1:72 H-75A1/AR - interior 3D decals for Arma Hobby kit

The Hawk that fought first

Curtiss developed this all-metal cantilever low-wing monoplane with a radial engine as the export form of its army fighter. The largest customer was France, and the French Air Force scored the very first aerial victories of the Western Front with it in September 1939. Against the German fighters of the day it was slower and more lightly armed, but famously agile and pleasant to fly, so it kept its good name among pilots even after the fall of France. Further machines then flew in British, Dutch and Finnish colors and went on fighting long after they were considered obsolete elsewhere. A cockpit from the mid-1930s is simple, which makes every dial in it stand out all the more.

A solution for a small scale

The set offers printed elements with a three-dimensional layer: an instrument panel with bezels, side walls with stiffeners and seat details. The colors and the markings are finished, which at this size saves a great deal of uncertain work with a fine brush.

Fitting

The elements are shaped for the kit from the Arma Hobby brand. A clean, degreased surface, lukewarm water, transfer with a soft brush, blotting off the water and calm drying - nothing more is needed. A matte clear coat at the end hides the joints. The model and the paints are not in the box.

What to focus on during the build

On interwar aircraft more of the cockpit is visible than you expect, because the canopy tends to be framed and is often slid back for display. Give attention to the side walls as well, not just the front panel. A shade of surrounding metal matched to the elements will then keep the layered panels from looking like a foreign body stuck on.