1:48 A-7E

Photo-etched accessories for the A-7E, 1:48 scale

A photo-etched set for a model of the A-7E Corsair II carrier-based attack aircraft in 1:48 scale. It is not a kit but an accessory to one. Thin sheet metal makes it possible to produce items at a thickness injection-molded plastic will not come close to.

The real subject

The A-7 came about by reworking the F-8 Crusader carrier-based fighter into a machine for strikes on ground targets. The fuselage was shortened and widened, the wing was given a fixed angle, and the result is a stubby single-seat aircraft with a large air intake right under the nose, which is the unmistakable recognition mark of the type. The designation E belongs to the US Navy version with modernized equipment. The Corsair II was valued more for its load and its endurance than for its speed.

Building and painting tips

• Cut the items from the fret with a sharp blade on a hard surface, not by breaking them out.
• Sand away what is left after cutting, so that the part sits down across its whole face.
• Make the bends with a bending tool or with flat-jawed tweezers, across the full width of the part.
• Degrease the metal before gluing and painting, otherwise neither the joint nor the paint will hold.
• It is glued with super glue applied in a minimal amount on the tip of a toothpick.

Who the set is for

For modelers who are building the Corsair II in 1:48 scale and want detail beyond the contents of the box. Working with photo-etch calls for tweezers, a sharp blade and good light, but it shows on a finished model. The extent of the set and the assignment of the individual parts are given by the manufacturer in the enclosed instructions, so dry-fit the parts and compare them with the plastic before gluing.

The package contains photo-etched parts only. The model, paints and glue are not included, unless stated otherwise.