One of the most widely used guns of both the First and Second World wars was the Maxim Machine Gun or it’s close relatives such as the Vickers Mk.1, so it is surprising that usually the only version of it seen in 1/35 plastic kit form is the Russian 1910/30, usually on its little wheeled trolley. So this set which provides an alternative version for use by the other side is a welcome addition.
Coming in the usual Masterbox end opening box on the usual single dark yellow sprue you get three figures as well as the Machine gun and its tripod. The mouldings are sharp and mostly clean with some minor flash to remove. The level of detail is good including different expressions on the very nicely moulded faces. There is a small ammount of filling and sanding required when assembled to eliminate all the join lines but this is nothing out of the usual and in line with what you get with similar kits.
The figures are all wearing reversible winter camo smocks and low boots. One wears a russian ushanka hat, one wears a knit cap and the other a soft cap, though all get optional M41 helmets which are moulded hollow. The hoods for all three smocks are moulded as separate parts and all three are wearing Y-Strap harness and belts.
The gunner is posed so that he can either be holding the gun or a pair of binoculars that are included. Both he and his loader both get a gas mask container, a canteen, a breadbag, an entrenching tool and a holstered Luger P08. The third figure gets the same equipment with the addition of two MP40 mag pouches as he also gets an MP40 Sub-machine gun.
The gun is rather interesting as the bipod is a Finnish M21 bipod which means the gun can be either a German M08 or the Finnish Maxim, the M09/21, both of which look the same. The gun is made up of four parts including the sight and the box magazine and is a fairly good representation that could use a little fine detailing around the levers, ejector port and receiver side cover. You will also need to add your own flash hider as oddly this isn’t included.
The M21 tripod is made up of nine parts and is again a good representation though a little thick and clunky so it too could do with a bit of thinning down and fine detailing around the gunners seat. Oddly an extra part is included that is marked as not for use but this looks to me to have been intended to be the Anti-Aircraft tripod extention arm that replaces the U-mount that bolts to the gun with one that is on the end of an extention, allowing the tripod to be used in the Anti-aircraft role. If it is indeed intended as that part the u-mount and bolt at the end of it needs detailing and would easiest be replaced with part number 38, the standard U-mount.
Assembly and painting instructions are provided on the reverse of the box giving the paint numbers for Vallejo, Tamiya, Lifecolour, Humbrol and Agama paints. There are a couple of errors in the instructions for the tripod in that part 45, the main leg, is not called out, nor is part 41 which connects the rear of the gun to Part 36, being part of the adjustment mechanism. The gun sight, part 40 is also erroniously labelled as Part 46 ( which is actually a canteen so I’m sure you would notice ). These are easy enough to pick up on from the diagramatics on the back of the box.
Despite being an older set and thus requiring a little more clean-up this is still a nice set of figures. But more than just being a nice little set of figures what makes this set especially nice as not only do you get a Maxim, but it comes on the Finnish M21 tripod which means this gun can be displayed as a German M08 on a Finnish tripod in use by German troops or indeed as a Finnish M09/21 on the M21 tripod being used by Finnish troops. That’s a whole new set of Diorama possibilities right there.
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