1:48 B-24D Liberator undercarriage

Photo-etched landing gear for the Consolidated B-24D

A photo-etched set from the maker Eduard for a model of the B-24D Liberator bomber in 1:48 scale, aimed at the landing gear. The metal parts replace plastic shapes which, because of the production technology, always come out thicker than reality would call for. This is a full photo-etched set, not a narrowed pre-painted selection.

A bomber with a nosewheel

The Liberator was among the first large bombers with nosewheel landing gear, which made taxiing and the takeoff run easier from large airfields. The main legs folded outward into the wing and the uncovered bays are clearly visible from below on a finished model. It is here that the difference between bare plastic and a fine metal structure shows most markedly. The high-mounted wing moreover leaves the whole underside of the fuselage in view.

Working with photo-etch

Separate the parts with a sharp knife against a hard surface, not by twisting. Make the bends over a metal rule or in a bender and fix the joints with cyanoacrylate glue applied with a pin. Before painting, degrease the metal and apply a primer coat, or the paint will not hold on the smooth surface. Keep the offcuts from the rest of the sheet, because as shims or fillers they will serve again on the next build.

Who the set is for

• experienced modelers who have worked with photo-etch before
• builders of large four-engine machines
• those who display a model with the landing gear down
• competition builds with an emphasis on the view from below
• rebuilding an older model to a higher level