In Box Review of DML Dragon 1/35th Scale
German MG42 Heavy Machine Gun Team
Kit no. 6064
By Ray Mehlberger
Available at Section 8 Hobbies for $12.20 and at 4 locations overseas on the web.
I paid $8.50 for my kit back in the 90's.
Copyright 1997
By Ray Mehlberger
Available at Section 8 Hobbies for $12.20 and at 4 locations overseas on the web.
I paid $8.50 for my kit back in the 90's.
Copyright 1997
HISTORY:
The MG 42 (shortened from German: Maschinengewehr 42, or "machine gun 42") is a 7.92×57mm Mauser general-purpose machine gun designed in Nazi Germany and used extensively by the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS during the second half of World War II.
It was intended to replace the earlier MG 34, which was more expensive and took much longer to produce, but both weapons were produced until the end of World War II.
Designed to be low-cost and easy to build, the MG 42 proved to be highly reliable and easy to operate. It is most notable for its very high cyclic rate for a gun using full power service cartridges, averaging about 1,200 rounds per minute compared to around 850 for the MG 34, and perhaps 450 to 600 for other common machine guns like the M1919 Browning or Bren.
This ability made it extremely effective in providing suppressive fire, and its unique sound led to it being nicknamed "Hitler's buzzsaw".
The MG 42 was adopted by several armed organizations after the war, and was both copied and built under licence.
The MG 42's lineage continued past Nazi Germany's defeat, forming the basis for the nearly identical MG1 (MG 42/59), chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO, which subsequently evolved into the MG1A3, and later the Bundeswehr MG 3 and Italian MG 42/59. It also spawned the Yugoslav nearly identical Zastava M53, Swiss MG 51 and SIG MG 710-3, Austrian MG 74, and the Spanish 5.56×45mm NATO Ameli light machine gun, and lent many design elements to the American M60 and Belgian MAG.
The MG 42 (shortened from German: Maschinengewehr 42, or "machine gun 42") is a 7.92×57mm Mauser general-purpose machine gun designed in Nazi Germany and used extensively by the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS during the second half of World War II.
It was intended to replace the earlier MG 34, which was more expensive and took much longer to produce, but both weapons were produced until the end of World War II.
Designed to be low-cost and easy to build, the MG 42 proved to be highly reliable and easy to operate. It is most notable for its very high cyclic rate for a gun using full power service cartridges, averaging about 1,200 rounds per minute compared to around 850 for the MG 34, and perhaps 450 to 600 for other common machine guns like the M1919 Browning or Bren.
This ability made it extremely effective in providing suppressive fire, and its unique sound led to it being nicknamed "Hitler's buzzsaw".
The MG 42 was adopted by several armed organizations after the war, and was both copied and built under licence.
The MG 42's lineage continued past Nazi Germany's defeat, forming the basis for the nearly identical MG1 (MG 42/59), chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO, which subsequently evolved into the MG1A3, and later the Bundeswehr MG 3 and Italian MG 42/59. It also spawned the Yugoslav nearly identical Zastava M53, Swiss MG 51 and SIG MG 710-3, Austrian MG 74, and the Spanish 5.56×45mm NATO Ameli light machine gun, and lent many design elements to the American M60 and Belgian MAG.
THE KIT:
DML Dragon is an old prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box.
I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever.
Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows a German MG42 gun crew with their machine gun set up in front of some rubble.
The crewmen all wear RLM grey uniforms and steel helmets.
The man on the extreme left is kneeling on one knee and looking through a rangefinder 34 (EM34). his pants are tucked into black jack boots. He has ammo cases on his belt and a gas mask canister.
The man next to him is kneeling and pointing with his right arm and holding a pair of binoculars in his left hand.
The final 2 men are working the MG42, set up on it's tripod. One is behind it and aiming it through a periscope on top of it. He is kneeling on one knee, has a shovel in its case on his belt and he wears low shoes.
The other man is prone and resting on his left elbow while he feeds an ammo belt into the MG42. He has a gas mask canister, a mess kit and a canteen on his belt.
Next to the MG42 is a light colored case and container for a spare MG42 barrel.
One side panel of the box has 2 color box arts of other kits that DML manufactures: kit no. 6065, German Cossack Cavalry figures and kit no. 6067. German 13th Mountain Division "Handschar" figures.
These are followed by a barcode for this kit and kit not suitable for children under 3 years because of sharp parts. The importer for Europe is Italeri, in Reno, Italy and their address is given. Kit is intended for modelers over 10 years of age. This is said in multiple languages, including English.
DML Dragon is an old prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box.
I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever.
Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows a German MG42 gun crew with their machine gun set up in front of some rubble.
The crewmen all wear RLM grey uniforms and steel helmets.
The man on the extreme left is kneeling on one knee and looking through a rangefinder 34 (EM34). his pants are tucked into black jack boots. He has ammo cases on his belt and a gas mask canister.
The man next to him is kneeling and pointing with his right arm and holding a pair of binoculars in his left hand.
The final 2 men are working the MG42, set up on it's tripod. One is behind it and aiming it through a periscope on top of it. He is kneeling on one knee, has a shovel in its case on his belt and he wears low shoes.
The other man is prone and resting on his left elbow while he feeds an ammo belt into the MG42. He has a gas mask canister, a mess kit and a canteen on his belt.
Next to the MG42 is a light colored case and container for a spare MG42 barrel.
One side panel of the box has 2 color box arts of other kits that DML manufactures: kit no. 6065, German Cossack Cavalry figures and kit no. 6067. German 13th Mountain Division "Handschar" figures.
These are followed by a barcode for this kit and kit not suitable for children under 3 years because of sharp parts. The importer for Europe is Italeri, in Reno, Italy and their address is given. Kit is intended for modelers over 10 years of age. This is said in multiple languages, including English.
The other side panel says the kit contains parts for four figures, paint and glue are not included. In Japanese, English, German, French, Italian and Chinese. Each language is labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks that language.
This is followed by the kit's copyright of 1997 and DML's street address in Hong Kong, China and the kit was made there.
This is followed by the kit's copyright of 1997 and DML's street address in Hong Kong, China and the kit was made there.
The bottom of the box serves as the assembly and painting guide.
There are color illustrations showing the front and back of each of the four crew figures.
Below them there are black and white line drawings showing the rangefinder 34 (EM34), the spare MG42 barrel case (laufschützer 42) and another case for the MG42, called a zielfernrohr 34 case.
All illustrations on the box are by DML's resident artist Ronald Volstad.
There are color illustrations showing the front and back of each of the four crew figures.
Below them there are black and white line drawings showing the rangefinder 34 (EM34), the spare MG42 barrel case (laufschützer 42) and another case for the MG42, called a zielfernrohr 34 case.
All illustrations on the box are by DML's resident artist Ronald Volstad.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 4 light-grey parts trees in a sealed clear cello bag.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions on the back of the box. They do have each of the figures alphabetized as letters A through D.
The largest light-grey tree holds the parts of the figures, 3 shovels in cases, a pistol holster, 4 steel helmets, leather MP40 submachine gun ammo case, 4 mess kits, 3 gas mask canisters. 4 canvas pouches, a pair of binoculars, 4 canteens and 4 ammo cases for the 98K carbines. (55 parts)
The figures are divided into separate heads, torsos, legs and arms.
The kit contains 4 light-grey parts trees in a sealed clear cello bag.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions on the back of the box. They do have each of the figures alphabetized as letters A through D.
The largest light-grey tree holds the parts of the figures, 3 shovels in cases, a pistol holster, 4 steel helmets, leather MP40 submachine gun ammo case, 4 mess kits, 3 gas mask canisters. 4 canvas pouches, a pair of binoculars, 4 canteens and 4 ammo cases for the 98K carbines. (55 parts)
The figures are divided into separate heads, torsos, legs and arms.
The second light-grey tree is smaller. It holds the tripod for the MG42, the range finder, sights, ammo case etc. (15 parts)
The third light-grey tree is small too. It holds the MG42, its ammo belt, a panzerfaust, a MP40 submachine gun, a 98K carbine and a MP44 submachine gun etc. (13 parts)
The fourth light-grey tree is also small. It holds 2 98K carbines. another MP4O and MP44 and ammo clips (7 parts)
There are no decals included.
Recommended.