1:32 AMC DH.2

The real subject

The Airco DH.2 was a British single-seat fighter biplane of the First World War. The pilot sat in a short nacelle at the front of the machine, the engine with its pusher propeller was placed behind him and thin lattice booms carried the tail surfaces. The layout looks unusual today, but it had a simple reason: the gunner and the forward fire were unobstructed, with no propeller crossing the path of the bullets. The open seat in the nacelle is in plain view on a model, which is why it is worth working on.

What the set contains

Seat belts of fabric for the cockpit in 1:32 scale. The fabric version has one fundamental advantage over stiff parts: the belt can be bent, allowed to sag and left to blend naturally over the edge of the seat or to fall beside it, so the interior loses its stiffness. With an open cockpit of the kind the DH.2 has, that difference shows at first glance. According to the name the belts are prepared for the DH.2 kit from the AMC brand; the extent of the set and the procedure for assembling it are described in the manufacturer's instructions.

Building tips

First lay the belts out dry and work out where they will run. Shape them with smooth-jawed tweezers so that no marks are left on the material, and fix them with a tiny amount of glue applied with the tip of a toothpick; a bigger drop soaks through and leaves a stain. Glue the belts into the seat before you close the cockpit up, otherwise you will not reach it with tweezers.

Terms of supply

The model, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.