the best M2s produced in 1/35 scale. However, I'm not sure if the barrel depicted in this particular set is actually a part of the QCB kit. The set does supply the quick change handle, however the barrel does not display the new style flash suppressor. Also, my nitpick would be a very thin carrier stub from the resin block which attaches to the end of the muzzle completely obscuring the muzzle bore hole. Modelers would have to use a very fine drill to make a perfectly centered hole in the middle of a muzzle... not an easy task.

The assembly of the system is pretty much straightforward with spade grips and cocking handle to attach, also the removable quick barrel change handle if desired. Number of complete M2 Machine Gun systems utilizing different mounts and various shields, as well as numerous M2 accessories can be found in Live Resin portfolio, some of them reviewed on Armorama (link).

Conclusion:

M2 Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun Body (LRE35144) includes 3 M2 Machine Gun bodies for upgrading “Ma Deuces” in 1/35 scale from all the different manufacturers. The resin cast is perfect and the details impressively rendered. The only thing I'm really missing is the muzzle bore hole.

References:

Globla Security
World Guns
FAS.org