Introduction
MiniArt has gone heavily down the route of supplying small arms sets for Allied troops at long last. Thus providing the modeller, with sets of figure equipment that can be easily reached for to alter the set up of a figure or to add the little touches to a vehicle or build to add that personal touch. This set covers the equipment for US tank crew and Infantry.
Review
This offering from MiniArt arrives in one of its end opening cartons, something that many know that I am not a huge fan of, and that I wish all companies would stop using. The container itself shows a nice selection of the equipment on the front, and covers the painting and minor assembly on the rear. Inside, is a single plastic bag containing 9 sprues, two of which are duplicated. All of the offerings provided look to be well moulded, with slide moulding utilised in some cases.
Equipment wise, MiniArt has gone down the route of providing helmets in the form of the M1 helmet for the Infantry, and these are provided with a scrim net, a cloth cover, or bare and also provides detail inside the helmet. For the Tanker you are provided with a five piece assembly helmet, which I believe is leather and which always reminds me of the early American football helmets. The goggles provided are unfortunately grey styrene rather than clear styrene, and is one of the few areas that I feel MiniArt could have done better. Drinking canteens are provided both in and out of their cloth cover, entrenchment tools are provided both in and out of their cloth covers. A particularly nice inclusion in this offering is a hand held camera, with my gripe being that only one is provided in the set, as I feel this item is a particularly useful and fairly unique inclusion. Canvas wise, ammunition pouches for the various supplied weapons systems are provided, which is something I like to see in a weapons set. Map cases are included, and there area few other odds and ends, which are not instantly identifiable.
Small Arms
Starting with the handheld weapons, we are provided with bayonets, both in and out of their scabbards, and I am pleased to see empty scabbards included. There are a good number of pineapples, with which to replenish your grenade supplies. There are three types of hand gun included, in the form of the M19/11 Colt, which is the weapon that I most often associate with American Infantry weapons. Colt M19/03 pistols, which I feel is an unusual choice as its use would appear to have been limited, but none the less provides an interesting choice. There is a revolver included, which I believe is a Colt of some description, but I have been unable to satisfy myself as to which one it is. These weapons have been provided both out of and in holsters, and so provide a nice element and so could be used for anything from holding down a map, or a war trophy. This set also offers Thompson machine guns, with and without the front pistol grip and provided with a choice of drum or straight magazines. I am not aware of the drum magazine being a heavily utilised item during World War II, but you may know different. The M3 sub-machine gun, is included in this set and was from memory, a popular weapon with tank crews due to its compact size, however, it needs to be remembered that this weapon was a late introduction going into general service (If I remember rightly) in late1943. The last piece included in this set, is the good old M1919, 30 calibre machine gun. This has been provided in multiple parts, with the option of a tripod that can be deployed or folded, an ammunition box and also an ammunition belt of a good length.
Conclusion
This release from MiniArt, provides the modeller with a nice selection of weaponry for a number of situations, a particular item that I like, is the hand held camera and is an item that I would have liked to have seen more provided. Complaints wise, I feel I would have liked to have seen, tank crew equipment separated from Infantry equipment, but with that being said it would not exactly be unusual to find individuals using items with which they would not have been issued, and I would also like to see MiniArt move away from the end opening cartons to a box and lid for all of their items. Moulding quality is of a high standard, and Iam unable to pick up any really bad flash on the parts. Access to the various elements is good. My only real concern being, that some parts are very finely moulded, and easily damaged or broken, during removal from the sprue. A particularly nice element of the set is the inclusion of detail, inside the helmets, which could have been easily overlooked, and thankfully was not.