1:32 Douglas A-20G Havoc Collection

Xtradecal 1:32 Douglas A-20G Havoc Collection

A marking sheet in the large 1:32 scale for the American Douglas A-20G attack aircraft. The British brand Xtradecal lists it as a Collection, that is as a set of markings for one type; neither the extent of the sheet nor the selection of machines follows from the name, so it is not specified here. The package holds the markings alone; the model is obtained separately.

The Havoc and its attack form

The Douglas A-20 was a twin-engine light bomber with tricycle landing gear, valued in its day for its briskness at low level. The decisive turn came with the A-20G version: the glazed nose for a bombardier disappeared and a solid nose with fixed forward-firing gun armament replaced it. The aircraft thus became a machine for attacking ground targets from low altitude. Wright R-2600 radial engines provided the power, and the A-20G became the most numerously produced version of the whole family; a large part of production went to the Allies, and in the Royal Air Force the type was known under the name Boston.

Practical advice on finishing

The Havoc has long continuous fuselage sides, where every shortcoming of the surface shows. It pays, then, to spray a smooth gloss intermediate coat before the markings and to let it cure properly. Deal with the engine nacelles and the area around the exhausts only after the markings are done; the smoke stains go over them, not under them.

Who the sheet is for

• Builders of American attack aircraft in 1:32 scale
• Modelers for whom the markings from the original box do not fit
• Collectors of markings for twin-engine machines
• Builds with an emphasis on a large fuselage area