1:32 USAF General-Dynamics F-111 pilot (in a standing position- type 1)

US Air Force F-111 pilot in a standing position, 1:32, Reskit

A resin figure of a pilot in 1:32 scale by Reskit, a brand that specializes in resin and 3D printed accessories for aircraft modelers. The figure represents a crew member of a General Dynamics F-111 of the US Air Force in a standing position, in the version designated type 1. You will stand it beside the model, at the boarding ladder or in an airfield scene; it gives the model a sense of scale and a story that the airframe alone never has.

The real subject

The General Dynamics F-111 was a two-seat supersonic combat aircraft with a variable-geometry wing. The crew sat side by side, and in an emergency they were saved by a whole jettisonable escape capsule rather than by conventional ejection seats. The US Air Force operated tactical versions and a strategic variant, and a machine for electronic warfare was built on the same basis. The type served from the late 1960s and was deployed in conflicts where low altitude, long range and the bomb load carried were what counted.

Painting and usage tips

First wash the figure in lukewarm water with a drop of detergent to remove the remains of the mold release agent, otherwise the paint will not hold. Cut the remains of the casting blocks off with a saw or a sharp knife and sand the surfaces; protect your airways when sanding resin. Glue the joints with cyanoacrylate glue. Apply a thin primer, then the base colors of the flying gear and the face. You bring out the volume by blending a lighter and a darker shade gently and by a final oil wash in the folds. The highlights on the visor and the buckles are tuned with a gloss varnish at the end.

Who the figure is for

• Builders of large aircraft models in 1:32 scale
• Modelers who create airfield scenes and vignettes
• Anyone interested in American Cold War combat aircraft
• Collectors of figures who want a figure tied to a particular type of aircraft