1:144 Tu-154 vacuformed canopy

Vacuum-formed cockpit canopy for the Tu-154 in 1:144 scale (Quinta Studio)

This is not a model of an aircraft, but a separate accessory: a clear cockpit canopy drawn over a form from thin transparent film, intended as a replacement for the glazing of the flight deck on a model of the Tu-154 airliner in 1:144 scale. The maker is Quinta Studio. The point of such a replacement is simple: a vacuum-formed part is noticeably thinner than an injection-molded piece from a kit, it does not distort optically, and through the glazing the interior of the cockpit then shows, which in a small scale otherwise has no chance of standing out.

How the part is worked

A vacuum-formed part comes attached to a backing film and has to be cut out. The proven procedure is to score round the outline with a new sharp scalpel leaving a margin, cut the part out with scissors and only then sand the edge back step by step with fine abrasive paper laid on a flat board, until the part seats exactly. Keep trying it dry; you can always take more away, but you cannot add. It is glued with a clear glue for glazing or with white PVA glue, which does not dull the surface; use cyanoacrylate only exceptionally and never near a clear area, because it whitens it. Before gluing, mask the glazing with tape or liquid mask and do not touch the surface with your fingers.

What to watch out for

The film is thin and is easily dented if handled roughly, so move the part with flat-jawed tweezers or with a piece of adhesive tape. Reckon on the interior of the cockpit having to be finished and painted before you fit the canopy. At the end you can polish the glazing with a polish for clear parts and cover it with a thin layer of gloss varnish, which evens the surface out.

Who the part is for

• Builders of airliners in 1:144 scale
• Modelers bothered by the thickness of production glazing
• More experienced modelers used to cutting vacuum-formed parts out
• Those who want to make a well-worked cockpit interior visible

The part is supplied unassembled and unpainted and on its own does not make a model. Glue, paints and the base kit are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.