1:48 British wheel chock + ladder

What the set contains

Photo-etched parts in 1:48 scale for two things that were never missing from an airfield: wheel chocks for the landing gear and a ladder for access to the cockpit and the engine. The form is British, as the name says. The photo-etch is thin and accurate, so both the chock and the ladder come out slender to scale, which with plastic parts of the same kind tends to be a problem.

Why it shows on a model

A standing airplane with nothing around it looks as though it were hovering above the base. All it takes is chocks set against the wheels and a ladder leaning against the side of the fuselage, and it is immediately clear that the machine is parked and that someone is moving around it. Small things like these also lead the eye across the model and give a scene a sense of scale without your having to build a whole diorama. A small piece of base is enough for them.

Building and painting tips

• cut the parts out of the sheet with a sharp blade on a firm surface; do not snap them out
• sand what is left of the holding tab after cutting with a fine file
• bend over a straight edge, and with the ladder work in small steps
• it is bonded with a minute amount of super glue
• before painting, degrease the surface and use a base coat meant for metal
• both the chocks and the ladder will take heavy wear; on an airfield this was roughly used equipment

Terms of supply

A photo-etched fret is supplied. The kit of the airplane, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.