The Vickers .303 machine gun is synonymous with Britain and World War I. Used in the air, on the ground, and on the water, the Vickers .303 was capable of a firing rate of about 600 rounds per minute.

This kit produces an excellent representation of this well-known weapon, and considering the ease of construction, Hasegawa deserves a “Well Done”.

The Instruction Sheet

The instruction sheet is actually a broadside, one piece of paper printed front and back. With a combination of phrases or single words coupled with some detailed line drawings, the instructions are very easy to understand. The construction process is not at all complex and presents no problem for the beginner or the more experienced model builder. The paint call-outs involve only two colors, and those are “steel” for the entire model with the exception of a wooden handle which is designated as red brown.

The instruction sheet may contain an error, but I am not sure the fault is not mine. As is quite common, there are parts which are on the sprue but are not used on the model. Part B8, as indicated on the instruction sheet, is not used on this model and it is highlighted in grey on the instruction sheet showing that it is not used. Part B9 is not highlighted on the instruction sheet as not used, but does not appear anywhere as a part to be added to the model. This is a little issue and is of no real consequence to the enjoyment of the project or its completion.

The Parts

The machine gun itself consists of only 10 parts, not including the aforementioned B8 and B9. The fit is consistently very good and I completed the model without using any seam filler. In fact, most of the parts fit so precisely that with just a bit of pressure they snap together and tend to stay together. A little sanding was necessary to remove the nubs left behind when the parts were removed from the sprue.

The machine gun is only half the package contained in the box. A display stand of sorts is included. This display stand is a picture frame measuring 9 ¾ in by 7 ½ inches. This frame can be prepared in such a way that it will mount on a wall or using a hinged leg that supports the frame for display on a horizontal surface. The frame is plastic with a red felt pad that forms the backdrop for the model. Some small amount of construction is necessary to prepare the frame. The support leg must be attached to a hinge mechanism and some holes must be drilled into the frame. These holes hold the support rods that attach the machine gun to the frame. I ran into a slight problem when assembling the hinge attachment points on the back of the frame. Included in the kit a a bolt which holds Parts A2 and A3 together. That bolt turned out to have too small a diameter and the threads did not bit into Part A3 properly. I opened my HO model railroad parts bin, selected a bolt slightly larger than that provided in the kit, and the problem was resolved.

Decals

There are none in the box and none are needed.

Conclusion

This model was quick and easy to assemble, while at the same time providing some very enjoyable “modeling”. The machine gun took about an hour to assemble and paint, and the picture frame took about 15 minutes. Beginning modelers will enjoy the simplicity of assembly and experienced modelers will appreciate the excellent quality of the parts and the model as whole once completed.

I can give this product a “highly recommended” rating and I can say that I am more than pleased with the finished model.

Thanks to Hobbico-Hasegawa and IPMS-USA for providing this kit for review!