1:35 Jeep engine insulationt + canvas

The real subject

The light off-road car known as the jeep is among the best known vehicles of the Second World War and among the most frequently built models of all. It is small, simple and seemingly quick to finish on the modeling bench. That is exactly why small details stand out on it: every part is visible from both sides, nothing hides under armor and a finished model carries more detail than its size would suggest.

What the accessory solves

The set adds the insulation of the engine compartment and a canvas to the model. Both are soft material on the real thing, that is exactly what molded plastic renders worst: a plastic canvas tends to be hard, with sharp edges and no sag. A finished accessory, by contrast, has folds that look as though someone really had thrown cloth over the frame. Where exactly the individual parts belong and in what order they are fitted is shown in the manufacturer's instructions.

Building and painting tips

Seat the parts dry first and check whether they rest all the way round; even out any slack by sanding the base rather than by bending the part. Cut any excess material away a little distance from the part with a sharp blade and sand the remainder. Wash and degrease before painting. Choose the glue to match the material; cyanoacrylate glue will join even what cement for polystyrene does not affect. Paint the canvas more matte than the sheet metal of the body and pick the folds out with shadow and brightened edges, or the canvas will merge with the vehicle into one mass.

Who it is for

For modelers who build Allied vehicles and want to show a jeep with its fabric items, not only in bare metal form. Paints and glue are not included in the delivery, unless stated otherwise.