1:72 PBY-5A Catalina

The real subject

The Consolidated PBY Catalina was a twin-engined amphibious flying boat which in the Second World War served for maritime patrol, convoy escort and picking crews out of the water. The PBY-5A version received retractable wheeled landing gear, so it could take off from the water as well as from dry land. Its wing was carried on a pylon above the fuselage and it had a pair of rounded observation blisters on the sides of the rear fuselage, from which the crew watched the surface.

What the set contains

The contents are a photo-etched metal fret in 1:72 scale meant to refine a Catalina model. Etched metal holds a firm shape even at a thickness a plastic part cannot have, so the set sharpens up above all small and thin features. The extent of the fret and the kit the set 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 and never break them out. Make the folds along the marked grooves, best of all in a bender or between two blades, and complete the shape in a single movement. Glue the metal with cyanoacrylate glue applied on the tip of a piece of wire, as cement for polystyrene does not hold on photo-etch. Before painting, wash and degrease the metal and start with a base color, otherwise the finish rubs off the smooth surface easily.

Who it is for

The set belongs in the hands of a modeler who is already confident with fine work using tweezers and a sharp knife and wants features on the finished model that would come out too thick in plastic. The contents of the package are given in the manufacturer's instructions. Paints, glue and tools are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.