1:32 P-40B seatbelts STEEL

Curtiss P-40B, seat belts in the steel version, 1:32 scale

This is a set of photo-etched seat belts from the Czech manufacturer Eduard for a model of the American Curtiss P-40B fighter in 1:32 scale. The STEEL designation in the name means that the belts are made of steel, not of ordinary brass sheet. It is not a kit and it is not a complete cockpit set either: they are belts, that is one particular part of the interior.

What it is for

Seat belts are a detail that even a layman notices in a cockpit, and yet a kit mostly handles it only with engraving on the seat. Metal belts can be shaped: they fold over the edge of the seat, can be left to fall freely onto the cockpit floor and look soft even though they are made of sheet. That is exactly why steel suits better than brass: it holds its shape and is at the same time springier.

The real subject

The Curtiss P-40 was a single-engine fighter with a liquid-cooled Allison V-1710 engine and a radiator under the nose. The P-40B version was one of the early configurations and in British designation it corresponds to the Tomahawk Mk.IIA. The pilot's seat is clearly visible in the cockpit, especially when the model is built with the canopy open, and that is exactly where the belts do the most work.

Work tips

Shape the belts with your fingers and tweezers gradually, not in a single bend. Make the folds over an edge and the curves over a cylindrical object, for example over the shank of a drill. They are bonded with super glue in spots. If the parts are not finished in color, degrease them and prime them before painting, otherwise the paint will not hold on the metal.

Who the set is for

• Builders of aircraft models in 1:32 scale
• Modelers who build with the cockpit open
• Those who want to replace the engraved belts on a plastic seat
• More experienced builders used to fine metal parts

This is not a kit. The base model, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.