1:35 Imitation of inspection devices 2S14 Sting-C (Trumpeter)

What the set is for

Vision blocks, periscope heads and cover glass are a small thing on an armored vehicle, but they decide the impression of the whole model. A plastic part from a kit is as a rule flat and matte, so once sprayed it merges into its surroundings and all that is left is a gray face. A real device, by contrast, has depth, reflects light and shifts shade with the angle of view. This set offers replacement items that restore that difference on a model.

What the set contains

According to the name these are imitations of the observation devices of the 2S14 vehicle in 1:35, cut for the Trumpeter kit. The items are seated into the places of the original plastic parts, or glued onto the surface after you remove the original part and level the seat. How many items the package contains and which positions on the vehicle they belong to is given in the manufacturer's instructions. The subject is a Soviet self-propelled antitank gun built on a wheeled armored chassis.

Building and painting tips

• try the items dry, and only then glue them
• use a glue made for clear parts, as the fumes of cyanoacrylate glue will haze a glossy surface
• apply the glue at a point and only where the joint will not show
• fit them only once the vehicle has been sprayed and dirtied, or the items will be covered in paint
• the surroundings of a vision block can take heavy soiling, while the optics themselves stay cleaner, because they get wiped

Who it is for

For modelers who build a vehicle for a display case or for a scene viewed up close, where the optics are at the focus of the gaze. The work is fine and tweezers with slim tips and good light pay off, but the time it takes is small compared with how strikingly the model changes.

Terms of supply

The set of imitations alone is supplied. The kit, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.