At 1:24 a viewer looks straight into the cockpit, so photo-etch takes the leading role. 1:24 aircraft photo-etch supplies seatbelts of a believable thickness, canopy frames and interior ribbing. Thin metal sheet reads more convincingly than any injection-moulded part, especially across the large surfaces this scale puts on show.
A big airframe can take generous detailing, so combine etch with the other metal upgrades. Kits are in 1:24 aircraft model kits, the other sizes in aircraft photo-etch sets, and the armament is lifted by 1:24 turned metal barrels. Bend the belts gently over a brush handle before fitting, because an arranged sag looks far more honest than flat sheet.
