1:48 Morane-Saulnier MS.406C1

Photo-etched set for a model of the MS.406C1

A fret of photo-etched metal parts for building a model of the French fighter Morane-Saulnier MS.406C1 in 1:48 scale. This is not a kit but an accessory for a model under way. Metal holds its shape even in thicknesses an injection mold cannot manage, and that is exactly its point. The code belongs to the fuller photo-etched series, not to the narrower Zoom set.

The real subject

At the beginning of the Second World War the MS.406 was the most numerous fighter of the French Air Force. The letter C in the designation refers to the role of a single-seat fighter under the French system of the time. The machine had a mixed construction, and in the fighting of 1940 it turned out that it lacked performance against newer opponents; its crews nevertheless did their part. For a modeler it is an aircraft with a pronounced angular shape and with a varied palette of finishes.

How to work with the sheet

Separate the parts with a sharp blade on a hard surface and sand the remainder of the tag back. It is glued with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue), as ordinary cement for polystyrene will not bond metal. Make the bends in a photo-etch bender or between two blades, and try the position of a part dry beforehand. Before painting, wash the metal, degrease it and apply a covering primer.

• photo-etched metal parts for a model in 1:48 scale
• the fuller fret, not the narrower Zoom variant
• cyanoacrylate glue, tweezers, a sharp blade and a photo-etch bender
• an accessory to a kit, it does not hold the model itself

Who it is for

For builders of French fighters of 1940 and for anyone who wants to take a model beyond the level of a straight box build. The manufacturer lists the narrower Zoom set of the same name under the code FE1471, so go by the code. The kit, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.