1:32 Westland Wapiti

Westland Wapiti - 1:32, Lukgraph, a fully 3D printed kit

Take note: this is not injection-molded plastic. The Polish manufacturer Lukgraph offers this kit as a fully 3D printed kit in resin, completed by an extensive set of photo-etched parts, metal wire for the bracing of the wings and struts, decals and a color instruction sheet. A radial engine broken down in detail is included as well. The parts offer detail that an ordinary plastic model does not reach, but the build goes differently: they are glued with cyanoacrylate glue or epoxy, not with polystyrene cement. It is a premium kit that is not intended for beginners. In 1:32 it is also a large model, with a span approaching 44 cm.

The real subject

The Westland Wapiti was a British general purpose biplane of the interwar years with a radial engine. It arose as a cheap replacement for the aging machines of the First World War and became known above all for its colonial service with the RAF; it served in India, on the North-West Frontier and in the Middle East, where it carried out everything from reconnaissance and liaison through bombing to what was called air policing. It was a robust, simple and reliable machine, suited to operating from dusty makeshift airfields far from home, a typical representative of the era when the RAF held vast territories with a handful of aircraft.

Building and painting tips

First wash the parts in lukewarm water with detergent; resin carries residues after printing on which paint will not hold. Cut the print supports off with a sharp knife, never break them. Sand only wet and with your airways protected - resin dust is harmful to health. Cyanoacrylate glue is used, and on load-bearing joints epoxy is the safer choice. Use a primer before painting. The main challenge is the rigging: a biplane in 1:32 has a dense net of bracing between the wings and to the fuselage and it is the most demanding and the longest part of the build. Drill the holes before gluing and run the wires systematically. The bracing wires supplied in the kit give a large model the stiffness it needs; do not leave them out.

Who the model is for

• Experienced modelers with experience of resin and 3D printing
• Enthusiasts of the interwar RAF and of colonial aviation
• Builders of large models in 1:32 who want a striking display piece
• Those who dare to take on the extensive rigging of a biplane
• Collectors of unusual types outside the usual plastic range

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted, as a kit in resin (3D print). Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.