introduction

The M2-2 flame thrower was a prominent weapon on the battlefield in WWII, particularly in the Pacific theater of operations. Plus Model previously released a set of the M2-2 flamethrower with included 5 gal fuel cans and a shipping crate reviewed here:

M2-2 flamethrower review.

When I reviewed that set I kept thinking how nice it would be to have some extra parts to fill up the back of a truck. Plus Model seems to have thought the same thing as they have released a new set, EL046, containing two resin cast flamethrower boxes.

flamethrower boxes

The set is very simple. It contains the two resin parts and a small decal sheet. There are no instructions. The resin boxes have a pour block on the bottom that must be removed carefully. Hinges on the rear and latches on the front are molded in place and have very nice detail. I used a razor saw to cut off the major portion, and then carefully trimmed and sanded the remainder off. There is a lot of associated dust, so use caution. There was nothing else to clean up.

Once the boxes were cleaned up, they were painted in basic olive drab. I used Tamiya thinned with a little window cleaner. I applied a coat of gloss (Future floor wax) on the top, front and rear, and then applied the decals. The decals are printed on very thin carrier film and are legible. Once in place, the decals are fairly difficult to move around. I placed some micro-sol on the decals to help them settle properly, and once dried applied a flat coat. This was followed by a wash of burnt umber, blending some yellow ochre oil on the surface, and then some pastels in an ochre mix of my own. The crate is the same as was included in the previous set, and certainly helps to fill up the back of a truck. Now if we can just get more 5 gal cans, and maybe a 55 gal drum or two with the ordinance decals...

conclusion

This is a very simple accessory with great diorama potential. I believe the same crate was used for the M2A1-2 flamethrower used in Korea, so the time frame for this set is expanded.

This set is listed with a suggested retail price of $4.60 US from Plus Model.