1:72 Tu-95

A turboprop giant with a swept wing

The Tupolev Tu-95 first flew in the autumn of 1952 and remains to this day one of the strangest machines of the Cold War. It was given a swept wing, the sort otherwise associated with jet power, and yet under it the designers hung four NK-12 turboprops with contra-rotating propellers. The blade tips work in the supersonic region, which is why this bomber can be heard tens of kilometers away. The same combination, however, gave it a range of over ten thousand kilometers and a service life no contemporary of its own has surpassed.

The scope of the set

The shapes are cut to the framing of the glazed nose, the cockpit and the rear gun position, so measuring out and lengthy trimming of tape with a knife are not needed. The manufacturer prepared them for the 1:72 model of this bomber from Trumpeter; on a model from another brand the shapes need not fit. The outer surface of the glazing is masked; the inner side of the cockpit is handled separately, for instance with cut paper or masking putty.

Working with the templates

It is good to degrease the glazing before application and let it dry completely. The individual parts are lifted off the backing with tweezers and the edge is pressed against the line of the frame so that paint cannot run under it. Spray in thin coats; a heavy application leaves a noticeable step once the template is peeled off. Take the templates off shortly after drying, while the adhesive is still pliable. The aircraft model, paints and thinner are not in the package; this is purely a painting aid.