1:72 Pilot Swedish Airforce 1950s to 1970s

The color of the flight suit decides the period

The flight suit is the largest continuous surface on a figure and it determines how the whole figure will work. Various shades were used by Swedish airmen of the Cold War over the years, and a modeler is in fact choosing the period in which his model stands. A cool gray-green moves the build into the 1950s, a stronger olive tone rather toward the 1970s, and a light gray suits machines of the later period. None of the choices is wrong, but it has to go with the rest of the display case.

For a good rendering of the flight suit a simple rule holds: lay the base shade on noticeably lighter than the result is meant to be, because the glazing that follows will darken the whole surface. The folds at the elbows and behind the knees will then come out by themselves and a dry brush only emphasizes the edges. The straps of the harness are painted separately and at this reduction it pays to choose a contrasting tone, or they will merge with the suit.

The casting is of cast resin, comes unpainted and is meant to be fitted into the cockpit of a finished model. Before painting it is advisable to wash it in warm soapy water, because mold release residue can repel the paint even after the primer has dried. Do the dry fit into the tub before painting, so that any extra sanding does not affect finished work.

It is also worth considering how to turn the figure. A head turned slightly to one side or a gaze lowered to the instrument panel give the whole thing a liveliness a stiffly upright figure does not have. Altering the angle is easy with resin: the neck is cut with a file, the head is turned a little and the gap is filled.