Radu Brinzan's range of 1:32 harnesses are quite distinct among aftermarket seatbelts; while it's now commonplace to see belts produced as etched items, he produces his in paper with etched buckles, combining the best of each medium; precision of photo-etching for the buckles and the realistic flexibility of die-cut paper for the straps.

The Sutton harnesses are available in two forms - Sutton A and Sutton QK. Although similar in style, they differ considerably in complexity:

Sutton A:
15 x etched steel buckles
40 x etched brass eyelets
8 x paper straps in 2 colours

Sutton QK:
17 x etched steel buckles
40 x etched brass eyelets
6 x brass buckles
17 x paper straps in 2 colours

I made up a set of RB Productions Luftwaffe harnesses and found them quite straightforward to construct. The new Sutton harnesses add an extra level of complexity with their slightly mind-boggling minute individual brass eyelets! You'll definitely need fine tweezers and a magnifier, not to mention a steady hand and a ready supply of patience! However, take your time and you'll be rewarded with incredibly realistic seatbelts.

The sets include clearly illustrated instructions with both diagrams and a photo of the finished harnesses. You must follow these precisely, as the parts assemble just like real harnesses; there's only one way they'll go together - they simply won't work if you try to thread the buckles on incorrectly. The cross-section diagrams are particularly useful in getting this right.

The straps are made of coloured paper, so there's no need to paint anything, although you could add stitching with a very sharp pencil. As for weathering, simply handling the paper during assembly softens it, giving a slightly used look. For a more dirty appearance, Radu recommends using pastels, because washes risk creating unrealistic stains in the porous material.

Conclusion

RB Productions' seat harnesses are quite superb! They are not suitable for anyone who's clumsy or impatient, but the finished seatbelts are almost uncannily realistic. The new Sutton harnesses are obviously a perfect accessory for Tamiya's gorgeous Spitfire Mk.IX and make the kit-supplied etched belts look positively crude by comparison. Highly recommended.

Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on AEROSCALE.