1:48 F-105 F/G Thunderchief - canopy mask (for Revell and Monogram kits)

The two-seat Thunderchief and its divided glazing

Stencils for the canopy frames of the two-seat F-105F and F-105G versions in 1:48 scale. The cockpit of the tandem is divided into two separate hinged sections and between them lies a fixed strip, so there are considerably more straight lines here than on a single-seat machine. The target kits are Revell and Monogram.

From a trainer to a radar hunter

The F version was created as a combat-capable two-seat aircraft with a lengthened fuselage and a taller vertical tail. It was from it that the F-105G grew, a specialized machine of the Wild Weasel program whose task was to find and silence surface-to-air missile sites before the strike force reached the target. It carried anti-radiation missiles and had conspicuous fairings for jamming equipment along the sides of the fuselage. The motto of these crews was first in, last out. The rear seat received instrumentation of its own and with it a different view through the glazing.

Painting tips

• Mask both sections of the canopy separately and label them at once.
• Cut the sharp corners of the frames with a new blade, not a blunt one.
• Choose a light base under the top coat, so that metallic shades glow.
• After lifting the stencils off, look the edges over against the light.
• Cover the fixed strip between the cockpits last.

Who it will serve

• Builders of two-seat Thunderchiefs.
• Those interested in the suppression of air defenses.
• Modelers who do not want to fight a divided cockpit.
• Collectors of aircraft of the conflict in Indochina.