The M1917 Browning is a crew-served, belt-fed, water-cooled heavy machine gun used by the United States armed forces in World War I and World War II, through the Korean War (National Guard and Reserve units had them in their inventory through the 1970s). It was also employed by over a dozen foreign militaries. The M1917 had a long life and modelers have a plethora of options for a model of this ubiquitous machine gun in 1/35 scale.

Special Hobby hit it out of the park with this mixed media kit. A bulk of the parts are 3D printed resin with a PE fret. The kit comes with the machine gun, gun cradle (with traverse and elevation mechanism), tripod, water condensing can, and two sets of ammo cans (wooden WWI and steel WWII) – one closed and one opened. The modeler will have to source a wire piece for the cradle and flexible wire/rubber for the cooling water tube.

History

In WWII, German Medics were called Sanitäter, or Sani for short. In Wehrmacht, the direct medical care for wounded soldiers on the battlefield was provided by medics who were part of platoons, companies, and battalions. They could be distinguished from ordinary infantrymen by their special medical pouches, additional water flasks, patches, and armbands. They were also able to evacuate the wounded to first aid stations or collection points. Infantry companies also included non-commissioned officers of the medical service, and at the battalion level, a military doctor (Assistenz or Oberarzt) was responsible for centralized medical care. However, it was not possible to carry out serious medical operations in the battalion; this was the responsibility of the divisional medical service, which could also include sanitary convoys that were engaged in the centralized transportation of the wounded.

Republic’s F-105 Thunderchief (also known as the Thud) was developed in response to a requirement for a fast, single-seat fighter aircraft capable of carrying an atomic weapon. With an internal bomb bay loaded with an atomic weapon, the F-105 initially stood alert in Europe, under the control of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE). A short time later, F-105s sat on alert in the Pacific Air Force (PACAF), stationed in Okinawa and Korea. The F-105 soldiered on for just over a decade after the Vietnam War, before being retired from service.

With 150+ photos spread over 96 pages, this book emphasizes the Thud’s pre-Vietnam and post-Vietnam service. There is a brief development overview of the Thud, and a chapter on the Thud’s service in the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), with squadrons and missions, including the “Victor Alert”, standing nuclear alert.