1:72 M38 Gas Mask Canister – Wehrmacht

M38 gas mask canister — Wehrmacht (1:72, Firma49)

This is a small modeling accessory from the Czech manufacturer Firma49, which specializes in 3D-printed and resin details. It is not a model kit but a faithful miniature of one particular piece of equipment: the German gas mask canister of the M38 pattern. It was a characteristic cylindrical container with a longitudinally ribbed shell and a hinged lid, carried on a strap by practically every German soldier during the Second World War. It is exactly these small, correctly placed details that make a scene believable — a figure with period equipment gains authenticity at once. The 1:72 scale is small, meant for tiny figures and vehicles, so the part really is minute.

Use

• Hang the accessory on a figure's strap, stow it in a vehicle or place it in a diorama as part of the kit set down.
• Cut the part carefully off the print supports with a sharp scalpel — in this scale it is very small and fragile.
• Clean the cut face up gently with abrasive paper used wet and with respiratory protection.
• Glue with super glue (cyanoacrylate); plastic cement does not hold on this material.
• Apply a primer before painting, then darken the cylindrical body in a field gray-green shade and bring the ribbing out with dry-brushing.

Who the accessory is for

For modelers and diorama builders in 1:72 scale who want to fit out German figures and scenes of the Second World War with period-accurate equipment. Working with a printed part this small calls for a steady hand, so it is best suited to the more experienced. Anyone building in a larger scale will be glad that Firma49 offers the same canister in 1:35 and 1:48 as well — just pick the variant to match the scale of your figures.

The accessory is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Paints, glue and figures are not included in the package. Small printed parts are fragile; use a respirator when sanding and ventilate.