Introduction:
The M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) is the US military’s adaptation of the Belgian FN Minimi, a light machine gun manufactured by FN Herstal. The M249 Para is the US military’s adaptation of the Minimi Para intended for use by airborne and armored infantry units. It is a compact variant of the M249 SAW that features a sliding aluminum buttstock, a 13.7 in (348 mm) short barrel, an overall length of 893 mm (35 in) and a weight of 7.1 kg (16 lb).
Pelican has several military cases intended for transporting M249, with 472-PWC-M249-P Machine Gun Case designed specifically for M249 Para.
Review:
Eureka XXL offers a number of 1/35 scale resin accessory sets depicting Pelican military cases. This review covers Modern US Army PELICAN™ M249 Machine Gun Case (E-063).
The set is packed in a hard cardboard box. As with most Eureka offerings, the box features a front window opening to display the contents and the quality of the pieces in the set.
The box contains a zip-lock bag with a single resin piece.
The piece is cast in grey resin and upon closer inspection I have to say I’m impressed by the casting quality. I noticed no casting issues whatsoever, with the details perfectly delivered. The casting block was removed before packing the piece, and the remaining stubs should be very easy to clean. Basic resin working skills and a dust mask are enough to get the job done.
The piece represents 472-PWC-M249-P Machine Gun Case, which holds a single M249 Para Machine Gun and a single M9 Pistol. With the dimensions of 39.80 x 16.50 x 6.70 in (101.1 x 41.9 x 17 cm), the case is manufactured in two military colors: Black and Olive Drab Green.
After checking the references, I took a closer look at the 1/35 scale resin piece. I found all the case features realistically reproduced in resin… six press/pull latches, two in-line wheels, two padlockable hasps, two soft-grip handles, as well as a Vortex™ valve. The case is sized to 29,1 x 12 x 5 mm.
Altogether, Modern US Army PELICAN™ M249 Machine Gun Case (E-063) is another great 1/35 scale accessory set from Eureka.
Highly recommended.