1:32 A-1 Skyraider late version wheels set

A-1 Skyraider wheels in the late form, scale 1:32 — Reskit

This is not an aircraft model but a replacement for the wheels. The Ukrainian brand Reskit is based in Kyiv, has been active since 2015 and makes its add-ons as resin and 3D-printed parts. Wheels are the most common item among detail sets, because it is on them that the difference against plastic shows most: the tread pattern, the lettering and above all the flattened contact patch of a standing aircraft.

The real subject

The Douglas A-1 Skyraider was an American attack aircraft with a piston engine, which came about at the very end of the Second World War and saw its best-known use two decades later in Indochina. It could stay airborne for many hours, carry an enormous load of ordnance and fly slowly enough to support units in close contact with the enemy. Late machines differ from early ones in a number of details, the wheels and landing gear fittings included, so a set cut for the late form need not match the early versions.

Building and painting tips

Wash the parts clean of print residue and cut off the supports; sand the marks down carefully and protect your breathing while sanding. They are glued with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue). Paint the hubs and the tires separately and set them apart not only by color but also by gloss: a tire is always the most matte part of a model. If the wheels have a flattened contact patch, check before the glue sets that the model stands level, or the effect is wasted.

Who the set is for

• modelers who build the A-1 Skyraider in 1:32 scale
• builds of the late forms of the type
• more experienced modelers working with resin
• collectors of detail sets for a single type

The set is supplied unassembled and unpainted. The kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.