We all know how hard it is to replicate ammo belts in 1/35th and 1/32nd scale. The plastic injection moulded ones, like the ones in the old Tamiya weapons sets tend to break if you try to bend them to look realistic. The PE versions can be bent and are made of brass, so the cartridge is the right colour, but they are flat and only look realistic from a distance. Now I’ve discovered an alternative that solves those problems.
The Essex based Kitsworld company is offering 3-D printed ammo belt transfers than can be bent to droop just like the real thing and they come pre-coloured, so no painting is required.
We’ve seen 3-D printing before but 3-D printed transfers was a new one on me. You soak them in water like a water-slide decal and they come off the backing paper. Both sides of the decal are printed in colour, and you just put it into positon on your model.
OK, at the moment they are only available in 1/32nd scale as Kitsworld deals primarily with aircraft, but for an ammo belt the difference is so minor as to make little difference.
[UPDATE- Kitsworld have just been in touch to say 1/35th scale ammo belts are coming soon. Watch their website]
You can fix the decal to the feed of a machine gun with a dab of superglue. Most of the popular applications are offered: the M2 Browning 50 cal, the US 30 cal. the German MG 151, 131 and 7.92 Mauser. They also produce a RAF 20mm metal-linked belt and an ammo chute for bombers that might work for Vulcan mini guns as on the M163.
Kitsworld also produces webbing for 1/35th scale figures but looking at the photos on their website the packs on the webbing aren’t as convincing as the ammo belts are. Perhaps I need to see the real thing?
If you want to try the ammo belts out for yourself you can order them from kitsworld.co.uk at just £3.99 per pack plus postage.
Kitsworld also produce lots of other products such as printed airfield bases and PSP plating for those that just want a 2-D printed base rather than a full vignette or diorama. Check the website out for yourself and tell them you heard about it from MAFVA.
UPDATE – I thought I’d give these ammo belts a try myself. This is my Bell UH-1D Huey with the door gunner feeding the Kits-World .30 cal belt into his M60. What do you think?. JP