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Master Details 1/32 M61A1 Vulcan Gun

By Chris Banyai-Riepl

Overview

As military aircraft evolved during the Second World War, it became important to improve weaponry to match. The need to put more firepower into aircraft quickly pushed the limits of gun design. To answer the call of high fire rate and high reliability, General Electric turned to a multi-barrel Gatling gun design. With jet aircraft able to provide the electric power for turning the barrels reliably and consistently, the advantages quickly became apparent. The first prototypes were fired in 1949, and the first M61A1 appeared in the F-104. Since that debut, the M61A1 has been the gun of choice in every major US fighter aircraft, being found in the F-4, A-7, F-14, F-15, F-16, F-18, and, in a lightened M61A2 version, the F-22.

The Gun

As the M61A1 is the standard gun in quite a few aircraft, it is no surprise that there are 1/32 kits that could benefit from an update set. This set provides a comprehensive barrel replacement for any 1/32 M61A1 Vulcan cannon. The basic set includes barrels, accessories, and a photoetch fret for details. Assembly is fairly simple, although there will be some challenges.

The photoetch provides inserts for the front of the barrel assembly, the end, and a section in the middle. The rear piece is just a single photoetch disk, with dimples for the barrel ends. The middle section has two photoetch discs that fit on either side of the turned brass ring. The front section is the most complex, with five photoetch rings and three shields. The latter need to be bent over a piece of rod to fit in place. Finally, there is a single turned knob that fits on the front, holding everything together.

Conclusion

Given the importance of this famous gun, this is a great addition to the aftermarket arena. The only downside is that it's just the barrels, but given that each installation is dramatically different from the next, this is understandable. Knowing that, and given that many 1/32 kits provide those other bits, this becomes a very affordable and highly detailed upgrade that will greatly enhance the finished model. My thanks to Master Model for the review sample.