MG42 Gunner
Bring a key element of German infantry firepower to your World War II collection with this detailed MG42 Gunner figure. Depicting a Wehrmacht machine gunner equipped with the renowned Maschinengewehr 42, this model is ideal for adding an authentic crew-served weapon position, advancing infantryman or defensive emplacement to a military scene.
Historical Role
Introduced in 1942, the MG42 served as a German general-purpose machine gun and became central to the firepower of many Wehrmacht infantry units. It could be fired from a bipod in the light machine-gun role or mounted on a tripod for sustained defensive fire. The gunner normally worked as part of a team, supported by soldiers carrying ammunition belts, spare barrels and other equipment. Its high rate of fire made it particularly effective for suppressing enemy movement and protecting infantry positions.
Distinctive Appearance
The MG42 is immediately recognisable by its long, perforated barrel jacket, compact receiver, folding bipod and purposeful profile. Combined with the gunner’s German wartime field uniform and equipment, these features create a distinctive late-war infantry silhouette. At larger scales, the weapon and individual equipment provide excellent opportunities for careful painting, shading and weathering.
Modelling Uses
This figure can form the centrepiece of a Wehrmacht machine-gun team, trench position, ruined village defence or Eastern Front battlefield scene. It is equally suitable for compact model railway layouts, historically themed dioramas, wargaming displays and collectors assembling scale-specific World War II infantry units. Pair it with ammunition bearers, riflemen, fortifications or German military vehicles to build a convincing operational setting.
Fun Fact
The MG42’s exceptionally rapid firing sound was often compared to tearing cloth. Its roller-locked mechanism and quick-change barrel system were highly influential, and the weapon’s design lineage continued in post-war German machine guns.
Available Scales
Available in 1:87, 1:76, 1:72, 1:48 and 1:35 scales.
Finish Options
Choose from Cleaned Resin Grey, Grey Primed - Ready for Painting, or Historical Base Colour.
Very small details may vary slightly depending on the scale selected.
