1:32 150 gallon underwing fuel tanks (F-5E, F, N, F-20, AT-3) (2 pcs)

The tanks without which a light fighter did not get far

The light fighters derived from the F-5 stood out for their agility and their low cost, but they paid for it with a modest fuel load. For combat operations and for ferry flights they therefore almost always took off with drop tanks hung under the wing. It is drop tanks of exactly that kind, of one hundred fifty gallons, that this set captures, and in two pieces at that, that is for one model at once. They will find a use on the two-seat and single-seat versions of the F-5 family, on its more powerful single-engine successor and on the Taiwanese trainer and light combat machine that comes from the same design line.

The castings have a smooth, continuous surface with no parting groove, which on bodies of a rotational shape is a difference anyone will notice. Plastic tanks are always made from two shells and the seam left by them stays exactly where it is most in the way.

An undemanding accessory with a clear result

Of all the ways of reworking a model, swapping the stores is among the simplest and the most rewarding. The tanks are merely sanded where they seat, glued to the wing and sprayed along with it. It is suitable even for someone who has not tried resin yet. The only thing to watch is symmetry: both tanks have to hang at the same angle, or the model looks twisted. If all you want is to fill the hardpoints and your paint scheme is a simple one, the parts from the kit will serve too, once the seams have been sanded carefully. The replacement pays off above all on glossy and single-color finishes, where a seam would give itself away.