1:144 Tupolev Tu-204

Tupolev Tu-204 photo-etched set 1:144 (Metallic Details)

A detail set from photo-etched sheet intended for refining a plastic model of the Tupolev Tu-204 airliner in 1:144 scale. Photo-etched parts are an order of magnitude thinner than plastic, so they look realistic in a small scale where a mold inevitably simplifies, that is on thin sheet metal elements, covers and small exterior equipment. The set is an accessory for a finished kit, not a model.

The real subject

The Tu-204 is a twin-engined narrow-body airliner for medium routes, developed by the Tupolev design bureau at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s. It has a low-mounted wing with wingtip devices, engines on pylons under the wing and a conventional tail. It was created in several versions that differ above all in the powerplant and the equipment, because besides machines with Russian engines there were also variants with engines of Western production. Besides passenger transport the airplane is also used in a freight form.

Usage tips

Photo-etched sheet is thin and malleable, so it is worked differently from plastic. Separate the parts with a sharp scalpel on a hard surface and then level the remains of the tabs with a fine file or a sanding sponge, because a tab that has not been cleaned up shows once varnish is on. Make the bends along the pressed grooves, ideally in a photo-etch bending tool or between two blades, so that the edge is straight and sharp. They are glued with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue) in a minimal amount; with larger areas the gel version helps, because it leaves a few seconds for positioning the part. Degrease the sheet and spray it with a primer before painting, otherwise the paint holds badly on the smooth metal.

Who the set is for

• Modelers who build civil airliners in 1:144 and want to push the detail beyond the level of the box.
• Those interested in Russian and Soviet transport machines.
• Builders with experience of photo-etched parts, because the work calls for a scalpel, a bending tool and cyanoacrylate glue.
• Collectors who exhibit models from close up, where the thickness of plastic shows most.

This is an add-on set for a plastic model, not a standalone kit. The base model, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.