1:72 Arado Ar-234B

The real subject

The Arado Ar 234B was a German jet aircraft of the end of the Second World War, deployed for reconnaissance and for bombing. It had a slender fuselage with a glazed nose and a pair of jet engines slung under the wing. While the first prototypes took off from a jettisonable trolley and landed on skids, the production B version already had retractable landing gear with a nose wheel, so it could operate from an ordinary airfield. It carried its bomb load externally, because the narrow fuselage had no room for a bomb bay.

What the set contains

The contents are a photo-etched metal fret in 1:72 scale intended for refining a model. Etched metal holds its shape even at a thickness a plastic part can never reach, which is why it is used wherever an element is meant to be thin or pierced. The extent of the fret and the kit it is cut for are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Building and painting tips

Separate the parts from the fret with a sharp blade on a hard surface, never break them out, as they twist. Make the bends along the scored lines, ideally in a bending tool or between two blades, and finish the shape in one movement. Glue with cyanoacrylate glue applied on the tip of a wire; cement for polystyrene will not join metal, because there is nothing for it to soften. Wash and degrease the metal before painting and start with a base color, otherwise the coat will rub off the smooth surface.

Who it is for

The set belongs to a modeler who is willing to take on fine work with tweezers and a sharp knife. Paints, glue and tools are not included in the delivery, unless stated otherwise.