1:144 Antonov An-72 P

The real subject

The An-72 is a twin-engine transport aircraft built for operation from short and poorly prepared strips. You recognize it at first glance by the placement of the engines: a pair of turbofan engines sits above the wing and ahead of its leading edge, and the jet efflux flows over the upper surface of the wing and increases lift during take-off and landing. A high-set wing, a T-tail and a cargo ramp in the rear fuselage go with it. The rendering marked with the letter P came about for patrol service over the sea and along borders.

Scale and building

The 1:144 scale is the home scale of airliner collections: a finished model takes up little space on a shelf and a whole fleet stays in one key. The kit is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Put the parts together dry before gluing and check the fit, cut the excess material off with a sharp blade a little away from the part and sand the rest down. Once dry, sand and polish the seams on the fuselage and on the engine nacelles, because on the smooth surface of a transport aircraft every unevenness shows.

Painting

Mask the cabin glazing before spraying and lift the mask only once the last coat has dried. Apply the paint in thin coats so that the fine surface lines are not lost. The color schemes, the placement of the decals and the recommended building sequence are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Who it is for

For collectors of transport and special-purpose aircraft in a small scale and for modelers who like unusual shapes. Paints, glue, masking material and tools are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.