1:72 P-40E/K/M and N-1 Seat with Belts for Special Hobby kit

The real subject

The Curtiss P-40 was an American single-seat fighter which reached practically every theater of the Second World War and served with allied air forces in many countries. The cockpit sits high behind the wing and under the flat canopy it can be seen almost through its whole depth, so the seat and the belts are among the first things anyone notices on a model. The name covers the E, K, M and N-1 versions.

What the accessory solves

The set replaces the seat from the kit with a part with sharper rendering and, according to the name, with belts as well, so there is no need to add belts from another source. In this scale the seat in a kit tends to be only suggested, and without belts the cockpit looks empty, especially if you have the canopy open. How many parts the package contains and which particular Special Hobby kit in 1:72 scale the set belongs to, check against the manufacturer's data on the packaging.

Building and painting tips

The part is not polystyrene and plastic cement will not join it; use super glue or two-part epoxy and degrease the surfaces before joining them. Cut the surplus material away with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the remainder off, so that a flat seating surface is left. Fit the seat into the partly built cockpit before you glue the fuselage halves together. Wash it in lukewarm water with a drop of detergent before painting; paint the belts separately from the shell and pick out their hardware with a fine brush right at the end.

Terms of supply

The package contains the replacement part stated. The kit, paints and glue are not supplied, unless stated otherwise.