1:48 Beaufort Mk. I

The real subject

The Bristol Beaufort Mk. I was a British twin-engine torpedo bomber of the Second World War that served mainly over the sea with coastal units. It was powered by two radial engines, the crew consisted of four men and the main weapon was a torpedo carried in a semi-recessed bomb bay. It was a working machine on which you can see that it was created for long patrol flights over water.

What photo-etch brings

The set is made of thin sheet metal into which the shapes of the parts are etched chemically. Photo-etch is used where a plastic part would have to be considerably thicker than the real thing because of the way it is produced. A thin metal part therefore looks more faithful once glued in place than its plastic counterpart, and it can carry shapes that cannot be made in an injection mold. Which particular parts of the model the set covers and which kit it is cut for is given in the manufacturer's instructions, so check that it matches your model in advance.

Building tips

• Cut the parts from the fret with a sharp blade on a hard surface; do not break them out.
• Make the bends on a bending bar or between two blades, not with your fingers.
• Glue with cyanoacrylate applied with the tip of a toothpick; cement for polystyrene will not hold here.
• Degrease and prime the metal before painting, because paint adheres badly to bare sheet.
• Prepare small parts over a work surface, not over the floor, as a photo-etched part that jumps away is hard to find.

Who it is for

The set is aimed at a modeler for whom the contents of the box are no longer enough and who wants details on the model at their true thickness. Working with photo-etch calls for tweezers, a sharp blade and patience, but the result is visible even from a distance. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the delivery, unless stated otherwise.