1:35 M48A3

What the set is for

A set of photo-etched parts in 1:35 scale for a model of the American M48A3 tank. Photo-etch can do what injection-molded plastic cannot: thin grilles, eyes, brackets and sheet-metal stiffeners in a thickness that matches reality. It is precisely on these small things that the difference between a model straight out of the box and a model taken through to full detail shows most on a vehicle.

The real subject

The M48 belongs to the American Patton family of tanks and became one of the most widespread Western tanks of the 1950s and 1960s. The A3 version came about by modernizing older machines, and the US Army deployed it long after newer types had begun to replace it in service. The main armament was a 90 mm gun.

Building tips

• cut the parts off with a sharp blade on a hard surface; do not snap them off
• level the remains of the tab after cutting with a fine file
• make the bends in a bender or over the sharp edge of a ruler, not with your fingers
• glue with cyanoacrylate glue; plastic cement will not hold on metal
• degrease the parts and lay down a primer before painting

Who it is for

The set is tied to a particular kit, so check against the manufacturer's data which one it matches; the assembly sequence for the individual subassemblies is in the enclosed instructions. Working with photo-etch calls for patience and tweezers, but the result moves a model up a class. It is an accessory to a kit, not a model in its own right. The kit, paints and glue are not supplied with the set, unless stated otherwise.