1:72 Gloster Gladiator Mk.I/Mk.II cockpit set for Airfix kit

Cockpit interior set 1:72 Gloster Gladiator Mk.I/Mk.II (SBS Model)

A detailed set that replaces the simple cockpit interior in a Gloster Gladiator model in 1:72 scale. The exact make-up and the number of parts are given on the packaging of the set. The set is cut for one particular Gladiator kit, so please check that it matches yours before buying. The set is intended for the Airfix kit.

The real subject

The Gloster Gladiator was the last British biplane fighter brought into service. It appeared in the mid-1930s and its cockpit, unlike those of older biplanes, was already enclosed, with modest but clearly legible instruments, a tube frame and a fur-lined seat. It is precisely this space that is visible on a biplane in 1:72 from the side and from above through the open cut-out of the canopy, so a detailed interior really does show on a finished model.

Building tips

First wash the resin parts in warm soapy water: mold release agent clings to the surface and paint would not hold on it. Do not snap the casting blocks off but cut them with a saw or separate them in a hand saw and sand the remainder down; wear a respirator when sanding resin and work wet. It is bonded with super glue, as plastic will not join to resin with modeling cement. Always try the cockpit dry in the fuselage halves before painting and, if need be, thin the fuselage walls from the inside; that is usually the condition for getting the halves glued together without a gap.

Who the set is for

• Modelers who want to improve the cockpit of the Gladiator visibly
• More experienced builders used to working with resin
• Anyone interested in British interwar biplanes
• Those who build the model with the canopy open

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