1:32 Panavia Tornado GR.4 wheel bay ITALERI

Panavia Tornado GR.4, landing gear bay 1:32

This resin set from Aires completes a model of the Tornado in the GR.4 version in 1:32 scale. The Tornado is a twin-engine aircraft with a variable geometry wing and a crew of two, and the GR.4 is the British combat version after modernization. In a large scale, the landing gear with open bays is one of the first places a viewer looks at. The set replaces the simplified space from the kit with a casting that has structure on the walls and the runs. It is an accessory, and the kit is not part of the package.

Working with resin

Resin accessories belong in the hands of a more experienced modeler. The castings are held on casting blocks that have to be cut off, the material is harder and more brittle than plastic, and there tends to be residual mold release agent on the surface. Fitting means reworking the plastic of the kit, which has to be planned before the fuselage is closed, not afterwards.

Building tips

• Wash the castings in lukewarm soapy water, otherwise the paint will not hold.
• Cut the casting blocks off with a saw, a disc or a knife, and never break them.
• Sand wet and with respiratory protection, as resin dust is very fine.
• Bond with super glue, with an accelerator in hard-to-reach places if needed.
• Keep trying the fit dry and take the plastic away gradually, until the bay drops in without pressure.
• Paint and shade the inside before closing the fuselage and fit the landing gear legs only at the end.

Who the set is for

• builders of large models of combat aircraft in 1:32 scale
• modelers who build an aircraft with open bays
• more experienced builders used to working with resin

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