AC-130J cargo floor 1/72

A photo-etched cargo floor in 1:72 scale

This is not a kit of the aircraft but a photo-etched set aimed at a single assembly of the model: the floor of the cargo compartment. The floor of a transport aircraft is not a smooth board but a technically broken-up surface with tie-downs and runs. In injection-molded plastic only a simplified impression of it can remain, whereas etched metal renders it with a sharp, flat relief that matches reality far better.

Why this matters in 1:72 in particular

In a small scale fine surface detail cannot be engraved into plastic in a way that looks right. At the same time the cargo compartment on this type is large, and in a build with the ramp or the doors open it stays at least partly in view. The etched set is therefore an unobtrusive addition that shows exactly where the viewer looks in.

The real subject

The AC-130J is the gunship version of the four-engine Hercules transport in its modern generation. It differs from the transport version in its built-in armament and in extensive reconnaissance and targeting equipment, on account of which it carries unusual fairings on the fuselage. The layout of the interior is therefore different from that of an ordinary transport machine.

Usage tips

• sand the plastic under the etched part flat, otherwise a large part will bow
• try the part dry first and only then glue it
• glue with super glue of a gel consistency around the perimeter and at several points inside
• degrease the metal and prime it, otherwise the coat rubs off
• the relief comes out after a dark wash and a light pass with a dry brush

Terms of supply

A photo-etched set is supplied. The kit, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.