1:144 Fiat G.50 (Mark I kit)

Photo-Etched Set 1:144 Fiat G.50

This item is a photo-etched accessory, not a kit; it belongs among the metal accessories and photo-etched parts for 1:144 scale. The set is cut for one particular plastic kit of the Fiat G.50 in this scale and adds to it what injection-molded plastic physically cannot manage on a model the size of a thumb: parts a few tenths of a millimeter thick.

Why photo-etch in 1:144 in particular

The smaller the scale, the greater the difference between photo-etch and plastic. A plastic part always has some minimum thickness set by the mold, and in 1:144 that is, scaled up to reality, many times thicker than it should be. Etched sheet gets around that problem, and that is why photo-etch in small scales is used above all where thin surfaces, grilles, frames and small projecting features are concerned.

Fitting tips

Cut the parts off the fret on a glass or steel surface with a sharp scalpel and never tear them out; then sand the remaining tab down with abrasive paper laid flat. Make the bends in a bending bar or at least between two razor blades, as bending in the fingers never comes out sharp. For gluing, reach for cyanoacrylate applied with a pin; on larger areas a thicker gel variant helps, as it gives a few seconds to adjust the position. Degrease the photo-etch before painting and seal it with primer, otherwise the paint holds poorly on smooth metal. Reckon on tweezers and a magnifier being not a luxury but a necessity.

Who the set is for

• Modelers who already have the corresponding Fiat G.50 kit in 1:144.
• Builders in small scales who are bothered by the thickness of plastic parts.
• Those with experience of bending photo-etch and of cyanoacrylate.
• Collectors who want a model with sharp detail even in 1:144.

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