1:48 Lockheed SR-71 Blackboard grilles

The real subject

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is an American two-seat reconnaissance aircraft built for flight at high speed and great altitude. Everything is subordinated to that: the slender fuselage with its side chines, the pair of engine nacelles on the wing, a crew of a pilot and a reconnaissance systems operator, and an airframe largely of titanium alloys, because ordinary aluminum structures would not withstand the heat generated by friction with the air. The dark finish, to which the machine owes its nickname, was meant to carry away part of that heat.

What the set contains

It is a set of photo-etched grilles in 1:48 scale. A grille is exactly the element at which plastic fails: to be manufacturable it has to be thick, and the openings in it stay blanked off. Etched metal sheet, by contrast, is thin and cut right through, so on the model a real view into the recess beneath it appears. The range of parts, their placement on the model and the kit they are cut for are given in the instructions enclosed by the maker.

Building and painting tips

Separate the parts with a sharp blade on a hard surface and level off what is left after separation with a fine file. Color the area under the grille dark before you fit the grille, otherwise bare plastic will show through the openings. Metal will not bond with cement for polystyrene, so use cyanoacrylate glue applied in tiny drops with a point. Before painting, wash the sheet, degrease it and lay a base coat on it, as paint otherwise will not hold on smooth metal.

• 1:48 scale, photo-etched grilles from thin metal sheet
• the real subject is the American high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft
• the grilles are cut right through, so a real view appears on the model
• it is a good idea to color the area under the grille beforehand
• the range of parts and the target kit are given in the maker's instructions

Terms of supply

The kit, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.