Hi Pat, was your Dad a tanker? Army infantry units had just six SMG's per company, and these were 'pool' or extra weapons issued at the captain's discretion (for fighting patrols etc), so there weren't that many around. The grease gun was widely issued to armored vehicles though, replacing the Thompson as part of the standard load out. The guns were part of the vehicle's inventory rather than being issued to the crewmen directly - which is why you see them popping up in photos of the Russian front occasionally.

The Marines did eventually use the M3 smg, but far too few and too late to justify putting them in a set of WWII USMC infantry.

https://books.google.com/books?id=DC0VDAAAQBAJ&lpg=PA30&ots=Hs7719MBtN&dq=M3%20SMG%20in%20the%20Pacific&pg=PA30#v=onepage&q=M3%20SMG%20in%20the%20Pacific&f=false

And the M3 in the Revell set is vastly undersized and looks more like a child's toy. Sub machine guns as a whole are vastly over represented in this hobby anyway and are something of a curse of plastic figure sets; especially considering that fewer than 10% of WWII soldiers were ever actually armed with them!

There is a lot to like in this set, like the X straps on the puttees, or the radio operator's glasses. The figures are interacting with the mortar and the range finder, which is great.

I would have preferred another loader instead of one officer though. Two figures look as if straight from an Atlantic or Esci box: the mortar operator with his right arm way behind his body and the NCO with spread legs as if on horseback. Nothing a little hot water couldn't fix though.

The first weapon must be the Japanese version of the Lewis machine gun:
http://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/pacific/makin/pacific-captured-type-92-lewis-on-tripod-makin/
Given the huge number of Japanese machine guns already available in 1/72, a type 11 37mm infantry gun might have been a better choice. The gunner would probably survive longer if prone.

Finally, I wished the mortars' triopods were as detailed as the rangerfinder's.
http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/jp_150mortar/

Maybe this can still be fixed before producing this most useful set. Regards, Pa

Delighted with this, lots of room still for a set 2 , my big wish is that these figures stand 22-23 mm tall when stood up, so they can be used side by side with other makes of figures. Set 2 , well there are no heavy machine guns with loaders and ammunition in our scale, no Japanese field artillery, plus the Japanese moved big guns captured at Singapore for example and installed them on the islands in the Pacific, the Americans encountered them on several islands, and given how well you have done heavy guns this one seems a no brainer to me, well done strelets.

looking again, this needs two sets, your trying to squeeze too much in to one and compromising it as a result, more crew for the mortars , at least three men for each, save the machine gun and flamethrower for set two.

Very nice set! If the end product is as good as the Masters this set should sell well. I'd like to see some opponents for them. A Marine heavy weapons set would be
great.

The box art is up as well now - had not noticed it before:
http://www.strelets-r.com/Pages/Set.aspx?SetID=284&M=B

I still hope Strelets will make some changes as discussed here, and that the figures will be as short as befits a WW2 Japanese - that would make this set a seller.

Related to the topic - any chance for a Paratrooper heavy weapons set? If not, I'll resort to converting them, but it'd be nice.