1:72 A/S32-31A USN Tow Tractor

The real subject

Ground handling tractors belong with aircraft just as much a matter of course as the pilot and the ground crew. The A/S32-31A type serves with the US Navy for towing and moving aircraft on the deck of a ship and on the aprons of land bases. It is joined to a machine with a tow bar at the nose gear, so an aircraft can be shifted without its own engines running. Moving an aircraft on a cramped deck is work to the centimeter and the tractor is built for it.

What the model is suited to

The 1:72 scale corresponds to the most widespread range of aircraft kits, so the tractor will fit into a scene under way on the deck of an aircraft carrier as well as to an ordinary parking apron. A diorama gains action from it: next to a standing aircraft it is at once clear how large the real subject is and what is going on around it. It can also be used on its own on a display base.

Building and painting tips

Before you start gluing, lay the parts on dry and check the fit. Cut the excess material off with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the remainder away carefully, so that the edges stay sharp. Wash and degrease the surface before painting, otherwise the paint need not hold. A suitable glue and the exact procedure are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Equipment on a deck tends to be heavily worn. Scuffs on the edges, deposits on the wheels and the marks of operating fluids will give depth even to a model this small, as long as you bring them out sparingly.

Who it is for

It will be reached for by modelers who build airfield and deck scenes in 1:72 scale and want to show, alongside an aircraft, the equipment that looks after it.

Paints, glue and other material are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.