1-Pounder Vickers-Maxim Automatic Gun
QF 1-Pounder in American service in the Philippine

Hiram Maxim’s QF 1-pounder was the world’s first automatic cannon. It was quickly nicknamed the “pom-pom” from its distinctive sound. In 1901 and 1902 the US Army purchased 21 guns which were used in the Philippines and along the Mexican border. Although it saw use by other nations in WW1, the US weapons remained in the Philippines.

Vargas Scale Models has produced another fine kit of a relatively obscure WW1 era weapon. This is nicely 3D printed in resin and the Shapeways translucent material. It went together well after I getting all of the wax off the barrel/receiver by repeated scrubbing in hot water with dish soap and a toothbrush. It took five cycles of washing the barrel/receiver in 60 degree C water and scrapping with a dental pick to remove the wax from the barrel/receiver. The parts printed in resin took just a single cleaning in warm (not hot) dish water.

I airbrushed the gun itself with a mix of one part Tamiya black XF1 and one part Tamiya X22 clear gloss for a semigloss finish. This was thinned 1:1 with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner. The barrel water jacket was sprayed with AK Extreme Metal polished brass. The carriage and shield were airbrushed with Tamiya XF62 olive drab. I painted the wheel rims with Tamiya XF84 dark iron followed by AK Interactive AK083 track wash and a light dry brush with Model Master steel. The carriage and shield were weathered with a dot filter of Winsor and Newton oils and streaked with AK Interactive AK074 rain marks for NATO tanks. After weathering and detail painting the carriage and shield were given a coat of Testor’s dullcote. The brass details were rubbed lightly with a little AK Interactive AK460 true metal brass on a small cotton swab as a final touch.