1:72 Seversky P-35 (wet decals)

The first modern fighter of the US Army Air Corps

The Seversky P-35 was a turning point for the US Army Air Corps. It was the first single-seat fighter in service to combine all-metal cantilever construction, retractable landing gear and an enclosed cockpit. Alexander de Seversky and the designer Alexander Kartveli took part in its creation, and Kartveli's later work led to the mighty Thunderbolt. Around 1938 these machines formed the backbone of the first fighter group at Selfridge Field, and their colorful prewar finishes are among the most interesting things that can be rendered on a model.

Thirteen options in one set

The list runs from the aircraft of the commander of the 94th Squadron with a red band on the rear fuselage through the machine of Colonel Clagett, the example of the flight leader of the 39th Squadron and two aircraft in temporary camouflage from the 1940 maneuvers to the P-35A version. Those were originally intended for Sweden, but after an export ban was imposed they ended up in the Philippines, where December 1941 caught them. The Swedish line is represented by three J 9 machines of the F 8 wing, the Japanese one by the two-seat 2PA-B3 version of the 12th Kokutai from China in 1939, which the Allies designated Dick. The series closes with the AT-12 Guardsman trainer.

A practical tip

Prewar finishes rest on saturated colors and polished metal, where every unevenness under the film shows. It therefore pays to work in small areas and blot the excess water away while the decal is still movable. The model of the airplane itself is not in the package. On polished surfaces it helps to buff the decal lightly with a soft cloth once dry, so that the edge of the film blends into the base.