that are a thinner alternative to
the plastic counterparts. I think
many modellers will be satisied
with the contents included in the
box, but for those wanting to add
a bit more to their X-1, the extra
etched set is a fantastic addition.
THE BUILD
I was really looking forward to this
kit, but sadly building it took a few
more left turns than I wanted. There
are many sources online that show
detailed pictures of the X-1 cockpit,
so starting there, I replaced several
plastic parts with the new etched
pieces. These added some very
nice detail that is clearly seen with
the door removed. I painted the
interior Tamiya XF-58 Olive Green.
I decided to keep any weathering
to a minimum, as these X-1s weren’t
heavily used and were very well
maintained. I also replaced the
etched seat belts with a fabric P-51
set (148007) from HGW Models,
as these are nearly identical to
Eduard’s. HGW seat belts can appear
diicult to assemble, but with a
sharp knife, some good tweezers,
and a little patience, you will be
rewarded with some fantastic
and realistic looking belts.
I’m not a fan of nose-sitting
aircraft; I just get a bit paranoid that
I didn’t add enough nose weight,
and in this case, I can safely say that
I overdid it and added way too much.
The Bell X-1 was based around the
shape of a .50 calibre bullet and my
kit weighs nearly as much as one.
One major problem I ran into,
and this could be the only issue Ihad with the design of the kit, was
that the instrument panel does
not it in the cockpit. The panel
is designed to it on a rod holding
the pedals in place. I sanded down
the plastic raised details, as the
instructions directed, and then
attached the pre-painted etched
panels. When it came time to
add the completed panel into the
cockpit, however, I was devastated
to ind that no matter how I tried I“THIS IS A SIMPLE KIT AND
A QUICK BUILD, BUT IT
PROVIDES A LOT OF REWARD
FOR THE MODELLER”
WWW.SAMPUBLICATIONS.COM • DECEMBER 2018 • 63
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