1:48 US NAVY AS32A-49 (long) Deck tractor (Full 3D printed resin kit)

US Navy AS32A-49 deck tractor, long version, 1:48 (Quinta Studio)

A fully printed resin kit of the US Navy AS32A-49 aircraft deck tractor in the long version, in 1:48 scale from the Russian brand Quinta Studio. It is not an accessory but a model in its own right, entirely in printed resin, and for that reason it is intended for experienced modelers. It is supplied unassembled and unpainted. The manufacturer also offers a shorter version of the same tractor, so care is needed over which version you are getting.

The real subject

Deck tractors are small, exceptionally powerful vehicles that move aircraft on the flight deck of a carrier between the elevators, the parking areas and the catapults. They have to be low so as to fit under the fuselage of an aircraft, and at the same time heavy so as to have enough traction. The AS32A-49 type belongs to a newer generation of these tractors and is used in both forms, the shorter and the longer. For the modeler it is a rewarding addition to a deck scene.

Building and painting tips

Printed resin parts are hard and brittle, so handle them with care. First wash them in warm soapy water so that the print resin residue disappears from the surface and the paint will hold. Cut off the supports with a saw or a cutting disc, never with nippers. Sand the mating surface flat and glue the parts with cyanoacrylate glue or epoxy, because cement for plastic will not hold here. Wear a respirator while sanding, or sand wet.

Who the model is for

• experienced modelers with experience of resin and printed parts
• builders of deck scenes and flight deck dioramas
• those interested in the ground equipment of naval aviation
• anyone who wants to add deck handling crews to an aircraft model

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.