1:48 Curtiss P-40N

The real subject

The Curtiss P-40 was an American single-seat fighter of the Second World War, known in American service as the Warhawk. It was built in large numbers and fought on practically every front, from North Africa through the Pacific to the Eastern Front. The N version is a late stage of development, in which the designers concentrated on cutting weight and on a better view to the rear.

What the photo-etched set offers

An etching is a thin metal sheet from which the individual parts are separated, shaped and glued to the model. Metal holds its shape even at a thickness that injection-molded plastic cannot manage, and that is why etchings are used where the material is meant to look thin: seat belts, consoles, handles, grilles and small surfaces with fine relief. Which parts of the aircraft the set covers and which kit it is cut for are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Tips for working it

• separate the parts with a sharp blade on a hard surface, not by breaking them out with your fingers
• make the bend over the edge of a bending tool or between two blades, along the whole length at once
• glue with cyanoacrylate applied with the tip of a toothpick, because polystyrene cement will not join metal
• before painting, wash the metal, degrease it and lay a base coat underneath
• work over a tray, because a small part flies off a pair of tweezers easily

Who the set is for

For builders who want to push the detail of a model beyond what a plastic kit offers, above all in the cockpit and on the surfaces you can see into. Working with photo-etched metal calls for tweezers, a sharp blade and a calm hand, but the result shows on a finished model at first glance.

Terms of supply

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