The Extras:
The four Mortar Bombs are included in the kit and they are finely cast as well.
The Lee-Enfield SMLE (Short Magazine Lee-Enfield) rifle is also a product of Scale Link and was purchased separately. It is also cast  in pewter and is quite nicely done. Included in the package of eight SMLE rifles is a small Photo Etch fret containing rifle slings. These are somewhat difficult to use as I found them to be rather 'stiff' and tough to bend into a natural pose. I most likely would forgo these in the future in favor of my usual method of drafting tape, styrene plastic and fine wire.

The Decals:
No decals are provided with this kit. All that were used came from a spare aircraft decal sheet, and they solely consist of the red and green stripes around the bombs as well as the white firing alignment stripe found on the mortar tube. These were applied per the usual method of closely trimming the backing film, dipping in warm tap water and set in place. Care must be taken to ensure that the trimmed film is removed and out of the way prior to the decal being set in it's final location on the model. Once dry, the decals were lightly coated with decal setting solution (Solvaset) and set aside to dry thoroughly.

The Base and Groundwork:
This base is cut to 3-1/2 inches in diameter and is of pine wood, stained with a natural colored stain and sealed with multiple coats of Polyurethane. Sculptamold mixed with white glue and water (75% to 25%) was used to shape out the groundwork. The sandbags were pressed out of a self-hardening clay, with minor gaps being filled with a mixture of white glue, water and finely sifted (through a nylon stocking) dirt. A few patches of Verlinden Static Grass were added as well as a spotty covering of the same sifted dirt as mentioned above. The back side of the sandbags were carved and sanded to somewhat maintain the radius of the wood base below.
The brass nameplate is made from K&S Brass Shim, .005" thick and cut to 1/2" wide with a #11 X-Acto blade. The brass shim was then shined up with fine steel wool. The lettering was accomplished by using Letraset dry transfer lettering. To seal the lettering and to protect the nameplate from fingerprints etc., the nameplate was sealed with multiple thin coats of Future Floor Wax applied by airbrush straight from the bottle. When completely dry, the nameplate was then fixed to the base with double-sided tape. Care must be taken when forming the nameplate to match the contour of the wood base as to not crack the wax coating.

Painting, Weathering and Finishing:
Painted entirely with PollyS/PollyScale and Model Master Acrylic Paints. A mix of Winsor and Newton Oils thinned with a Loew-Cornell Odorless Brush Cleaner and Thinner was used for the washes. Weathering on this subject was accomplished in part by using Berol Prismacolor artist's pencils. PollyScale Acrylic Flat Coat was then applied overall to the finished subject.

Actual Data:
        Weight: (As broken down into 3-man carrying loads.)
                Tube..........43 pounds
                Baseplate...28 pounds
                Bipod.........37 pounds
                    Total....108 pounds
        Tube Length: 51 inches
        Ammunition: High Explosive (HE), Mark I
                Weights: Shell complete:....................................8.92 lbs.
                              Powder Charge (total):........................2.75 lbs
                              Total weight of loaded projectile:.......11.67 lbs.
        (Normally four projectiles per box.)
                Range: Minimum (safe): Approx. 100 yards
                           Maximum: Approx. 740 yards (with 3 powder charge rings attached)
        Rate of Fire:  Up to 22 rpm

Misfire Procedure: 

General Info:
Designed and developed in 1914 by Sir Wilfred Scott-Stokes (1860—1927), The Stokes Mortar was conceived to be a "portable gun" with the capability of lobbing explosives effectively into German trenches well beyond hand and rifle grenade range, and with more explosive power. It was deemed to be a "brilliant concept" by the British Army, however some determined conservatives deemed it as "an outrageous novelty".

The design of this weapon was quite simplistic and is considered to be the first "modern" mortar to be fielded. The basic principles of the Stokes Mortar can still be found in today's modern mortar designs.

The firing of this weapon was achieved by dropping the bomb down the tube. The shell was propelled out of the tube when the shotgun-like blank shell fitted to the base of the bomb detonated on contact with the fixed firing pin at the base of the tube. The exploding cartridge would then ignite the Cordite propellant rings attached to the bomb, sending the bomb out of the tube.

Elevation was determined by the usage of a Clinometer. For aiming, the white stripe was aligned on the target area or the weapon was simply aimed by eye.

The British Army officially adopted the mortar as the "3-inch Stokes Trench Mortar, Mark I" in 1915, and was put into limited production. It would not see Front-Line service until 1916, with the first recorded commitment to battle near Loos, France.

This weapon was also issued to the United States' Allied Expeditionary Force (AEF) and was known there as the "3-inch Trench Mortar, Mark I". It was also produced in the United States when it was determined that British production levels could not meet the requirements of the AEF. Portuguese troops serving on the Western Front were also issued the 3-inch Stokes Trench Mortar, Mark I.

By the final year of the war, 1918, each British Army Division had 24 Stokes mortars on inventory.

References:
"World War 1 Trench Warfare (2)" by Dr. Stephen Bull and Adam Hook. Osprey Publishing, Elite Series No. 84.

On the Internet:
Bruce N. Canfield, The Three Inch Mortar
The Stokes Mortar
The First World War

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Mortars in Miniature, Created and Maintained by Kevin Robert Keefe, Copyright © 2001 - 2008.
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