1:32 BF109G-14 - ORLON SEATBELTS

The real subject

The Bf 109 was the most numerously built German fighter of the Second World War. It was powered by a liquid-cooled inverted V12 and its cockpit was, by its standards, very tight, barely the width of the pilot's shoulders. The G-14 version belongs among the late machines of the Gustav series from the end of the war, when the production standard was being unified. In 1:32 scale the view into the cockpit is so good that the belts across the seat form one of the first details a viewer notices.

What the set offers

These are fabric seat belts for 1:32 scale. The straps are made of a textile the manufacturer lists under the name Orlon; a tape like that can be folded, twisted and left to fall over the edge of the seat, which a stiff plastic or photo-etched part cannot do. The scope of the set and the placement of the individual straps are given by the manufacturer in the enclosed instructions.

• fabric seat belts for a Bf 109 G-14 model in 1:32 scale
• the material of the straps is listed under the name Orlon
• a strap can be bent and left to drape naturally over the seat
• an accessory to a kit, not a stand-alone model
• it is fitted before the cockpit is closed

Building and painting tips

Finish and paint the cockpit before you fit the belts. First fold the strap dry over the edge of the seat and leave it lying for a while in the shape it is to keep; only then tack it down at a few points. Apply the glue in a small amount with the tip of a toothpick, because the textile soaks up every excess and hardens into an unnatural shape once dry. Let the free end of the strap fall over the side of the seat, which gives the cockpit depth.

Terms of supply

This is an accessory set for building a model. Paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.