1:48 Curtiss P-40N landing flaps

The real subject

The Curtiss P-40 was an American fighter of the Second World War, committed from North Africa through the Pacific to the Eastern Front. The P-40N version is its late production configuration. On a parked machine the landing flaps on the underside of the wing tend to be lowered, so a model offers a rewarding view into their internal ribbing.

What the set contains

Photo-etched landing flaps for a P-40N model in 1:48 scale. Etching makes it possible to produce surfaces as thin as plastic parts cannot be, which is why the flaps from the set do not come across as a coarse plate on the underside of the wing. Sets of this kind normally assume that the flaps will be cut off the kit and their bays opened out; the exact extent of the work is given in the manufacturer's instructions, so read those before you cut into the wing.

Building and painting tips

Snip the parts off the carrier sheet with sharp scissors or separate them with a blade on a surface; never tear them out. Make the folds over a straight edge or in a bending tool, so that they stay straight along their whole length. Use cyanoacrylate glue in a tiny amount, applied on the tip of a wire. Wash and degrease the photo-etched parts before painting, otherwise the paint will not hold; a primer intended for metal also proves its worth.

• 1:48 scale
• photo-etched landing flaps for the Curtiss P-40N
• thin surfaces of a kind that cannot be made in plastic
• it normally calls for cutting the flaps off the kit
• wash, degrease and use a primer for metal before painting

Terms of supply

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