1:32 Curtis Hawk 81-A2 (for GWH kit)

The real subject

Hawk 81 is the factory designation of the early series of the American fighter better known under its military designation P-40. You will recognize it by its long slender nose, under which a liquid-cooled V12 engine is housed, and by the large radiator under the engine. Machines of the Hawk 81 series reached several users outside the United States in the first years of the war and fought in Africa and in Asia. The A2 form distinguishes one of the export batches within this series.

What the sheet offers

It is a decal sheet for a model in 1:32 scale. According to the name it is cut for a kit from the GWH brand, so the cutouts and the spacings match that model; with a kit from another brand, reckon with the possibility that it may not fit. How many markings and which particular machines the sheet carries is shown by the illustration on the packaging and by the manufacturer's instructions.

Application tips

Before you soak the sheet, check in the instructions whether it is not a self-adhesive treatment: a soaked self-adhesive film is irreversibly ruined, whereas a wet decal can be soaked later as well. With the usual wet treatment, prepare the base to a gloss, because on a matte surface air stays under the decal and the edge turns white. Cut the decal out close to the print, lay it in lukewarm water and let it release from the paper. Move it by sliding it off, not by pulling at the print; you can fine-tune the position with a drop of water and blot the excess with the edge of a paper towel. Once dry, varnish over it so that the edge disappears.

• decals for a model in 1:32 scale
• the subject is the Curtiss Hawk 81-A2, the early series of the P-40 aircraft
• according to the name cut for a kit from the GWH brand
• the extent of the sheet is shown by the illustration on the packaging

A decal sheet is supplied. The kit of the aircraft, paints, varnish and a decal softener are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.