1:48 Gloster E28/39 Pioneer - interior 3D decals for ClearProp kit

The real subject

The Gloster E.28/39, known under the name Pioneer, was the first British aircraft with a jet engine. It came about as a flying testbed for the power unit designed by Frank Whittle, and it had a single task: to prove that such propulsion could carry an aircraft into the air. The shape of the airframe matches that, namely a small single-seat machine with the intake in the nose, a short fuselage and nosewheel landing gear. The cockpit sits high and more can be seen inside it than you would expect on so small an aircraft.

What the set solves

Color 3D elements for the cockpit, cut for the ClearProp kit in 1:48 scale. They replace painting the instruments and the labels by hand: they carry legible dials, differentiated panels and a raised relief that casts a shadow in side light, so the panel does not look like a painted flat surface. On an aircraft whose whole point was a test cockpit full of measuring instruments, that pays off under an open canopy.

Before applying and while working

• The method of application differs between individual sets, so check the way the elements are fixed in the manufacturer's instructions.
• Spray the cockpit parts first, let them cure and degrease them, otherwise the edge of the element will lift away in time.
• Work while there is free access to the cockpit, that is, before joining the fuselage halves.
• Pick the elements up with soft-gripping tweezers and press them down with a cotton swab from the center toward the edges.
• The manufacturer's instructions give which element belongs to which part of the kit.

Who it is for

For builders of early jet equipment in 1:48 scale who build from the ClearProp kit and do not want to paint small dials with a brush. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.