1:72 Lockheed C-130J-30 Hercules cargo interior

Lockheed C-130J-30 Hercules — cargo hold interior, 1:72, Eduard

A photo-etched accessory set from the Czech manufacturer Eduard intended for detailing the cargo hold of the Lockheed C-130J-30 Hercules tactical transport aircraft in 1:72 scale. It is not a kit of the aircraft — the set supplements and replaces plastic parts of the base model with fine metal pieces that cannot be produced by injection molding at this scale. Before you buy, check the match with your own kit against the data on the set's box.

The real subject

The C-130J-30 is the stretched variant of the C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft. Compared with the basic version it has a longer fuselage, so it takes more cargo and more paratroopers. Power comes from turboprop engines with six-blade propellers, the cabin has digital avionics and a crew of two. The roomy cargo hold with its folding ramp and rear doors is a mark of the whole Hercules family and is clearly visible on a model built open.

Building and painting tips

Cut the parts off with a fresh scalpel on a hard surface rather than snapping them out — then you do not have to clean the edges up laboriously. Make the folds in a photo-etch bender or between two razor blades, so the edges come out sharp and straight. Glue with cyanoacrylate glue applied with the tip of a wire; on larger areas a slower-setting epoxy helps. Degrease the area before gluing and coat the surrounding plastic with primer, so the metal holds well. Do not overspray any color-printed parts.

Who the set is for

• modelers who want a richer level of detail in the open cargo hold of a Hercules
• builders of transport aircraft in 1:72 scale
• those who already have experience working with photo-etched parts
• display models in which the interior is visible through the lowered ramp

The set is an accessory, not a kit. The base model, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.