1:72 P-40K landing flaps

P-40K landing flaps 1:72, Eduard

A photo-etched accessory set from the Czech maker Eduard meant for a model of the P-40K aircraft in 1:72. It is not a kit or a model of an aircraft but a set of replacement parts of thin photo-etched sheet. It replaces the landing flaps, which in a kit tend to be molded solid in one piece with the wing, and makes it possible to build the wing with the flaps extended, including the ribbing and the inner structure of the flap wells. The model gains markedly by it, because a parked machine with the flaps down looks livelier than a smooth wing.

The real subject

The P-40 was an American single-engine fighter aircraft with a characteristic radiator under the nose, deployed on most theaters of the Second World War. The K version was among the forms with an engine of the Allison line and was used by American units as well as by the Allies. The wing had classic landing flaps, which on the ground were usually left down, so it is precisely this detail that is very conspicuous in period photographs.

Use and tips

• First cut out the original plastic flaps, clean the openings up with a file and level the surfaces
• Bend the photo-etched parts in a bender or over a sharp edge, leading the bends along the scored lines
• Glue with super glue, ideally the gel kind, so that there is time left for setting the part in place
• Before painting, spray the whole part with a primer, otherwise the paint will not hold on the smooth metal
• Paint the inside of the flap wells before you glue the flaps in place

Who the set is for

For modelers who want to reach a level of detail usual with larger models in the small scale of 1:72, and for builders of dioramas with parked machines. Working with photo-etched parts calls for patience and basic tools, so the set is rather for more experienced builders.

The set is an accessory, not a model of an aircraft. The base kit, paints and glue are not included in the package.