F-100C air brake 1/32

F-100C air brake in 1:32 scale

A photo-etched detail set aimed at the air brake on a model of the American North American F-100C Super Sabre fighter-bomber in 1:32 scale. It is not an aircraft kit but an accessory for a plastic model. The brake panel and its bay are among the places where a plastic molding is necessarily simplified; fine metal makes it possible to capture the thickness of the panel, the stiffeners and the internal structure of the space beneath it. Check the exact contents of the package against the illustration on the packaging.

The real subject

The North American F-100 Super Sabre was an American single-seat jet combat aircraft with a swept wing, the first of the so-called Century series. The F-100C version was conceived as a fighter-bomber — it received a wing adapted for fuel, an in-flight refueling probe and pylons for carried armament. The air brake, in the shape of a large panel, was located on the underside of the fuselage and swung out into the airflow in the landing regime, so it is prominently visible on models with the panel lowered.

Usage tips

The brake bay has to be dealt with before you close the underside of the fuselage. Separate the photo-etched parts with a scalpel on a hard surface and make the bends in a bender, so that the edge is straight. Degrease the metal and cover it with a primer, or the paint will peel off during handling. They are glued with cyanoacrylate in tiny drops, or with slow-setting epoxy. Paint and shade the interior of the bay before you seat the panel; a dark wash into the corners and gentle drybrushing along the edges will give the space depth.

Who the set is for

• Builders of a large Super Sabre model with the air brake swung out
• Modelers for whom flat plastic bay detail is not enough
• More experienced builders with experience of photo-etch
• Those taking a model up to competition standard