1:32 FuG 202 Lichtenstein B/C (3D print)

The real subject

The FuG 202 Lichtenstein B/C was one of the first German airborne radars for night fighting. It was carried by twin-engined night fighters and it allowed a crew to find a target in the dark without being led the whole time by ground stations. The most conspicuous thing about it was its antenna array ahead of the nose, made up of small dipoles on short booms and known under the designation Matratze.

What the set offers

The accessory is intended for 1:32 scale, in which the antenna array becomes a striking part of the model and cannot be brushed aside. The parts are made by 3D printing, so they have fine shapes and clean edges, but they are more fragile than injection-molded plastic and deserve careful handling. The set is meant for anyone who is building a night fighter and wants the equipment in a form that a simplified part from a kit cannot offer.

Building and painting

• Cut the print supports off with a sharp blade a little away from the part and sand the mark gently.
• The parts are not polystyrene, so super glue is what holds the joints.
• Before painting, wash and degrease the features, so that the paint holds on them.
• Spray the paint in thin coats; a heavy coat would flood the fine shapes.

Fit the booms with the dipoles at the very end of the build, and during further handling take the model by the fuselage, not by the nose. Carrying it on a base will cut the risk of snapping them further.

Terms of supply

The model of the aircraft, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.