Tamiya
35121

This set of two identical sprues is more than 20 years old, and until Dragon came along it had a lot going for. But the quality of Dragon’s American weapons was a great improvement on most of the items in this kit, and Tamiya was finally forced to come up with better replicas in their “U.S. Assault Infantry”. The weapons and gear from that offering were spun off as a separate “U.S. Infantry Equipment Set.

”The “U.S. Infantry Weapons” has a vast array of items. However, recent Garands, carbines, BARs and Thompson submachine guns from Tamiya and DML are much better shaped than the ones in this kit (note that that M2 automatic carbine with the bayonet lug did not appear until Korea). The M3 grease gun is better represented in the DML tank crew set. DML also produced a nicer M2A1-7 flamethrower in their Iwo Jima and anti-tank team kits. The two different style bazookas in the latter DML kit are also better than the first style wooden stock found in here. Better detailed .30 and .50 machine guns can be found from Academy, DML, Skybow, Verlinden, SOL and Custom Dioramics. The deployed tripods for the .50 machine gun might be useful; I’m not sure if the tripod for the recoilless rifle is suitable for the .30 cal or not, but that weapon comes with a bipod.

For the longest time, this kit provided the only M2 60mm mortar and 57mm recoilless rifle. But in late 2004, DML eclipsed them with its "U.S. Army Support Weapon Teams." You don't get the tripod for the recoilless rifle, but you do get a pair of figures using it as it first appeared during Operation Varsity.

There are decent .45 handguns from Colt and Smith & Wesson. The thick unsheathed bayonets and trench knives can be honed down for a more realistic look. Of limited value is the light gas mask, as they were rarely, if ever, used, as there were no gas attacks.

If you demand better detail and accuracy you can do better by looking elsewhere, though this set might be acceptable for the young or beginning modeler. Tamiya’s more limited infantry equipment set is plentiful, but DML’s “Allied Weapons Set” has been out of production for some time.

-tss-