Miriliton

20mm WW II Italian
Bersaglieri Motorcyclist

review by Bill Rutherford

IIGM-67, from the Italian company, Mirliton, consists of a Bersagliere on a Moto Guzzi Alce 500 motorcycle. This is a multi-part model, consisting of a five-piece 500cc motorcycle, a Breda Model 30 light machine-gun, and, of course, a motorcyclist. The cyclist measures approximately 22M Barrett; it’s really hard to say, as he’s sitting. The cyclist is well-detailed, with a pith helmet (and feathers), ammo pouches, and slung rifle.

I took issue with the rifle at first; it’s nicely done but is cast standing on edge against the body. I discovered this actually an advantage, though, as a quick twist with a pair of needle-nosed pliers allows the gamer to “pose” the way in which the rifle hangs against the cyclist’s back, adding a bit of variety. I think the cyclist’s legs might be a pinch short, or at least the arms seem a bit long, but this may be due to the pose. In any event, he looks good riding his cycle.

As there’s no sidecar, the Breda is mounted on the handlebars in a manner reminiscent of what we used to do as kids with pop-guns on our bikes! I have no references on the Moto Guzzi so I cannot vouch for its accuracy, but casting for both the motorcycle and machine-gun is clean and crisp. The pair would look good in a scale setting… You get a single motorcycle and rider for $9.50, which is quite expensive for a 20mm set, but if you want a decent Bersaglieri motorcycle I suspect your choices are this or conversion… Available from your local hobby shop or directly from the importer, G.K.G. Gaming, at 86 Regan Road, Ridgefield, CT 06877. Check out Mirliton’s website at www.mirliton.com for a full product listing. Nice but pricey!

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