1:32 P-36 HAWK

A stepped canopy and side windows

The Curtiss P-36 belonged to the first generation of all-metal fighters with retractable landing gear. Its cockpit has a shape that differs markedly from later machines: the sliding section is fairly short, behind it fixed glazing continues, recessed into the fuselage decking, and the whole forms several distinct steps. The side panes reach low down, so you can see inside from the level of the wing and not only from above.

What that means on a large model

A view from the side exposes part of the cockpit tub that a more modern canopy would hide behind metal. It is a strip on which the interior color, the frame of the glazing and the outer camouflage all converge, that is three different shades on a small area. Without a mask run from both faces those three merge together and the stepped division of the canopy that characterizes the type loses its outline.

The set also contains decals

This item is an exception among the masking sets. Besides two canopy masks and four national insignia motifs, decals are listed as well, so it covers markings that are hard to do by spraying, for example inscriptions and small technical captions.

Combining masks and decals in one build

The two are not done at the same time. The insignia are sprayed into a camouflage layer that is not yet sealed, whereas the decals come only onto a smooth gloss coat, which stops them from whitening along the edges. Between the two steps the model therefore has to be left to settle and given a clear coat.

The scope of the work

Count on the stepped canopy needing more individual pieces than the smooth cockpit of later fighters, so laying the shapes on takes longer.

• Neither the kit itself nor its clear parts are in the box.
• The insignia shapes are sprayed; the supplementary markings are applied as decals.
• Intended for a build in 1:32 scale.