1:72 A-6E Prowler

The real subject

The A-6E Intruder was a carrier attack aircraft of the US Navy, built for striking in all weathers and at night. The crew consisted of a pilot and a weapons systems operator sitting side by side, so the cockpit is unusually wide and cannot be overlooked on a model. That is exactly why on this type it pays to give the glazing more care than elsewhere.

What a replacement canopy is for

A clear canopy replaces the part from the kit. Modelers reach for one above all when they want to display the cockpit open and show off a worked-up interior, or when the original part does not fit, is scratched or has yellowed. A clean clear part also lets the work you have put in inside the cockpit come out.

Work tips

• Touch the part as little as possible and only by the edges, as fingerprints are hard to remove from a clear surface.
• Glue it with an adhesive intended for clear parts; ordinary super glue will fog the surface.
• Mask the frames before spraying and apply the paint in a thin coat.
• Tone the inside of the frame with the interior color and the outside with the color of the upper surfaces.

Small scratches can be polished out before varnishing with a fine sanding sponge and polishing compound. A thin coat of gloss varnish also helps the clarity by sealing any remaining sanding marks. Before you glue the part on for good, try its fit dry and take up any play by lightly sanding the mating edge.

Terms of supply

The aircraft model, paints, masks and glue are not included in the box, unless stated otherwise.